A Choice-Based Design Approach to Influence Beneficial Use of a Green Space by Family Caregivers at a Tertiary Care Hospital in India.

Objectives, purposes, and aims: Principles of behavioral economics are now being used across fields in changing human behavior toward perceived benefit. We studied the effectiveness of simple, cost-effective design cues based on these principles, in encouraging use of a neglected outdoor space in a hospital.

Background: Benefits of access to nature and green spaces are established in healthcare; however, we found utilization of an outdoor space to be suboptimal. Presenting choices in different ways is known to influence user choice.

Methods: We designed four design interventions based to nudge relative-caregivers waiting outside the operation theater toward utilizing an adjoining outdoor balcony. These included making the terrace prominent, reducing indoor sensory stimulation, adding stereotypical elements, and improving usability. We measured usage via video camera data and satisfaction using questionnaires.

Results: The number of users and average time per person spent on the balcony increased over the consecutive intervention periods as compared to baseline (trend p < .01 for both), mainly driven by the addition of stereotypical elements. There were no adverse events in the balcony. There was no difference in the satisfaction related outcomes on questionnaire; a larger percentage of positive comments tended to be related to the balcony in the final intervention.

Conclusions: Cost-effective design cues nudged patient-caregivers toward spending more time with nature, thus changing behavior toward that with perceived benefits.