The Study of environmental needs of patients and disabled persons with 6 to 12 years old based on their experiences, to increase the quality of pediatric-treatment spaces in Isfahan city: Aphenomenological study

Exposure to undesired and unfamiliar treatment spaces may lead to increased stress and intensified illness in sick and disabled children. Since investigating the experiences and environmental needs of this group of children can improve the quality of these spaces and consequently create more comfort on the behalf of children during treatment sessions, the findings of this study are worth considering. It was a qualitative phenomenological study based on Criterion-based purposive sampling. The study population was comprised of 35 children with the age range of 6 to 12 years suffering from head injury, spina bifida, spinal cord injury and other kinds of lower limb deformations. The children were asked to depict their desired treatment environment and needs based on their experiences. In addition, the researcher helped the subjects to complete their paintings and express their needs using deep open semi-structured conversation. Narrative analysis and subjective coding by Atlas Ti6 were used to analyze the paintings and obtained texts. The codes extracted from the paintings were subsequently categorized into 5 basic themes including entertainments and amusement functions, furniture, decorations, social – emotional communications and sense of security. Study results showed that paying attention to children’s experiences have an important role in enhancing quality of treatment environments. Expressed needs and desires of children regarding natural settings, room decorations, lively colors and natural proper light can be incorporated into designing favorite treatment environments so that they feel relaxed while they are in such settings. These modifications would have the eventual effect of accelerating children’s rehabilitation process.