Salutogenic environment: the effect of environmental quality of hospital public spaces (EQHPS) on patients’ sense of coherence

Purpose This study aims at identifying the key perceived environmental attributes that can influence patients’ sense of coherence (SOC) in hospital public spaces and can improve hospital quality to create a salutogenic environment. Design/methodology/approach In total, 205 patients from the two hospitals in Sari City, Iran, participated in a questionnaire survey. The data were analyzed through structural equation modeling using partial least squares to investigate the impact of environmental qualities of public spaces on patients’ SOC. Findings Results confirmed that public spaces’ quality is positively associated with patients’ SOC. Accessibility has the most effective role in patients’ SOC, closely followed by relationability and intelligibility indicators. Environmental comfort also influences patients’ SOC in hospital public spaces. In comparison, the quality of the visibility is less important to patients’ SOC. Practical implications Findings will help hospital managers and designers to identify influential factors to improve the quality of health-care environments. Furthermore, the study will provide a picture of patients’ views and SOC intentions regarding public spaces in health-care environments. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, there is a lack of studies on the relationship between hospital public spaces and users’ SOC. Thus, this study investigates the experiences and perceptions of patients toward the quality of public spaces in hospital environments in physical, social and psychological aspects to find out its effects on patients’ SOC.