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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Neveen Hamza, Dr Leigh Townsend
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
This study, conducted on purpose-built NHS dementia wards, investigates correlations between patient aggression and indoor temperature and humidity. Temperature and humidity, measured at 3-minute intervals, on male and female wards, over 12-15 months, were compared against staff-recorded incidents (n=299; females n=100; males n=199). Linear regression was used to assess potential correlations. Binomial analysis measured relative risk of incidents outside comfortable thermal (22-24°C) and humidity (30% to 60%) ranges. Temperatures ranged from 17-27oC and humidity ranged from 16-70%. On the male ward, both extremes of temperature were correlated with increased incident likelihood (R2=0.473) and relative risk of incidents was 1.89 (p=0.0015) at temperatures <22oC and 1.73 (p<0.001) at temperatures >24oC. On the female ward, increasing temperature was correlated with increased incident likelihood (R2=0.568) and relative risk of incidents was 1.99 (p<0.001) at temperatures >24oC. Strong associations between relative humidity levels and incidents were not identified. Extreme temperatures were associated with significantly increased risk of incidents of agitation, suggesting relevance of environmental conditions in the formulation of agitation in dementia.
Author(s): Hamza N, Reid K, Anderson D, Townsend L
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Environmental Psychology
Year: 2024
Volume: 100
Pages: 102477
Print publication date: 01/12/2024
Online publication date: 06/11/2024
Acceptance date: 30/10/2024
Date deposited: 12/11/2024
ISSN (print): 0272-4944
ISSN (electronic): 1522-9610
Publisher: Elsevier
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102477
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102477
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