This paper aims to explore how the visual characteristics of cancer wards' interior spaces can be improved based on the combined visual design themes to help cancer inpatients’ spatial experience and relieved state of mind. Accordingly, we present a visual design framework that can be applied in oncology wards. This study adopts the Ulrich-supportive design theory as a theoretical framework using two main methodological phases: observation of cancer wards and interviews with professional caregivers. The first phase critically explores hospital cancer wards' interactive aesthetical and visual interior characteristics. Next, we adjusted the visual criteria based on the Post Occupation Evaluation (POE) method to develop the interview questions. Interviews were conducted with experienced nurses, oncologists, and a general physician, all from a cancer ward at McGill University Health Center (MUHC) in Montreal, Canada. We presented 11 main themes in the categories of color and light, natural/artistic images, way-finding, and visual clutter. To present and justify our visual design framework, these main themes were then classified based on the common goals, resulting in four combined themes: applying simplicity and usability; developing naturality; creating homeyness and respecting patients’ agency; and promoting trustworthiness. Our findings suggest that—apart from the last theme, promoting trustworthiness, the rest are in line with Ulrich's supportive design theory. Therefore, further research is needed to investigate “promoting trustworthiness” in the context of cancer wards. In addition, each aspect of the visual design framework can offer practical design recommendations for future studies.

中文翻译：

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肿瘤病房癌症住院患者的空间体验：视觉设计方面的定性研究

本文旨在探讨如何基于组合的视觉设计主题来改善癌症病房室内空间的视觉特征，以帮助癌症住院患者的空间体验和舒缓的心态。因此，我们提出了一个可应用于肿瘤病房的视觉设计框架。本研究采用乌尔里希支持设计理论作为理论框架，采用两个主要方法阶段：癌症病房观察和专业护理人员访谈。第一阶段批判性地探索医院癌症病房的互动美学和视觉内部特征。接下来，我们根据岗位职业评估（POE）方法调整视觉标准来制定面试问题。对来自加拿大蒙特利尔麦吉尔大学健康中心 (MUHC) 癌症病房的经验丰富的护士、肿瘤科医生和全科医生进行了采访。我们在颜色和光线、自然/艺术图像、寻路和视觉混乱等类别中提出了 11 个主题。为了展示和证明我们的视觉设计框架，然后根据共同目标对这些主题进行分类，从而产生四个组合主题：应用简单性和可用性；发展自然性；营造温馨氛围并尊重患者的自主权；并促进诚信。我们的研究结果表明，除了最后一个主题——促进可信度之外，其余的都符合乌尔里希的支持性设计理论。因此，需要进一步研究在癌症病房的背景下“促进可信度”。此外，视觉设计框架的各个方面都可以为未来的研究提供实用的设计建议。