Visual Art for Pregnancy Satisfaction

Overseen By Scott Dexter, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Albany Medical College

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not pregnant, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

100 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether selecting visual art for hospital rooms can increase expectant mothers' satisfaction during their stay. The study compares the hospital experience of patients who choose art for their room with those receiving routine care. It seeks pregnant individuals currently in the hospital's antepartum unit who can complete a questionnaire. Participants should clearly identify as pregnant and admitted for care. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to enhance the hospital experience and contribute to innovative research.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that patient-selected visual art in hospital rooms is safe for increasing hospital satisfaction?

Research has shown that visual art in hospital rooms is generally safe and can enhance patients' perceptions of their hospital stay. No harmful effects from this practice have been identified. The concept is straightforward: art can make the hospital environment more pleasant and comforting. Although no specific side effects have been reported, selecting art that feels calming and positive to the viewer remains important. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how patient-selected visual art might enhance pregnancy satisfaction. Traditional hospital care for pregnant patients focuses on medical and physical needs, but this approach introduces an innovative psychological and emotional component by letting patients personalize their environment. The idea is that visual art could positively influence mood, reduce stress, and improve overall hospital experience during pregnancy, setting it apart from standard care options that do not typically consider such personalized, non-medical interventions.

What evidence suggests that patient-selected visual art is effective for increasing hospital satisfaction during pregnancy?

Research shows that visual art in hospital rooms can improve patients' perceptions of their hospital stay. Some studies have found that art activities enhance the mental and emotional well-being of pregnant women. Art in medical settings has been linked to higher satisfaction and a better overall patient experience. In this trial, one group of participants will select their own visual art for their hospital room, while another group will receive routine care without this intervention. Although specific data on pregnant women choosing their own art is limited, these general findings suggest that art could make a hospital stay more pleasant. Allowing patients to pick their own art might enhance the effect by aligning with their personal tastes. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Scott Dexter, MD

Principal Investigator

Albany Medical College

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for pregnant individuals admitted to the antepartum unit who are interested in how visual art in their hospital room might affect their satisfaction with their stay. Specific eligibility criteria details were not provided.

Inclusion Criteria

Willing and able to provide informed consent and complete the provided questionnaire

Patients admitted to the study hospital's antepartum unit for care

Currently pregnant

Exclusion Criteria

I cannot give informed consent in English.

I am under 18 years old.

Patients who are not pregnant

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive patient-selected visual art in their hospital room during antepartum admission

Duration of hospital stay

Control

Participants receive routine care without visual art intervention

Duration of hospital stay

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for hospital satisfaction and patient experience through surveys

2 years

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Patient-selected visual art in hospital room

Trial Overview The study is testing if letting patients choose visual art for their room during an antepartum hospital stay can improve satisfaction scores, compared to those receiving routine care without added art.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Visual art Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Patient-selected visual art Routine care

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Routine care

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Albany Medical College

Lead Sponsor

Trials

96

Recruited

12,700+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Photography and photo-elicitation can significantly influence patient preferences and choices in hospital design, highlighting their therapeutic potential beyond traditional arts in healthcare.

The paper discusses evidence from studies that utilized participatory photography in designing children's hospitals globally, suggesting that involving patients in the design process can lead to more effective and comforting healthcare environments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Through the lens of young people: use of photography in hospital design. Coad, J.[2017]

Art in hospitals is generally well-received by patients and staff, contributing positively to their health and wellbeing, although the quality of evidence supporting these benefits varies.

Patients tend to prefer landscape and nature scenes over abstract art, as these types of visuals are associated with calming effects and positive emotional responses, particularly in stressful hospital environments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Visual art in hospitals: case studies and review of the evidence. Lankston, L., Cusack, P., Fremantle, C., et al.[2021]

In a study of 224 patients in a teaching hospital, displaying photographs of physicians in patient rooms significantly improved the ability of patients to correctly identify their caregivers, with an odds ratio of 1.83.

Patients who could identify more physicians from their photographs reported higher satisfaction with physician responsiveness and communication, indicating that visual recognition may enhance the patient-care experience.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patient satisfaction associated with correct identification of physician's photographs. Francis, JJ., Pankratz, VS., Huddleston, JM.[2022]

A field study comparing appealing hospital rooms to typical ones showed that patients rated their experiences more positively in appealing rooms.

Patients in appealing rooms had better evaluations of their physicians and nurses, indicating that the environment can significantly influence patient perceptions of healthcare services.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Do appealing hospital rooms increase patient evaluations of physicians, nurses, and hospital services? Swan, JE., Richardson, LD., Hutton, JD.[2019]

In a study involving 186 cancer patients, having paintings in hospital rooms improved patients' perceptions of the hospital environment, regardless of whether they chose the artwork or it was randomly selected.

However, the presence of paintings did not lead to significant differences in psychological or clinical outcomes such as anxiety, mood, or pain levels.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating the Benefits of Hospital Room Artwork for Patients Receiving Cancer Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial. George, DR., Boer, C., Hammer, J., et al.[2019]

A study involving 80 cancer patients revealed that 96% enjoyed viewing photographic art, particularly nature scenes like lake sunsets and waterfalls, which suggests that such imagery can positively impact their hospital experience.

The findings support the idea that viewing nature photography can serve as a restorative intervention, helping patients cope with the stress of hospitalization and cancer treatment, aligning with nursing practices that promote healing and hope.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Preferences for photographic art among hospitalized patients with cancer. Hanson, H., Schroeter, K., Hanson, A., et al.[2013]

A study involving 33 nursing home residents showed that integrating visual art into their living environment significantly improved their satisfaction, particularly in recalling old memories, as measured by the Satisfaction with Living Environment at Nursing Home Scale (SLE-NHS).

While the visual art intervention enhanced overall satisfaction, it did not significantly affect scores related to convenience or aesthetic pleasure, indicating that the impact of art may be more about emotional and cultural connection than purely aesthetic improvements.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effectiveness of visual art on environment in nursing home. Chang, CH., Lu, MS., Lin, TE., et al.[2016]

Citations

1. trialx.com trialx.com/clinical-trials/listings/305162/impact-of-patient-selected-visual-art-in-the-hospital-room-during-antepartum-admission-on-hospital-satisfaction-scores-and-patient-experience/

Impact of Patient Selected Visual Art in the Hospital Room ... The purpose of this study is to assess whether patient-selected visual art for patients admitted to the antepartum unit will increase hospital ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-pregnancy-complications-2025-4e1c7

Visual Art for Pregnancy Satisfaction Research shows that having visual art in hospital rooms is generally safe and can improve patients' perceptions of the hospital environment. There are no ...

3. centerwatch.com centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/condition/187/pregnancy

Pregnancy Clinical Research Trials Impact of Patient Selected Visual Art in the Hospital Room During Antepartum Admission on Hospital Satisfaction Scores and Patient Experience. Phase. N/A. Span.

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7364772/

Effects of Birthing Room Design on Maternal and Neonate ... The results of the analysis reveal four prominent physical themes in birthing rooms that positively influence on maternal and neonate physical and emotional ...

5. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/368530137_Art-based_interventions_for_women's_mental_health_in_pregnancy_and_postpartum_A_meta-analysis_of_randomised_controlled_trials

(PDF) Art-based interventions for women's mental health in ... The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of art-based interventions when delivered to pregnant and postpartum women.

6. ariadnelabs.org ariadnelabs.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/170223_Ariadne-Report_Final.pdf

THE IMPACT OF DESIGN ON CLINICAL CARE IN ... We intentionally selected twelve diverse childbirth facilities to capture a wide scope of facility types, scales, and contexts. Birth centers represented ...