The Effects of Nature Images on Pain in a Simulated Hospital Patient Room

Background:Views of nature have been reported to relieve stress and pain, making nature an ideal medium for use in healthcare settings. In hospitals whose design does not allow for a view of nature, virtual and surrogate views of nature may be viable therapeutic options.Objective:This study tests the effects of specific nature images, as defined by Appleton's prospect refuge theory of landscape preference, on participants experiencing pain. The hypotheses were: (1) Nature views are variable in their impact on specific psychological and physiological health status indicators; and (2) Prospect and refuge nature scenes are more therapeutic than hazard nature scenes. The research question was (1) Which nature image categories are most therapeutic as evidenced by reduced pain and positive mood?Methods:An experiment using mixed methods assessed the effects of four different nature scenes on physiological (blood pressure, heart rate) and psychological (mood) responses when a person was subjected to a pain stress...