An Ergonomic Approach to Thalassemia Center Design: A Case Study of North Cyprus

This research evaluated 163 Thalassemia patients in North Cyprus, a region only with one treatment center. Thalassemia patients must remain within the center or extended periods of time during treatment, necessitating a well-designed, safe, and comfortable environment.

However, the current analysis demonstrates that the current facility in North Cyprus is far from an appropriate physical, ergonomic design. This finding was well supported by the study, which included technical inspections based on ergonomic standards and a comprehensive assessment of patients' satisfaction with the design of the facility via a Likertscale questionnaire. As a result of our ergonomic examination, numerous segments of the health center must be redesigned, including the beds, chairs, lighting, doors, ceiling, corridors, waiting area, reception office, entrance room, and toilets. On the other hand, the results of our cross-sectional analysis of patient satisfaction corroborated and expanded on the ergonomics based investigation. Additionally, this research discovered that not only the center's architectural design should be considered, but the services given by the center should be appropriately expanded to non-medical areas to mitigate the influence of Thalassemia on the patients' daily lives. Finding work, working in a medically influenced environment, studying in schools, and caring for family members at home are identified as the primary challenges that may affect a patient's life.