Cross-Sensory Stimulations in Healthcare Settings: Exploring Potentialities and Understanding Barriers from a Professional Perspective

Abstract. The use of environmental stimuli, such as light, sound, temperature, and textures, has gained prominence as a strategy to improve patient outcomes by integrating cross-sensory stimulations within healthcare settings. This study, part of a larger mixed-methods research, explores the potential of sensory design features to alleviate pain, reduce tension, and enhance mental well-being, while also examining the professional challenges that may arise. A survey was admin-istered to healthcare professionals to assess: I) their perceptions of the current sensory quality of their workspaces; II) their experiences with specific sensory-based approaches (e.g., heat therapy, cryotherapy, TENS) in pain management; III) their views on the feasibility, challenges, effectiveness and willingness to incor-porate sensory-rich treatments as pain control approach in clinical practice. The survey incorporated PrEmo® expressions to capture emotional responses to both real hospital environments and to AI generated environments (e.g., waiting area, an infirmary, and a recovery room) designed with a cross-sensory strategy. Quantita-tive analyses and Mann-Whitney U test revealed that the proposed cross-sensory-based environments were statistically preferred emotionally over the current set-tings. Despite the acknowledged benefits, significant barriers to implementation were identified, including institutional resistance, financial constraints, and the need for staff training. The findings suggest that while cross-sensory stimulations have substantial potential to transform healthcare environments, target strategies are necessary to address practical challenges, particularly involving healthcare professionals in the design process.