Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10397/82850
Title: The development of garments for child patients of different ages in a hospital environment
Authors: Wong, Wing-kam Michelle
Degree: Ph.D.
Issue Date: 2001
Abstract: Problems are found in the design of the existing child patients' garments offered to child patients aged newborn to nine in the Paediatric Unit of government hospitals in Hong Kong, China. The designs hardly fulfill the required functions from user groups. Child patients (the wearers) do not express interest in wearing them, while the garments do not allow convenience for medical practice in the view of medical personnel (the users). The major function of child patients' garments to ensure a sense of comfort is not achieved. This thesis identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the existing child patients' garments. A new collection of functional child patients' garments is designed, following of extensive investigations on both textile sciences and clothing design through the Product Development Process (PDP). Eventually, a Perceptional Model is developed by focusing on evaluating the practical usage behavior and the satisfaction gained from user groups on the style design specifications. The research begins with hospital observation, interview and focus group discussion on areas related to child patients' garments for brainstorming the issues with user groups. Five major areas of literature are interrelated in the study: the medical practices, characteristics of child patients, textile sciences, clothing design, and perceptions towards clothing. From the investigations in hospitals, the weaknesses of the existing garments are emphasized for improvement. Together with the objective and subjective evaluation of fabric material, ideas are developed for designing the new collection according to the recommendations from all user groups. Finally, nine styles are designed with the aim of satisfying the physical, psychological, and physiological comfort required by the wearers and the users. They are shown to obtain positive and acceptable comments through hospital wear trials. The designs attract child patients to wear them and received positive psychological perception from them, while medical personnel benefit from convenience in medical practice, which solved the major problems of the existing garments. Hence, the design of the new collection is developed based on the integration of literatures and those implications from PDP towards new elements contributed to the design process. The new development enhanced physical and psychological therapies on users. The Product Development Process never ends with acceptance of the new designs. It still continues as the benefits of adopting the new collection should be evaluated and predicted so as to encourage their practical usage. A Perceptional Model of Clothing Design is developed to explain and predict the practical usage behavior on the existing and new child patients' garments, and also the difference between the user groups. Hence, the adoption of appropriate hospital garments should not be neglected as one of the aims is to strengthen the customer-oriented strategy for quality services. The Perceptional Model, is an extension of Fishbein's theory and a modification to Fishbein Behavioral Intention (FBI) Model, explains human behavior under several assumptions and factors affecting behavior are organized in a systematic framework. As a result, major improvements between the existing and the new collection of child patients' garments through PDP. are demonstrated by Perceptional Model of Clothing Design. The results show that the situation in the present study is more complex than Fishbein envisages, hence further research work is suggested.
Subjects: Patients -- Clothing -- China -- Hong Kong
Children -- Hospital care -- China -- Hong Kong
Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations
Pages: xxi, 333, [56] leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm
Appears in Collections:Thesis

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