Evaluation of spatial layout in health care waiting areas based on simulation of droplet movement trace

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of airborne transmission of diseases in relation to spatial layout in health care facilities. In particular, this study analyzes the occurrence of airborne transmission in the waiting areas of puskesmas, a form of primary health care facilities that are distributed in many cities and villages in Indonesia. The study uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis as a design tool to examine the potential for airborne infection by analyzing the simulated droplet movement in a waiting area layout. The findings of the study identify the distribution of areas where the droplets are likely and unlikely to spread and use this to suggest seating layouts in waiting areas to spatially reduce the potential for airborne infection.