Noise Pollution on Wards in Bunda District Hospital in Lake Victoria Zone, Tanzania

Noise in hospital environment is an annoyance for patients. The vulnerability of patients to noise and the risks category of noise effects in hospital environment have made it urgent to conduct this work. The objective of this study was undertaken to assess the diurnal variations and sources of noise on wards in Bunda district hospital. The study design involves sound level measurements and observations. Noise levels on five wards were measured at 4-hourly intervals over a period of 15 hours. A mini sound level meter during one week in January 2011 was used to measure the equivalent continuous noise level, baseline and peak sound pressure levels. The mean and standard deviation of LAeq on ward was 57 ± 3.8 dBA and ranged from 45.7 to 62.2 dBA. The baseline noise level (35.9 dBA) was observed in the paediatric ward and the peak level (64.3 dBA) on the male surgical ward. The observed LAeq levels on all wards exceeded the recommended Tanzania Bureau of Standards and World Health Organisation limit values for the hospital environment. It is suggested that ward structure, activities, and location within the hospital areas resulted in difference in the noise levels. However, conversation of patients, relatives and nurses are the most important source of noise in the wards during different measurement period. The study concludes that noise is a problem on wards in Bunda hospital and can have an adverse effect on a patient's quality care. Objective measures, not only the hospital management but also the nursing judgement, are required to assess and direct interventions auditory environments.