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Wang TC, Yu YC, Hsu A, Lin JY, Tsou YA, Liu CS, Chuang KJ, Pan WC, Yang CA, Hu SL, Ho CY, Chen TL, Lin CD, Pai PY, Chang TY. Impact of occupational noise exposure on the hearing level in hospital staffs: a longitudinal study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:24129-24138. [PMID: 38436861 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32747-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The study aimed to evaluate the impact of occupational noise on hearing loss among healthcare workers using audiometry. A longitudinal study was conducted with a six-month follow-up period in a hospital with 21 participants, divided into high-noise-exposure (HNE) and low-noise-exposure (LNE) groups. Mean noise levels were higher in the HNE group (70.4 ± 4.5 dBA), and hearing loss was measured using pure-tone audiometry at baseline and follow-up. The HNE group had significantly higher mean threshold levels at frequencies of 0.25 kHz, 0.5 kHz, 4.0 kHz, and an average of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz (all p-values < 0.05) after the follow-up period. After adjusting for confounding factors, the HNE group had significantly higher hearing loss levels at 0.25 kHz, 0.5 kHz, and average frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz compared to the LNE group at the second measurement. Occupational noise levels above 65 dBA over six months were found to cause significant threshold changes at frequencies of 0.25 kHz, 0.5 kHz, and an average of 0.5-4.0 kHz. This study highlights the risk of noise-induced hearing loss among healthcare workers and emphasizes the importance of implementing effective hearing conservation programs in the workplace. Regular monitoring and assessment of noise levels and hearing ability, along with proper use of personal protective equipment, are crucial steps in mitigating the impact of occupational noise exposure on the hearing health of healthcare workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tang-Chuan Wang
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, No. 199, Section 1Xinglong Road, Zhubei City, Hsinchu County, 302056, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
- Master Program for Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - You-Cheng Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, No. 199, Section 1Xinglong Road, Zhubei City, Hsinchu County, 302056, Taiwan
- The Ph.D. Program for Medical Engineering and Rehabilitation Science, College of Biomedical Engineering, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Alan Hsu
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, No. 199, Section 1Xinglong Road, Zhubei City, Hsinchu County, 302056, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Yi Lin
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 100, Section 1Jingmao Road, Beitun District, Taichung City, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Yung-An Tsou
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Chiu-Shong Liu
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Jen Chuang
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, No.250, Wuxing St., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City, 110, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chi Pan
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No. 155, Sec. 2, Linong St. Beitou Dist., Taipei City, 112304, Taiwan
| | - Chin-An Yang
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Sung-Lin Hu
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Yi Ho
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
- Division of Family Medicine, Physical Examination Center, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, No. 199, Section 1Xinglong Road, Zhubei City, Hsinchu County, 302, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Liang Chen
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Der Lin
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ying Pai
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, No. 100, Sec. 1, Jingmao Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Yuan Chang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 100, Section 1Jingmao Road, Beitun District, Taichung City, 406040, Taiwan.
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Hahad O, Kuntic M, Al-Kindi S, Kuntic I, Gilan D, Petrowski K, Daiber A, Münzel T. Noise and mental health: evidence, mechanisms, and consequences. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00642-5. [PMID: 38279032 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00642-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
The recognition of noise exposure as a prominent environmental determinant of public health has grown substantially. While recent years have yielded a wealth of evidence linking environmental noise exposure primarily to cardiovascular ailments, our understanding of the detrimental effects of noise on the brain and mental health outcomes remains limited. Despite being a nascent research area, an increasing body of compelling research and conclusive findings confirms that exposure to noise, particularly from sources such as traffic, can potentially impact the central nervous system. These harms of noise increase the susceptibility to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, suicide, and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. From a mechanistic perspective, several investigations propose direct adverse phenotypic changes in brain tissue by noise (e.g. neuroinflammation, cerebral oxidative stress), in addition to feedback signaling by remote organ damage, dysregulated immune cells, and impaired circadian rhythms, which may collectively contribute to noise-dependent impairment of mental health. This concise review linking noise exposure to mental health outcomes seeks to fill research gaps by assessing current findings from studies involving both humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Hahad
- Department of Cardiology-Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Marin Kuntic
- Department of Cardiology-Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sadeer Al-Kindi
- Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness, DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston Methodist, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ivana Kuntic
- Department of Cardiology-Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Donya Gilan
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Katja Petrowski
- Medical Psychology & Medical Sociology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Daiber
- Department of Cardiology-Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Münzel
- Department of Cardiology-Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
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Chen X, Wang J, Zhang X, Xiao G, Luo S, Liu L, Kong W, Zhang X, Yan LL, Zhang S. Residential proximity to major roadways and hearing impairment in Chinese older adults: a population-based study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2462. [PMID: 38066478 PMCID: PMC10709848 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17433-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With rapid urban sprawl, growing people are living in the vicinity of major roadways. However, little is known about the relationship between residential proximity to major roadways and hearing impairment (HI). METHODS We derived data from the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, and included 13,775 participants aged 65 years or older. Multivariate logistic regressions were employed to examine the association between residential proximity to major roadways and HI. The effects of corresponding potentially modifiable factors were studied by three-way interaction analyses. Sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the results. RESULTS The prevalence of HI was 38.3%. Participants living near major roadways were more likely to have a higher socioeconomic status. An exposure-response relation between residential proximity to major roadways and HI was observed (Ptrend < 0.05). Compared with individuals living > 300 m away from major roadways, the adjusted odds ratios (OR) were 1.07 (95% CI: 0.96-1.24), 1.15 (95% CI: 1.07-1.34), and 1.12 (95% CI: 1.01-1.31) for those living 101-200 m, 50-100 m, and < 50 m away from the roadways, respectively. Particularly, the association was more pronounced among individuals exposed to carbon monoxide (CO) pollution or opening windows frequently (Pinteraction < 0.05). Three-way interaction analyses confirmed that participants exposed to CO pollution and frequently leaving windows open had the highest OR of 1.73 (95% CI: 1.58-1.89). CONCLUSIONS This nation-wide cohort study suggested that residential proximity to major roadways was significantly associated with an increased exposure-response risk of HI in Chinese older adults. Exposure to CO pollution and opening windows frequently might strengthen the relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Chen
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Global Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
- National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- Global Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Gui Xiao
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Health Management, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Siran Luo
- Global Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Lei Liu
- The First People's Hospital of Kunshan, Suzhou, China
| | - Weijia Kong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaomin Zhang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health for Incubating, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Lijing L Yan
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Global Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China.
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, United States of America.
- Institute for Global Health and Management, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Sulin Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Krittanawong C, Qadeer YK, Hayes RB, Wang Z, Virani S, Zeller M, Dadvand P, Lavie CJ. Noise Exposure and Cardiovascular Health. Curr Probl Cardiol 2023; 48:101938. [PMID: 37422031 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.101938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Noise is considered an environmental stressor adversely affecting well-being and quality of life, inter-individual communications, and attention and cognitive function and inducing emotional responses, corresponding to noise annoyance. In addition, noise exposure is associated with nonauditory effects including worsening mental health, cognitive impairments, and adverse birth outcomes, sleep disorders, and increased annoyance. An accumulating body of evidence has indicated that traffic noise is also associated with CVD, through multiple pathways. It has been shown that psychological stress and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety have a negative impact on the development of cardiovascular diseases and outcomes. Likewise, reduced sleep quality and/or duration has been reported to increase sympathetic nervous system activity, which can predispose to conditions like hypertension and diabetes mellitus, known risk factors for CVD. Finally, there seems to be a disruption in the hypothalamic-pituitary-axis secondary to noise pollution that also results in an increased risk of CVD. The World Health Organization has estimated that the number of DALYs (disability-adjusted life-years) lost resulting from environmental noise in Western Europe ranges from 1 to 1.6 million, making noise the second major contributor to the burden of disease in Europe, only after air pollution. Thus, we sought to explore the relationship between noise pollution and risk of CVD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Richard B Hayes
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Zhen Wang
- Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Division of Health Care Policy and Research, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Salim Virani
- Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan; Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Marianne Zeller
- Laboratoire PEC2, EA 7460, Université de Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Payam Dadvand
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERESP (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Epidemiología y Salud Pública), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carl J Lavie
- John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, Ochsner Clinical School, The University of Queensland School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Tsoi KH, Loo BPY, Li X, Zhang K. The co-benefits of electric mobility in reducing traffic noise and chemical air pollution: Insights from a transit-oriented city. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108116. [PMID: 37523942 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Traffic noise is a growing threat to the urban population. Prolonged exposure to traffic noise has been linked to negative health consequences such as annoyance, sleep disturbances and cardiovascular diseases. While electric vehicles are known to have lower noise profiles, the impacts of electric mobility on traffic noise, especially for electrified heavy-duty vehicles, have not been thoroughly examined. This study aims to examine the impacts of both electric light-duty vehicles and electric buses on traffic noise levels in a highly urbanized city. Traffic noise along the source line and pedestrian network was first estimated and mapped to illustrate its spatiotemporal variations. Then, scenario analysis was used to compare the impacts. Population potentially benefiting from reduced traffic noise in the neighbourhoods and the associated health impacts were also estimated. Results indicate that electric buses have a greater potential to reduce traffic noise, with a maximum reduction of 4.4 dBA during daytime in the urban cores. With all bus fleet electrified, around 60% of the population can benefit from a reduction of 1 dBA at the street environment, 15.3% for 1-2 dBA, and 4.3% for more than 2 dBA. The estimated reduction of preventable deaths and preventable cases of diseases per 100,000 population are 4.15 and 112.99 respectively. The findings shed important insights into prioritizing bus routes to be electrified in urban areas for maximizing health co-benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Ho Tsoi
- Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Becky P Y Loo
- Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China.
| | - Xiangyi Li
- Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
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Zhang Y, Zhao H, Li Y, Long Y, Liang W. Predicting highly dynamic traffic noise using rotating mobile monitoring and machine learning method. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 229:115896. [PMID: 37054832 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Traffic noise, characterized by its highly fluctuating nature, is the second biggest environmental problem in the world. Highly dynamic noise maps are indispensable for managing traffic noise pollution, but two key difficulties exist in generating these maps: the lack of large amounts of fine-scale noise monitoring data and the ability to predict noise levels in the absence of noise monitoring data. This study proposed a new noise monitoring method, the Rotating Mobile Monitoring method, that combines the advantages of stationary and mobile monitoring methods and expands the spatial extent and temporal resolution of noise data. A monitoring campaign was conducted in the Haidian District of Beijing, covering 54.79 km of roads and a total area of 22.15 km2, and gathered 18,213 A-weighted equivalent noise (LAeq) measurements at 1-s intervals from 152 stationary sampling sites. Additionally, street view images, meteorological data and built environment data were collected from all roads and stationary sites. Using computer vision and GIS analysis tools, 49 predictor variables were measured in four categories, including microscopic traffic composition, street form, land use and meteorology. Six machine learning models and linear regression models were trained to predict LAeq, with random forest performing the best (R2 = 0.72, RMSE = 3.28 dB), followed by K-nearest neighbors regression (R2 = 0.66, RMSE = 3.43 dB). The optimal random forest model identified distance to the major road, tree view index, and the maximum field of view index of cars in the last 3 s as the top three contributors. Finally, the model was applied to generate a 9-day traffic noise map of the study area at both the point and street levels. The study is easily replicable and can be extended to a larger spatial scale to obtain highly dynamic noise maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyang Zhang
- Department of Urban Planning and Landscape, North China University of Technology, Beijing, 100144, China
| | - Huimin Zhao
- School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yan Li
- School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Ying Long
- School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Weinan Liang
- Department of Urban Planning and Landscape, North China University of Technology, Beijing, 100144, China
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