Noise Pollution in Hospitals

Background: Sound complications, from health and comfort aspects, are important in different environments, patients, and hospitals staff; furthermore, health care services are affected by the sources of noise pollution. A quiet environment is needed for the suitable activity and service of the health team, the comfort and the improving process of the patients. This study was conducted to determine the degree of sound pollution in hospitals in Bojnourd in 2013. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytic study. The measurements were carried out in different departments (7 sections in Imam Reza Hospital, 8 sections in Imam Ali Hospital and 4 large sections in Bent-Alhoda Hospital). Educational programs in Bojnourd were performed in two shifts in the morning and afternoon by a sound meter device of the CEL 62x model. The device was calibrated by the piston-phones and they were compared with the recommended standard values ​​ by the World Health Organization (45 dB per Sunset and 30 dB per night). Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using paired t-test and ANOVA. Results: The results of the study showed that the mean volume of sound at Imam Reza Hospital in morning and evening were 56.6 and 59.2 dB respectively and the average volume of sound at Bent-Alhoda Hospital in the morning and afternoon were 54.3 and 61.3 dB respectively. In the Imam Ali Hospital, the average volume in morning and evening shifts were 57.4 and 62.6 dB respectively, and in all parts the sound was higher than the standard values. Conclusion: The rate of sound in the hospitals of Imam Ali, Imam Reza and Bent-Alhoda in all sections and in most of the working hours was higher than the standard. With regard to the severity of sound and the sources of sound production in different parts of hospitals, it is possible to establish a degree of sound intensity closer to the permissible limits. Therefore, the adoption of engineering and management measures to reduce the sound pollution are the recommendation of this study.