• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.174-182
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• 2001

This study was performed to find out the differences between noise levels of hospital wards and the nurses efforts for noise management in some general hospitals. The hospital wards selected were the intensive care unit(ICU), the emergency room(ER), the nursery room(NR), the internal medicine(IM), the general surgery(GS) among the 5 general hospitals located in Seoul. The data were collected from August 3 to September 13, 1999 through questionnaire survey and noise measurement in each nursing station of hospital wards. Data analysis was done by SPSS 8.0 package among the 305 questionnaires and 24 hours monitored noise levels. Frequency, Chi-square and ANOVA test were used. The study results were as belows: 1. The noise level measured by 24 hours monitoring survey were exceeded on the standard limit in all the hospital wards. Data also showed that noise levels were significantly different in each ward among the three shifts working duties. 2. The subjects were all female nurses. They were mostly working in the ICU ward(28.9%). They were 26~30 years old (43.9%), junior college graduates(57.0%), working for 1~5 years(55.1%) as staff-nurse(85.6%). There were no significant differences between hospital wards and general characteristics of nurses. 3. The noise levels perceived by nurses were regarded as 'Highly noisy'(56.4%), especially during the 11:30 and 15:30 (30.2%) o'clock. Data also showed that noise education was not ever given to nurses(89.9%). Nurses also responded that they hardly put an effort to reduce noise level(54.8%). However, there were significant differences between wards and noisy working time, experience of noise education and level of effort for noise reduction. 4. Nurses also perceived the ventilator alarm and EKG-alarm as the most disturbing sounds in the ICU, human voice and telephone ringing in the ER, human voice and EKG-alarming in the NR, human voices and telephone ringing in IM and GS both wards respectively in order. There were significant differences between hospital wards and noise making factors. 5. Nurses were shown that they regarded highly 'Sound reduction of the human voice', 'Careful handling on medical instruments', and 'Immediate appliances on alarming materials' as the practical method for noise management. There were significant differences between hospital wards and behavioral practical efforts for noise management. According to that results, the statistical differences were shown in the 24 hour monitored noise levels in each ward. Also, nurses perceived the noise severity differently and they approached variously on the practical efforts for noise reduction in each ward. Thus, author thinks that concrete and systematic endeavor will be necessary for noise reduction and management in hospitals for better working and healing environment for both of patients and staffs.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.150-162
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to examine hospital noise level and discomfort due to noise. The subjects were 156 patients from University hospital in Taegu. The data was collected from April 10 to May 14, 1997. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS program using percentage, paired t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. The results were as follows ; The mean score of noise level was 1.62. There was no statistically significant difference in noise level between day and night. Patients perceived higher noise in the categories of conversation of visitors, conversation of care providers, noise of air conditioners, and the conversation of nearby patients than others during the day. Patients perceived higher noise in the categories of noise of air conditioners, conversation of visitors, conversation of care providers, and telephone ringing than others during the night. There were no statistically significant differences in noise level among the 4 wards during the day or night. Discomfort was due to the forementioned noise, categories of high scores were sleep disturbed, irritated, not so bad or not noisy, and noisy. To avoid noise, the subjects coped by putting on a quilt, going out, sleeping, opening or closing the window or door, and plugging ears. These results indicated that hospital noise have a negative influence on patients' health. So noise levels should be reduced in hospitals.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.76-82
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Noise levels and room acoustic parameters at a tertiary referral hospital, Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) in Korea, are investigated. Materials and Methods: Through a questionnaire, acoustically problematic rooms are identified. Noise levels in emergency rooms (ERs) and intensive care units (ICUs) are measured over about three days. Acoustically critical and problematic rooms in the otolaryngology department are measured including examination rooms, operating rooms, nurse stations, receptions, and patient rooms. Results: The A-weighted equivalent noise level, L_Aeq, ranges from 54 to 56 dBA, which is at least 10 dB lower than the noise levels of 65 to 73 dBA measured in American ERs. In an ICU, the noise level for the first night was 66 dBA, which came down to 56 dBA for the next day. The noise levels during three different ear surgeries vary from 57 to 62 dBA, depending on the use of surgical drills and suctions. The noise levels in a patient room is found to be 47 dBA, while the nurse stations and the receptions have high noise levels up to 64 dBA. The reverberation times in an operation room, examination room, and single patient room are found to be below 0.6 s. Conclusions: At SNUH, the nurse stations and receptions were found to be quite noisy. The ERs were quieter than in the previous studies. The measured reverberation times seemed low enough but some other nurse stations and examination rooms were not satisfactory according to the questionnaire.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.76-82
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Noise levels and room acoustic parameters at a tertiary referral hospital, Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) in Korea, are investigated. Materials and Methods: Through a questionnaire, acoustically problematic rooms are identified. Noise levels in emergency rooms (ERs) and intensive care units (ICUs) are measured over about three days. Acoustically critical and problematic rooms in the otolaryngology department are measured including examination rooms, operating rooms, nurse stations, receptions, and patient rooms. Results: The A-weighted equivalent noise level, L_Aeq, ranges from 54 to 56 dBA, which is at least 10 dB lower than the noise levels of 65 to 73 dBA measured in American ERs. In an ICU, the noise level for the first night was 66 dBA, which came down to 56 dBA for the next day. The noise levels during three different ear surgeries vary from 57 to 62 dBA, depending on the use of surgical drills and suctions. The noise levels in a patient room is found to be 47 dBA, while the nurse stations and the receptions have high noise levels up to 64 dBA. The reverberation times in an operation room, examination room, and single patient room are found to be below 0.6 s. Conclusions: At SNUH, the nurse stations and receptions were found to be quite noisy. The ERs were quieter than in the previous studies. The measured reverberation times seemed low enough but some other nurse stations and examination rooms were not satisfactory according to the questionnaire.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.6.1-6.6
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• 2014

Objectives Hospitalized patients are vulnerable to sleep disturbances because of environmental stresses including noise. While most previous studies on hospital noise and sleep have been performed for medical machines in intensive care units, there is a limited data for patients hospitalized in medical wardrooms. The purpose of present study was to measure noise level of medical wardrooms, identify patient-perceived sources of noise, and to examine the association between noise levels and sleep disturbances in hospitalized patients. Methods Noise dosimeters were used to measure noise level in 29 inpatient wardrooms at a university hospital. Sleep pattern and disturbance were assessed in 103 hospitalized patients, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire. Results The mean equivalent continuous noise level for 24 hours was 63.5 decibel A (dBA), which was far higher than 30 dBA recommended by the World Health Organization for hospital wardrooms. Other patients sharing a room were perceived as the most common source of noise by the patients, which was usually preventable. Of the patients in the study, 86% had bad sleep as assessed by the PSQI. The sleep disturbance was significantly correlated with increasing noise levels in a dose response manner. Conclusions Systemic organizational interventions are needed to keep wardrooms private and quiet to reduce sleep disturbance.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.2 s.46
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• pp.286-298
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• 1994

For the purpose of presenting the basic data for the establishment of control measures on the long-term noise exposed workers, this study was carried out on the relationship between personal noise exposed dose and hearing loss on the 67 male workers whose hearing threshold had exceeded 40 dB in 4,000 Hz, from 1990 to 1992. Conclusively, the level of hearing loss was significantly related to personal noise exposed dose in follow-up period. We considered that personal noise exposed dose which was measured by the personal noise dosemeter was more efficient rather than the noise level of workplace for the evaluating the long-term change of hearing acuity. And although in the case of not-diagnosed as noise induced hearing loss. it was suspected that the active control programs such as improvement of noisy environment or early transfer to proper workplace were needed on the workers who exposed with over 90 dB in personal noise exposed dose.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.269-282
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• 2023

Purpose: Dental fear hinders patients from receiving appropriate dental treatment. In particular, the noise generated by high-speed air turbines and ultrasonic scalers can adversely affect patients. Many efforts have been made to reduce the discomfort caused by noise, but no methods are definitively recommended. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones in reducing the pain and discomfort associated with dental scaling. Methods: Fifty-five patients requiring scaling and root planing, aged ≥19 years and showing no auditory problems, were included. Scaling was performed for the bilateral maxillary molars and premolars while patients wore headphones, with ANC turned either on or off. The degree of noise and pain reduction in the on and off conditions were surveyed using a visual analog scale (VAS). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to compare noise-and pain-related discomfort with ANC turned on and off. Results: The sample included 28 men and 27 women with a mean age of 45.45±13.12 years. The average noise-related discomfort score was 3.84±2.12 and 2.95±1.99 when noise-canceling was turned off and on, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Similarly, the average pain-related discomfort score was 3.78h±2.00 and 3.09±1.96 when noise-canceling was turned off and on, respectively, which was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusions: The use of ANC headphones seems to reduce the discomfort caused by noise and pain in patients undergoing scaling.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.573-583
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of noise exposure and aging on changes in hearing threshold level and the relationship between age and noise. Materials: The author selected 274 male shipyard and assembly line workers as the noise exposed group and 582 males not exposed to noise as the general population group. Data were collected from five years of consecutive annual audiometric tests performed from 2008 to 2012. Results: In the general population and noise exposed groups, there was a reverse phenomenon that hearing threshold level for 2009 was lower than that of 2008, which seemed to be due to the learning effect, but from 2010 hearing threshold level increased. In the noise exposed group, the mean hearing threshold level in the left ear was significantly higher than that for right ear. In the general population group, the older was the age, the higher was the hearing threshold level, especially at 4000 Hz. In the general population and noise exposed groups, frequency, age group and noise exposure independently affected hearing threshold level, and there was no relationship between age and noise exposure. Over all frequencies, the change of hearing threshold level was larger in the noise exposed group than in the general population group. In the noise exposed group below thirty years old, the change at 4000 Hz was remarkable. Conclusions: Age and noise exposure seem to affect hearing threshold level independently and contribute to an additive effect on hearing threshold level.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.94-101
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• 2010

This study was performed to examine the asymmetry of hearing loss among the noise exposed male workers. Findings of otoscopic examination, pure tone audiometry and tympanometry were evaluated for 179 male workers working in the noise exposed workplace. And also selfadministered structured questionnaires were used for each worker's work-related and general characteristics including personal health behaviors. There were significant differences of hearing threshold between right and left ears at 1,000 Hz and 3,000 Hz(p<0.05). And also significant differences of hearing threshold were noted in the age group over 50 at 3,000 Hz, the high risk drinking group either at 3,000 Hz and 4,000 Hz, the work duration group 10-19 years at 3,000 Hz, the noise exposure group under 90 dB(A) at 3,000 Hz, the noise exposure group over 90 dB(A) at 1,000 Hz, the non-wearing protective device group at 4,000 Hz, and the wearing protective device group at 3,000 Hz(p<0.05). Further study is needed to explore the extent and the related factors of the asymmetry of hearing loss in the general population and occupationally noise exposed group.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.752-762
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• 2022

Objective: To compare a deep learning-based reconstruction (DLR) algorithm for pediatric abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) with filtered back projection (FBP) and iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms. Materials and Methods: Post-contrast abdominopelvic CT scans obtained from 120 pediatric patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 8.7 ± 5.2 years; 60 males) between May 2020 and October 2020 were evaluated in this retrospective study. Images were reconstructed using FBP, a hybrid IR algorithm (ASiR-V) with blending factors of 50% and 100% (AV50 and AV100, respectively), and a DLR algorithm (TrueFidelity) with three strength levels (low, medium, and high). Noise power spectrum (NPS) and edge rise distance (ERD) were used to evaluate noise characteristics and spatial resolution, respectively. Image noise, edge definition, overall image quality, lesion detectability and conspicuity, and artifacts were qualitatively scored by two pediatric radiologists, and the scores of the two reviewers were averaged. A repeated-measures analysis of variance followed by the Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to compare NPS and ERD among the six reconstruction methods. The Friedman rank sum test followed by the Nemenyi-Wilcoxon-Wilcox all-pairs test was used to compare the results of the qualitative visual analysis among the six reconstruction methods. Results: The NPS noise magnitude of AV100 was significantly lower than that of the DLR, whereas the NPS peak of AV100 was significantly higher than that of the high- and medium-strength DLR (p < 0.001). The NPS average spatial frequencies were higher for DLR than for ASiR-V (p < 0.001). ERD was shorter with DLR than with ASiR-V and FBP (p < 0.001). Qualitative visual analysis revealed better overall image quality with high-strength DLR than with ASiR-V (p < 0.001). Conclusion: For pediatric abdominopelvic CT, the DLR algorithm may provide improved noise characteristics and better spatial resolution than the hybrid IR algorithm.