To explore the associations between noise exposure and occupational health indicators among staff working in the central sterile supply department (CSSD) and operating room.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
No actionable change for audiological clinical practice, but findings reinforce the case for hearing conservation program implementation and noise monitoring in hospital occupational health settings.
Hospital workers are an underrecognized occupationally noise-exposed population, and this study adds to the evidence base supporting formal hearing conservation programs in healthcare settings.
- 01Study compares health outcomes across low-, medium-, and high-noise zones in hospital sterile supply and operating room staff.
- 02Higher occupational noise zones were associated with worse health outcomes in hospital workers.
- 03Healthcare settings are often overlooked in occupational noise research compared to industrial environments.
- 04Findings support the need for noise exposure monitoring and hearing conservation in hospital environments.
- 05Multiple health outcomes (not only hearing) were assessed, broadening the scope of occupational noise impact.
Staff working in high-noise zones of central sterile supply departments and operating rooms have worse occupational health outcomes than those in low-noise zones.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42976027
- DOI
- 10.4103/nah.nah_118_26.
- Journal
- Noise & Health
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 3
- Population
- Staff working in central sterile supply departments and operating rooms, stratified by noise zone (low, medium, high)
- Intervention
- Occupational noise exposure in high-noise hospital zones
- Comparator
- Staff in low- and medium-noise hospital zones
Primary outcomes
Occupational health outcomes across noise exposure zones
