Noise & Health最新文献

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the relationships among noise sensitivity, insomnia complaints, and sleep quality in earthquake survivors residing in container cities.

Methods: The study population comprised all adults residing in temporary shelters, and the sample consisted of 606 individuals. The cohort was subjected to power analysis (effect size = 0.28, α = 0.05, 95% confidence, and 0.95 power), and data were collected using the Weinstein Noise Sensitivity Scale (WNSS), the Basic Scale on Insomnia Symptoms and Quality of Sleep (BaSIQS), and a Descriptive Characteristics Form.

Results: Sociodemographic factors, such as gender, marital status, occupation, perceived income, health status and parental status, were significantly correlated with insomnia complaints and sleep quality (P < 0.05). WNSS scores exhibited a positive correlation with age and container life characteristics, including challenges related to privacy and security, and exposure to noise from humans and vehicles (P < 0.05). Significant correlations were observed between the participants' BaSIQS and WNSS scores, including the subscales of sleep onset and awakening problems (r = 0.125-0.147, P ≤ 0.002). Participants identified as noise-sensitive (WNSS ≥99) had a significantly higher number of insomnia complaints and poorer sleep quality than the noise-insensitive participants (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Noise sensitivity is an important predictor of insomnia complaints and diminished sleep quality in earthquake survivors residing in container settlements. These results underscore the cumulative influence of environmental and psychosocial stressors on sleep in post-disaster temporary housing.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the effect of a noise reduction strategy in inpatient wards on the postoperative recovery of elderly patients who underwent gastrointestinal tumor surgery.

Methods: The clinical data of 243 elderly patients with gastrointestinal tumors who underwent surgery in Ganzhou People's Hospital from March 2020 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients admitted from March 2020 to September 2021 were categorized as the regular group (receiving conventional perioperative management), and those admitted from October 2021 to March 2023 were categorized as the noise reduction group (receiving conventional perioperative management in combination with the ward noise reduction strategy). Ward noise levels at different times were recorded. The Chinese version of Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire was used to evaluate patients' sleep status before and after sleep management. The numerical rating scale (NRS) was employed to evaluate pain severity at different times. The Chinese version of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-C) was applied to evaluate patients' quality of life before and after treatment.

Results: The average daytime noise, nighttime noise, and 24-hour average noise levels over a 7-day period were significantly lower in the noise reduction group than in the regular group (P < 0.05). The noise reduction group also showed significantly lower NRS and MDASI-C scores (P < 0.05). By contrast, measures of sleep, such as perceived sleep depth, sleep latency, wake-up times, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality scores, were significantly higher in the noise reduction group than in the regular group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The ward noise reduction strategy improved sleep quality, pain relief, and quality of life in older patients who underwent gastrointestinal tumor surgery, showing its potential as a safe and reliable perioperative management scheme.

Objective: In consideration of the benefits of antioxidant substances, this study evaluated the effect of resveratrol and melatonin in Wistar rats with or without exposure to high sound pressure levels (HISHLs).

Methods: This work is a prospective, comparative, longitudinal, in vivo experimental study involving Wistar rats. On Day 0, the animals underwent general health assessments, otoscopic examination and baseline hearing evaluations based on distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). They were divided into groups and treated with or without melatonin or resveratrol (10 mg/kg/day) for 14 consecutive days. From Day 5 onwards, the noise, resveratrol noise and melatonin noise groups were exposed to white noise (4 kHz; 100 ± 3 dB) for 8 hours per day for 10 days. Hearing assessments were repeated on Day 15 (D15) and Day 30 (D30). Data were analysed by using t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests, depending on distribution and normality.

Results: D15 and D30 evaluations revealed that the groups exposed to noise had statistically significantly worsened amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio of DPOAE compared with the groups that were not subjected to noise exposure. The analysis of the noise-exposed animals showed that DPOAE recovered partially in the melatonin and resveratrol groups at the end of the experiment (D30). The melatonin and resveratrol groups showed a statistically significant difference from the noise group, although their medians were even lower than those of the control group. ABR analysis showed that the electrophysiological auditory thresholds in the melatonin and resveratrol groups recovered at D30.

Conclusion: Melatonin and resveratrol demonstrated otoprotective effects on the hearing of Wistar rats exposed to HISHL.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of noise generated by ultrasonic bone scalpels (UBS) on cardiovascular stress responses in patients undergoing sinus floor elevation.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 120 patients requiring sinus floor elevation at our institution between February 2024 and February 2025. Participants were stratified into two groups based on surgical instrumentation: a UBS group (n = 60) and a conventional instrumentation group (n = 60). Intraoperative peak noise levels, heart rate variability indices, hemodynamic parameters, stress hormone concentrations, and anxiety scores were compared between groups.

Results: The UBS group showed significantly lower peak noise levels and shorter durations of high-intensity noise (P < 0.05) than the conventional instrumentation group. The decreases in the root mean square of successive normal-to-normal intervals (rMSSD) and standard deviation of all normal R-R intervals, as well as the increases in systolic/diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, were significantly less pronounced in the UBS group (P < 0.05) than in the conventional instrumentation group. Serum epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine levels significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Postoperative anxiety scores were also lower in the UBS group (P < 0.05) than in the conventional instrumentation group.

Conclusion: Compared with conventional tools, UBS may offer better control over noise-related acute cardiovascular stress responses. However, mild-to-moderate autonomic and hormonal stress responses persist (e.g., postoperative rMSSD reduction <20% of the baseline and E elevation 500 pg/mL, which is consistent with established thresholds for mild-to-moderate stress), and their interaction with anxiety requires further exploration.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of postoperative noise control on anxiety, depression, and sleep quality in patients with extensive burns undergoing skin grafting.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 148 patients with burns (May 2022-December 2024), including 73 in the regular group (standard care) and 75 in the noise control group (noise-reducing caring method). Outcomes included noise levels, emotional states [Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA)], sleep quality [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)], Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), wound healing, and nursing satisfaction.

Results: Following the caring method, the noise reduction group showed significantly lower HAMD scores (13.25 ± 1.10 vs. 17.73 ± 2.01, P < 0.001) and HAMA scores (12.50 ± 1.60 vs. 16.49 ± 1.32, P < 0.001) compared with the regular group. The PSQI scores were significantly lower in the noise reduction group (4.55 ± 1.02 vs. 7.16 ± 1.24, P < 0.001). The daytime and nighttime ward noise levels in the noise reduction group were 42.15 ± 3.28 and 32.47 ± 2.91 dB, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the regular group (50.62 ± 4.11 and 40.85 ± 3.74 dB, respectively, P < 0.001). Additionally, the noise reduction group had a higher skin graft survival rate (78.25% vs. 72.48%, P = 0.023), shorter graft survival time (26.85 ± 2.12 vs. 30.12 ± 2.56 days, P < 0.001), and higher nursing satisfaction (94.67% vs. 80.82%, P = 0.010).

Conclusion: Postoperative noise control improves psychological status, sleep quality, and wound healing, warranting clinical promotion.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effect of music relaxation therapy combined with comprehensive, coordinated, continuous, and collaborative (4C) care on the stress response and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 115 patients with CHD who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at West China Hospital, Sichuan University between December 2021 and May 2024. Based on different nursing plans, the patients were divided into the conventional group (40 cases, receiving routine care), the 4C group (35 cases, receiving routine care + 4C continuing care), and the music group (40 cases, receiving routine care + 4C continuing care + music relaxation therapy). Medical adherence, nursing satisfaction, psychological stress [Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-Shortened Version (DASS-C21)], perceived stress [Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)], post-traumatic growth [Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI)], self-care capacity [Exercise of Self-care Agency Scale (ESCA)], comfort [General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ)], and health status [Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ)] were observed in the three groups.

Results: After the 3-month follow-up period, the music group demonstrated significantly higher scores in medication adherence, nursing satisfaction, PTGI, ESCA, GCQ, and SAQ, and significantly lower scores in DASS-C21 and PSS-10 compared to the conventional and 4C groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The combination of music relaxation therapy and 4C care can effectively alleviate psychological and perceived stress in patients with CHD, enhance self-care capacity and quality of life, accelerate recovery process, improve medical adherence, promote post-traumatic growth, and achieve high patient satisfaction.

Background: About 15 million people are directly and indirectly involved in Ethiopian coffee production. Coffee workers in Ethiopia may be exposed to workplace noise due to industrial machines, but the extent of their exposure and the prevalence of hearing loss are currently unknown.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate noise exposure, identify factory and task-related conditions that significantly increase noise levels and assess self-reported hearing loss amongst coffee workers in Ethiopia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 primary coffee processing factories in three Ethiopia regions. A total of 60 machine room workers were involved in full-shift, personal noise exposure measurements. The results from an observational checklist and statistical analysis of noise measurement data were used to identify the determinants of personal noise exposure. Additionally, 130 randomly selected workers participated in interviews on self-reported hearing loss, yielding a 100% response rate.

Results: The average daily noise exposure amongst machine room workers was 96.3 decibels A-weighted (dBA). Ninety-two per cent of the measurements exceeded the occupational exposure limits of 85 dBA, and 40% exceeded 90 dBA. The presence of more than one huller machine was associated with a 4.5 dBA increase in noise exposure. Approximately, 53% of the machine room workers reported at least one symptom of hearing loss. Workers with more than 10 years of experience had nearly three times higher risk of hearing loss symptoms than those with less than 5 years of experience, after adjusting for age and other factors (adjusted prevalence ratio = 2.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.4-5.9).

Conclusions: These findings highlight the significant health risk of noise exposure faced by workers in primary coffee factories, with over half of these workers reporting symptoms of hearing loss, and most of them being exposed to noise levels above the recommended limit value. Implementing interventions to reduce noise levels amongst coffee workers is essential to protect their hearing well-being.

Objective: This paper aims to evaluate the preventive effects of light music on postpartum anxiety and depression in primiparous women.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 120 primiparous women admitted to our hospital from June 2022 to June 2024. Participants were divided into two groups based on the postpartum nursing methods they received: those who received standard care (standard care group: n = 58) and those who received light music therapy (music therapy group: n = 62). Outcomes included Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) scale scores at 3-day and 6-week postpartum.

Results: At 6 weeks postpartum, the music therapy group showed significantly lower scores of EPDS, PASS, and PSQI compared to the standard care group (P < 0.05). Salivary cortisol and sAA levels were also significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Additionally, the music therapy group exhibited higher EBF rates (79.03% vs. 53.45%, P < 0.05) and significantly improved scores across all domains of WHOQOL-BREF (P < 0.05). Conclusion Light music therapy significantly alleviates postpartum psychological distress, reduces physiological stress, and improves breastfeeding rate and quality of life, which supports its clinical adoption.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of music intervention with multidimensional nursing in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analysed 100 VLBW infants admitted to our hospital between January 2023 and November 2024. The subjects were divided into two groups based on intervention methods as follows: the multidimensional nursing group received multidimensional nursing (n = 43), and the music therapy group received additional music intervention (n = 57). Physiological parameters (heart rate [HR], respiratory rate [RR], oxygen saturation [SpO2]), sleep architecture, growth velocity, cortisol levels, Newborn Comfort Behavior scale (COMFORTneo), Neonatal Infant Pain scale (NIPS), time to achieve full oral feeding (FOF) and hospitalisation duration were compared between groups.

Results: After the intervention, compared with the multidimensional nursing group, the music therapy group demonstrated greater reductions in HR and RR and higher SpO2 levels (P < 0.05), exhibited longer total sleep duration and fewer awakenings (P < 0.05) and achieved higher weight gain and head circumference expansion rates (P < 0.05). Salivary cortisol decreased in both groups, but significantly lower values were observed in the music therapy group compared with the multidimensional nursing group (P < 0.05). Compared with the multidimensional nursing group, the music therapy group displayed lower COMFORTneo and NIPS scores (P < 0.05), earlier FOF time and shorter hospitalisation duration (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Music therapy combined with multimaintenance nursing considerably improves physiologic stability, growth and feeding tolerance in VLBW infants and increases stress resistance.

Background: Industrial noise exposure can jeopardise safety by disrupting communication and alarms, leading to occupational errors.

Objectives: This study examines the impact of chronic noise exposure on the hearing and cognitive abilities of power loom workers.

Materials and methods: An electroencephalogram (EEG) signal analysis and auditory assessment were performed on 40 power loom workers and 15 control participants. The cognitive performance of power loom personnel was examined in environments with and without noise. Power spectra values from theta, alpha and beta activity were analysed from EEG signals to assess cognitive load, stress and attention levels.

Results: Pure tone audiometry results showed that 68%, 21% and 11% of power loom workers had a serious, moderate and mild hearing impairment, respectively. Additionally, the performance of power loom workers in the Stroop colour and word test cognitive task was evaluated, reflecting a substantial 28% drop in response accuracy between the power loom workers and the control group with a significant P-value (H = 233.91, P < 0.01). In noise-free conditions, a higher alpha (M = 12.45, SD = 2.34) was observed together with a decreased beta (M = 8.67, SD = 1.89) and theta-to-alpha ratio (M = 0.45, SD = 0.12), indicating enhanced attention and reduced mental burden and stress. On the contrary, when faced with noise, workers exhibited decreased alpha power, increased beta power and higher theta-to-alpha ratio, indicating distraction, higher stress and cognitive strain.

Conclusion: Continuous exposure to high noise levels affects the hearing ability and cognitive performance of power loom workers.