Zahra Zamanian, Bahram Kouhnavard , Bahram Maleki, Fatemeh Ashrafi, Leyla Ahmadvand, Parisa Azad,
Volume 3, Issue 2 (9-2015)
Introduction: As
a healthcare providing establishment, hospitals can be affected by sources of
noise pollution which then impose negative effects on the health and comfort of
patients and personnel. The present study was conducted to determine the
relationship between sound annoyance and general health in the personnel of
university affiliated and non-university affiliated hospitals in Shiraz.
Materials and Methods: The present descriptive analytical study was conducted in four university affiliated
and non-university affiliated hospitals in Shiraz with a sample size of 300
using a predetermined equation and according to the results of previous
studies. The instruments used in the study included the General Health
Questionnaire (GHQ), the Noise Annoyance Scale (NAS) and an audiometer (CEL-440
model).
Findings: The present study
found a small inverse relationship between the total general health score in
the hospital personnel and the sound pressure level at university-affiliated
hospitals (r=-0.103) and a direct positive relationship at non-university
affiliated hospitals (r=0.274), which were not statistically significant
(P≤0.05). The relationship of somatic symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, social
dysfunction and depression to sound pressure was inverse and small (r=-0.195
and P≥0.05). However, there was a direct positive relationship between general
health and sound annoyance (r=0.266 and P≤0.05).Conclusion: According
to the results obtained, noise levels are higher than the acceptable exposure
limit in university-affiliated hospitals, which affect both the patients' and
the personnel's general health, necessitating the adoption of control measures.
