Perception of affective qualities of environment and stress level in radiology unit: The effectof a pictorial intervention

Pictorial intervention in hospital environments represents a relevant research field in research and intervention for the improvement of the quality of life for patients in hospital. This study investigated the effects of a pictorial humanization intervention in a Breast Radiology Unit of an Italian hospital. The aim of the study was to study, in a sample of women undergoing to breast cancer screening, whether the pictorial intervention impacted the women's perceptions of affective qualities of hospital environment and their levels of distress. The total sample consisted of 100 women, 36 recruited before the pictorial intervention was performed (Control Group-CG), and 64 after its implementation (Index Group, IG). Before and after the medical examination, all participants were asked to complete the “Scales of the Affective Quality Attributed to Place” (QAL) and the “Rapid Stress Assessment Scale” (VRS). Results showed a significant effect of pictorial intervention, with all 4 positive affective domains of QAL (Relaxing, Exciting, Pleasant, Stimulating) reporting significant higher (improved) scores in the IG compared to the CG. However, no significant differences emerged for what concerns the QAL negative domains. Although there were no significant differences between IG and CG scores at global levels of stress (VRS), women's anxiety levels significantly decreased after the examination, but only in the IG group. Our findings suggest that the pictorial intervention could be particularly useful in order to create more welcoming hospital environments and to reduce negative effects associated with medical screening examinations.