Shadowing Stroke Patients to Explore the Rehabilitation Built Environment: Approach, Insights, and Lessons Learned

Area of Science:

• Architectural research
• Healthcare design
• Patient experience

Background:

• Shadowing is an observational research method adaptable for architectural studies.
• Its application in healthcare settings is crucial due to patient vulnerability.
• Understanding patient interaction with the built environment aids recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and apply the shadowing method in architectural research.
• To explore stroke inpatients' interactions with the built environment during rehabilitation.
• To provide practical insights for using shadowing in healthcare architectural research.

Main Methods:

• Shadowing involved 12-hour observations of 70 stroke inpatients.
• Data collection included floor plans, narrative descriptions, sketches, and patient remarks.
• This study represents a large-scale application of shadowing in stroke patient research.

Main Results:

• The shadowing method successfully captured the built environment's influence on patients' daily rehabilitation experiences.
• It provided unobtainable research insights into patient-environment interactions.
• The study highlighted the method's utility in understanding the role of healthcare architecture.

Conclusions:

• Shadowing is a valuable, albeit challenging, method for architectural research in healthcare settings.
• It offers unique perspectives on the patient experience and environmental interactions.
• The findings provide practical guidance for researchers employing shadowing in similar contexts.