TY - JOUR
T1 - Veteran-Centered Investigation of Architectural and Space Design Considerations for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
AU - Nuamah, Joseph
AU - Rodriguez-Paras, Carolina
AU - Sasangohar, Farzan
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Kunal Khanade and Jason Patrick Williams for their help in data collection. We also thank project HERO for their help with recruitment and for facilitating the study. We thank Jacob Kolman for providing proofreading and editing assistance for this article. The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
PY - 2021/1
Y1 - 2021/1
N2 - Aim: This study sought to investigate architectural and space design considerations for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Background: Anecdotal evidence suggests that urban design features could have a positive impact on the mental well-being of individuals suffering from PTSD. However, evidence-based architectural and space design guidelines for PTSD are largely absent. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 veterans diagnosed with PTSD to gain insights into their personal experiences with physical indoor and outdoor spaces, and to inquire about their needs and expectations for future architectural design. Transcripts were analyzed thematically. Results: Architectural design features including windows, entrances and exits, walkways and hallways, open space, defensible space, and green space; interior design features including furnishings and color; and ambient features including light, air quality, and noise levels were identified as most influential design features. Conclusions: Our results underscore the first important step to developing comprehensive architectural and space design guidelines for veterans with PTSD. Work is in progress to solicit more feedback from veterans.
AB - Aim: This study sought to investigate architectural and space design considerations for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Background: Anecdotal evidence suggests that urban design features could have a positive impact on the mental well-being of individuals suffering from PTSD. However, evidence-based architectural and space design guidelines for PTSD are largely absent. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 veterans diagnosed with PTSD to gain insights into their personal experiences with physical indoor and outdoor spaces, and to inquire about their needs and expectations for future architectural design. Transcripts were analyzed thematically. Results: Architectural design features including windows, entrances and exits, walkways and hallways, open space, defensible space, and green space; interior design features including furnishings and color; and ambient features including light, air quality, and noise levels were identified as most influential design features. Conclusions: Our results underscore the first important step to developing comprehensive architectural and space design guidelines for veterans with PTSD. Work is in progress to solicit more feedback from veterans.
KW - PTSD
KW - architecture
KW - mental health
KW - space design
KW - veterans
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U2 - 10.1177/1937586720925554
DO - 10.1177/1937586720925554
M3 - Article
C2 - 32441151
AN - SCOPUS:85085037893
SN - 1937-5867
VL - 14
SP - 164
EP - 173
JO - Health Environments Research and Design Journal
JF - Health Environments Research and Design Journal
IS - 1
ER -