Assessment of noise pollution in operating theatre at selected referral hospitals in Kigali

Abstract

Background: Cesarean delivery room environments have unique features potentially increasing the risk for noise exposure. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the noise level should not exceed 30 dB in hospitals and the Rwanda Standard board (RSB) recommends that the maximum acceptable noise levels at hospital environment could not exceed 40 - 50 db. However, little is known regarding operating theatres’ noise pollution levels. Aim: assess noise pollution in the operating theater during caesarian section at selected hospitals in Kigali. Methods: Quantitative cross-sectional study design was used to measure levels and source of noise in two referral hospitals in Kigali. Purposive sampling method was used to select at least 80 caesarian section operations both hospitals. Randomly 80 caesarian sections were selected from 2 hospitals in Kigali with 40 cases per hospital. The sound measurement mobile phone app was used to measure the sound level and the checklist was used to record the source of noise. The UR/IRB ethical approval and the referral hospitals research committee’s permission were obtained before data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 25 and descriptive and inferential statistics were done.

Results: The noise level found in both facilities exceeded the 35dB recommended by the World Health Organization. The degree of the noise level was slightly different between elective and emergency surgical stages at two hospitals. The mean noise level was high during emergency C-section with a means level of 67.02dB (SD:9.7) before surgery, 50.45dB (SD: 8.8) in the middle of surgery, and 64dB (SD:8.79) in the ending stages of an emergency surgery. The noise level throughout the surgery was relatively higher during the day shifts than night shifts with the mean levels of 68dB (SD:9.4) before surgery starts, 50dB (S.D: 9.81) in the middle of surgery, and 62.17dB (SD:9.7) after the surgical process.

Conclusion and recommendations: There is high noise pollution during caesarian section at selected 2 referral hospitals in Kigali. The noise pollution level recorded exceeded the noise pollution level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), International Noise Council and Rwanda Standard Board (RSB). The major source of noise during caesarian section included movement of equipment, staff conversations, suction apparatus, anesthetic monitors, objects falling on the floor, and dropping of metal instruments. Measures to reduce noise pollution level in theatres and its impact are needed in Rwanda.