UF’s Department of Interior Design Receives Grant from the Academy of Architecture for Health Foundation
The University of Florida’s Department of Interior Design in the College of Design, Construction and Planning was awarded a $30,000 research grant by the Academy of Architecture for Health Foundation to investigate how the design of emergency departments might reduce the incidence or severity of violence against staff. The global incidence of violence against healthcare professionals is alarming. Specific aspects of poor environmental design have been identified as risk factors for violence. Researchers will conduct a summative content analysis of pertinent literature and space syntax analysis of two emergency departments affiliated with UF Health. Working with emergency medicine professionals at UF Health, the team will develop an applied traceability matrix tool to identify technical performance measures and design dependent parameters that should be considered in order to minimize conditions that might contribute to violence against healthcare staff.Investigators expect that the findings from this study will equip healthcare decision makers and designers to leverage the built environment as part of the solution to a pervasive, dangerous and demoralizing problem facing healthcare professionals.The research team, led by Dr. Sheila Bosch, includes Dr. Lisa Platt, Dr. Shabboo Valipoor and doctoral student, Soheyla Gorji from UF’s Department of Interior Design, as well as Dr. Linda Nubani with Michigan State University’s Interior Design program. The project will begin in August of this year.
