Take part in a study on how waiting rooms affect breast cancer care

What’s the title of the study?

Waiting Rooms and Breast Cancer Care: The Role of Hospital Waiting Rooms in Breast Cancer Patients’ Experience

What’s the study about?

This PhD project looks at how hospital waiting rooms affect the experience of people undergoing diagnostic tests for breast cancer. The physical environment, including layout, lighting, noise and décor, may influence stress levels, comfort and emotional wellbeing at a difficult time. 

The researcher wants to hear directly from people who’ve been through this process to better understand what helps or hinders their experience. Findings will contribute to future design guidelines for architects and healthcare planners.

Who’s organising it?

Name of project lead: Daryia Palityka

Job title: PhD Researcher

Organisation: University College London

Email address: daryia.palityka@ucl.ac.uk

Who can take part?

You can take part if you:

• Have been diagnosed with breast cancer, including DCIS, stages 1, 2 and 3 primary breast cancer, a local or regional recurrence of primary breast cancer, or secondary breast cancer
• Were assigned female at birth (people of all gender identities welcome)
• Currently live in the UK

Why do you want me to be involved?

Your experience can help improve future healthcare spaces. Waiting rooms are often the first point of contact during diagnosis, yet their impact is rarely explored. 

By sharing what you found helpful or unhelpful in those spaces, you’ll be helping to shape more supportive environments for others going through breast cancer diagnosis in the future.

What will you ask me to do?

If you choose to take part, you can choose one or both of the following options:

1. Complete a short online survey

This will takes around 10 to 15 minutes and is anonymous. It includes questions about your experience in waiting rooms during breast cancer diagnosis

2. Join a focus group

Speak with others about your experiences in waiting rooms and share your views on different waiting room designs. Focus groups can be joined either online or in person (London: Bloomsbury or Stratford). 

Light refreshments will be provided at in-person sessions

Please note, if you would like to join a focus group, please register by the end of August 2025.

How do I get involved?

You can take part by:

• Completing the online survey
• And/or signing up to join a focus group

If you’d like more information before signing up, you can reach Daryia, the lead researcher on this project, at daryia.palityka@ucl.ac.uk.

When’s the deadline?

15 October 2025