title: "Artificial But Better Than Nothing".
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate patient, staff, and carer responses to an environmental intervention in an oncology clinic waiting room and evaluate the acceptability of artificial plant materials. Design Postintervention: Cross-sectional survey study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oncology outpatient clinic waiting room located in a metropolitan comprehensive cancer center in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observer ratings of perceived qualities and effects of lifelike (fake) plants while spending time in the waiting room.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample ( N = 143) consisted of 73 cancer patients, 13 staff, 52 carers, and 5 "others" aged between 24 and 89 years ( M = 56, SD = 14.5).
  
  
  METHODS
  Artificial plant arrangements, hanging installations, two movable green walls, and one rock garden on wheels placed throughout the outpatients' clinic waiting room.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-one percent (115/142) of respondents noticed the green features when first entering the waiting room and 67% (90/134) noticed they were artificial. Eighty-one percent (115/142) indicated "like/like a lot" when reporting their first reaction to the green features. Forty-eight percent (68/143) were positively affected and 23% (33/143) were very positively affected. Eighty-one percent (110/135) agreed/strongly agreed that "The greenery brightens the waiting room," 62% (80/130) agreed/strongly agreed that they "prefer living plants," and 76% (101/133) agreed/strongly agreed that "'lifelike' plants are better than no plants." Comments included mostly positive appraisals and occasional adverse reactions to artificial plants. No significant differences were found between patients', staff, and carers' reactions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The environmental intervention positively impacted patients', staff, and carers' perceptions of the oncology waiting room environment. Patients, staff, and carers mostly accepted artificial plants as an alternative design solution to real plants.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cancer Experiences Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|2 Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blaschke
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cancer Experiences Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|3 Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|4 Palliative Care Service, Cabrini Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Clare C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: O'Callaghan
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cancer Experiences Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|5 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schofield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010361:Patients; D010944:Plants; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: environmental design; oncology waiting room; questionnaire; supportive care