Building users' perceptions of importance of indoor environmental quality in long-term care facilities

Abstract

This study investigated whether the characteristics of the users of long-term care (LTC) facilities were associated with differing perceptions of the importance of indoor environmental quality. Questionnaires were distributed to three types of building users—managers of LTC facilities, people residing at LTC facilities for at least three months, and family members of residents—to assess their perceived importance of indoor environmental factors (temperature, humidity, natural lighting, illumination, ventilation, and noise). The results showed that the characteristics of managers did not affect their perceived importance of the indoor environmental index. Among residents, their education level and whether they suffered from hyperlipidemia, osteoporosis or stroke were associated with differing perceptions; the perceptions of family members differed according to education level, age, the residents' length of stay in LTC facilities, the number of beds at the facility, and the number of other LTC facilities visited. Family members attached less importance to indoor environmental indicators when the payment for staying at an LTC facility was made by the resident's spouse. The findings could serve as a reference for the design and management of indoor environments in LTC facilities in order to meet the needs of individual building users.