Influence of Spatial Layout on Wayfinding Behaviour in Hospital Environment in Nigeria

Abstract

Many studies have shown that wayfinding is affected by the familiarity of subjects with the environment. Wayfinding difficulties are caused due to the complexities of building configuration and evolving spaces that emerge over time in response to operational needs and change which results in disorientation, uncertainty, anxiety, frustration, and stress. A large hospital environment greatly influences the wayfinding behaviour of newcomers, which could be stressful and intimidating for them. This study explores the wayfinding behaviour of unfamiliar users in the acquisition of knowledge of the environment with the aim to improve wayfinding competence in hospitals. The study was carried out at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), situated in the Plateau State of Nigeria. The methods used for data collection were walking-with observation, verbal protocol and a semi-structured interview. These methods indicated the participants’ level of wayfinding performance during the navigation aimed to find the desired destination. The respondents, n 16 (8 male and 8 female), were purposively sampled and observed through behavioural mapping. Additionally, 24 respondents were separately interviewed in order to triangulate the findings of behavioural mapping. The findings revealed that the majority (62.5%) of respondents found the building layout complex to navigate due to their spatial similarities. Additionally, the wayfinding experience of the majority (95.8%) of respondents in the hospital was established to be difficult and stressful. Also, the result proved that 60% of female wayfinders were more prone to wayfinding errors than male wayfinders in finding their way to the desired destination due to the complexity of the building layout. The study recommends that building configuration design in hospitals should be organised in a simple way and it should be constantly reviewed as new spaces evolve. The implication calls for an improved design which remains distinctive and a well-linked layout that facilitates effective and efficient wayfinding for unfamiliar users in a safe and satisfactory manner.