This study
analyzes the association of noise pollution level with systolic and
diastolic blood pressure and heart pulse rate of workers in hospitals in
the operating rooms (OR), neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and
intensive care units (ICU). The sound pressure level (SPL) values in all
studied hospitals are high compared with the recommended value which is
45.0 dB(A) in the daytime.
The arterial blood pressure (Systolic and Diastolic) and heart pulse
rate were measured for 95 workers (55 males and 40 females) which is the
sample of workers in hospitals in Nablus city. The ages of workers are
ranged from 20 to 73 yr. The duration of employment of those workers in
the current job is ranged from 1 to 47 yr. In this study SBP, DBP and
HPR are correlated positively (P- value 0.050) with the occupational
noise levels in all studied hospitals. Whereas the Pearson coefficient
correlation (R.) value of SBP, DBP and HPR in all selected hospitals are
ranged from 0.546 to 0.906 of SBP, from 0.617 to 0.799 of DBP and from
0.658 to 0.869 of HPR. Moreover, this study showed that there are
significant shifts in mean values of SBP, DBP and HPR before work and
after 5 hours at least in all selected hospitals. Significant
correlation was found between mean values of SBP, DBP and HPR with the
duration of employment and age. Whereas the difference between means of
SBP, DBP and HPR before and after work are 6.335 (mmHg) of SBP, 5.108
(mmHg) of DBP and 5.305 of HPR (beatmin).