Abstract
High sound pressure levels have been observed in schools, and its interference in the health of children and teachers it was taken to analyze these levels in childhood education centers serving children aged zero to six years, investigate the staff's perceptions concerning noise exposure and identify the auditory conditions of these workers and the occurrence of diseases. The study was conducted in ten institutions employing 320 workers. Sound pressure levels were measured according to the technical norms; employees completed a questionnaire on the perception of noise and underwent auditory evaluation. There was high sound pressure level and differences between institutions, situations and places. Most employees are considered exposed to noise with attention and concentration difficulties, anxiety and headache. About 30% of employees had bilateral sensorineural hearing loss in specific frequency. The sound pressure levels found can affect children's learning and the health of all. The employees also perceived elevated levels of noise and indicated some possible negative aspects in their work routine. Actions to improve the acoustic comfort in these institutions will be discussed with the management teams.
Highlights
The negative impact of noise on the population’s health has been a constant theme in the area of public health
In this study, that the sound pressure levels (SPL) equivalent (Leq) represented the quantity of sound energy in a determined space during a specific time period and the measurement was in dB(A)[3]
Just like other studies carried out in schools[6,10,19,20,21], the averages of the SPLs were above the acceptable values for these types of institutions
Summary
The negative impact of noise on the population’s health has been a constant theme in the area of public health. Sound mapping in big cities, which is an important tool for urban planning, is not widely done and is restricted to areas of general research[1]. In schools noise may affect the health of educators and children in the process of teaching and learning[2,3,4] as there is a distinct relationship between efficiency in teaching and acoustic conditions in institutions[5]. A child that is exposed to loud noises, apart from being affected emotionally, may present problems in relation to their language development. In Brazil the maximum level of noise that is acceptable in classes is 50 dB7
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