| dc.description.abstract | With non-communicable diseases on the rise, data from the World Health
Organization (2018) reveals that more than 14 million people around the world suffer
from the threat of cancer, with nearly 8 million patients experiencing death. The
effects of cancer and its related treatment techniques greatly impact on a patient’s
mental and emotional wellbeing in addition to its physical impact. Although early
detection, care and effective healthcare facilities can lead to recovery, the nature of
the sterile and isolated nature of such modern facilities often lack the warmth and
human feeling that many patients require for better emotional wellbeing, due to the
utilitarian and efficient nature of cancer centres and hospitals. The concept of creating
‘healing spaces’ using architecture aims to address such challenges by creating and
designing medical institutions that are more comfortable for the patient, taking a step
away from the uncomfortable and sterile feel of modern-day healthcare facilities that
could create an additional stress to the patient’s psyche. This publication will address
the noticeable lack of up-to-date, systematically reviewed research, specifically
focusing on the existing literature on paediatric cancer patients and the impact on
their healing factors caused by architectural design, and as a result, assists in
presenting a clearer understanding of the connection between architecture and its
impact on the healing process in human psychology. | en_US |
