In 2007, Jean M. Young, ASID, CID, AAHID, wrote “A summary of Color in Healthcare Environments: A Critical Review of the Research Literature” for HEALTHCARE DESIGN. In the article, she reviewed the 2003 research study from what was then the Coalition for Health Environments Research, now known as The Center for Health Design.

Like most Web publishers, our team here at

HEALTHCARE DESIGN regularly monitors what articles are getting the most traffic on our Web site. And the topic of color in healthcare design, not surprisingly, continues to receive a steady and strong stream of hits on our Google Analytics reports (a free tool offered by Google to track activity on a specific Web site)—and Young’s piece still ranks high in popularity. And although years have passed and new information has been disseminated in the design and healthcare environment since the research was published, I think the central theme of the study is a solid base for today’s healthcare interior designers and offers talking points that are still relevant.

What do you think? How has the use of color in healthcare changed over the years and has research had an effect? Is more research needed?