Evidence map
What has been studied, and where the gaps are. Each number counts records in the research library by art form and type of evidence. Select a number to see those records.
| Art form | Healthcare art | Adjacent evidence | Mechanisms | Practice | Policy & context | Randomized trials | Mixed or null findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sculpture | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Murals | 2 | 1 | – | 2 | – | 2 | 2 |
| Paintings and pictures | 9 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 2 |
| Art collections | 3 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 1 | 1 |
| Public art | – | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Nature, views and gardens | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Several or unspecified art forms (reviews, programmes, guidance and policy) | 7 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 11 | – | 2 |
Sculpture
Murals
Paintings and pictures
Art collections
Public art
Nature, views and gardens
Several or unspecified art forms (reviews, programs, guidance and policy)
Counts cover all 78 records. A record can appear in more than one row: PAH-024 studies a collection that includes sculpture, and PAH-078 combines statues with painting reproductions. “Healthcare art” means relevance to the topic, not confidence in the result. Empty cells show where no record exists yet, not that no research exists anywhere.
Reading the map
Paintings and pictures in patient rooms and waiting areas are the most studied form, including four of the randomized trials. Sculpture has 6 records, and none is a trial measuring health outcomes for a permanent hospital sculpture; see PAH-007. The two added in Edition 4.5 are a temporary exhibition of maquettes (PAH-077) and a multi-component program (PAH-078). Much of what is known about sculpture comes from practice records, adjacent settings such as public plazas, and theory.
For hospital boards, this means sculpture should be commissioned for reasons it can support, such as orientation, identity, dignity and the quality of arrival, and evaluated where possible. The evaluation guide suggests how.