• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.353-361
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• 2023

Background: Noise has been linked to an increased risk of various health issues, including stress, anxiety, insomnia, and cardiovascular disorders. However, research on the relationship between residential traffic noise and mental health in South Korea is limited. Objectives: This study aims to examine the correlation between regional traffic noise levels and mental health using an ecological study design. Methods: In this ecological study, all data were collected from the Korean Statistical Information Service. Traffic noise data in residential areas and the prevalence of mental health indices in 44 cities with noise monitoring stations were obtained. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationship between regional traffic noise levels and mental health indices. Results: Daytime traffic noise levels were found to have a positive correlation with stress perception (r=0.428, p=0.004) and showed a borderline positive correlation with depressive symptom prevalence (r=0.273, p=0.073). In cities with airports, significant correlations was observed between 24-hour average noise levels and depressive symptoms (r=0.604, p=0.010), whereas this relationship was not observed in cities without airports (r=0.048, p=0.813). Multiple regression analysis, which adjusted for factors such as age, gender ratio, smoking, obesity, unemployment, urban size, and the presence of an airport, confirmed the relationship between 24-hour average noise levels and stress perception (beta=0.287, p=0.024). Conclusions: This study identified correlations between regional traffic noise levels and depressive symptoms or stress perception in adults, with a more pronounced effect in areas with airports. These findings suggest a potential impact of residential traffic noise on mental health, highlighting the importance of preventive measures like noise management in urban planning to promote mental well-being.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.76-82
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Noise levels and room acoustic parameters at a tertiary referral hospital, Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) in Korea, are investigated. Materials and Methods: Through a questionnaire, acoustically problematic rooms are identified. Noise levels in emergency rooms (ERs) and intensive care units (ICUs) are measured over about three days. Acoustically critical and problematic rooms in the otolaryngology department are measured including examination rooms, operating rooms, nurse stations, receptions, and patient rooms. Results: The A-weighted equivalent noise level, L_Aeq, ranges from 54 to 56 dBA, which is at least 10 dB lower than the noise levels of 65 to 73 dBA measured in American ERs. In an ICU, the noise level for the first night was 66 dBA, which came down to 56 dBA for the next day. The noise levels during three different ear surgeries vary from 57 to 62 dBA, depending on the use of surgical drills and suctions. The noise levels in a patient room is found to be 47 dBA, while the nurse stations and the receptions have high noise levels up to 64 dBA. The reverberation times in an operation room, examination room, and single patient room are found to be below 0.6 s. Conclusions: At SNUH, the nurse stations and receptions were found to be quite noisy. The ERs were quieter than in the previous studies. The measured reverberation times seemed low enough but some other nurse stations and examination rooms were not satisfactory according to the questionnaire.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.76-82
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Noise levels and room acoustic parameters at a tertiary referral hospital, Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) in Korea, are investigated. Materials and Methods: Through a questionnaire, acoustically problematic rooms are identified. Noise levels in emergency rooms (ERs) and intensive care units (ICUs) are measured over about three days. Acoustically critical and problematic rooms in the otolaryngology department are measured including examination rooms, operating rooms, nurse stations, receptions, and patient rooms. Results: The A-weighted equivalent noise level, L_Aeq, ranges from 54 to 56 dBA, which is at least 10 dB lower than the noise levels of 65 to 73 dBA measured in American ERs. In an ICU, the noise level for the first night was 66 dBA, which came down to 56 dBA for the next day. The noise levels during three different ear surgeries vary from 57 to 62 dBA, depending on the use of surgical drills and suctions. The noise levels in a patient room is found to be 47 dBA, while the nurse stations and the receptions have high noise levels up to 64 dBA. The reverberation times in an operation room, examination room, and single patient room are found to be below 0.6 s. Conclusions: At SNUH, the nurse stations and receptions were found to be quite noisy. The ERs were quieter than in the previous studies. The measured reverberation times seemed low enough but some other nurse stations and examination rooms were not satisfactory according to the questionnaire.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.230-237
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• 2021

Background: Noise-induced hearing loss is a well-known occupational disease that affects many fish harvesters from many fisheries worldwide, whose risk factor is prolonged exposure to hazardous noise levels. To date, academic research activities and regulatory bodies have not provided any comparative analysis among the existing methods to assess noise exposure levels of fish harvesters. This paper provides a comparison of four relevant assessment methods of noise exposure, examining the results of a measurement campaign performed onboard small fishing vessels from Newfoundland and Labrador. Methods: We traveled onboard 11 vessels engaged in multiple fisheries from Newfoundland and Labrador and performed extensive noise exposure surveys using the simplified International Maritime Organization method, the full-day measurement method, and the two methods provided by ISO 9612:2009, the task-based method and job-based method (JBM). Results: The results showed that the four methods yield similar values when the noise components are dominated by the engine and auxiliaries (steady-state sources); when noise components are dominated by the fishing gear, task-based method and the simplified International Maritime Organization method estimates are less accurate than JBM, using full-day measurements as baseline. Conclusion: The JBM better assesses noise exposure in small-scale fisheries, where noise exposure has significant variance and uncertainties on the exposure levels are higher.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Architectural Sustainable Environment and Building Systems
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.641-654
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• 2018

Elevator noise in apartment houses is one of the factors which prevent the residents from quiet and comfortable life. The elevator noise measurement method [KS F ISO 16032] is introduced from the matching ISO standard, however, it has problems in the application to the actual measurement. To visualize the problems, measurements in an apartment house are conducted, which has been suffering from the elevator noise for a long time. The measurement itself is extremely difficult due to the low sound pressure level of elevator, which is lower than 35 dB (A), and the even higher background noise level. However the vibration levels measured at the same time are relatively less disturbing As a result of vibration measurement, it was found that the vibration is clearly measured on the wall, and presents a high correlation coefficient of over 0.8 with the noise levels measured This shows that the vibration level measured on the elevator walls may be rather reliable numbers than the elevator noise levels in the actual noisy condition of elevator halls and the vicinity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Interior Design Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.85-88
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• 2007

This research is a case study for improving the sound environmental quality of cafeteria in university campus. The purpose of the study is to investigate the present condition of physical level, type, and source of indoor noise by comparison with a restaurant near campus. Methods were field survey with measurement on equivalent and instant noise level and observation on noise type, and questionnaire survey to 60 students users. Surveys were carried out in the 8th and the 14th of December 2005. The results are as follows. 1) Indoor noise levels of the cafeteria were measured as $67.2{\sim}76.6$(average 73.3) dB(A)Leq5min and $60.3{\sim}90.5$(average 71.2) dB(A), but noise levels of the restaurant were $61.6{\sim}70.4$(average 66.9) dB(A)Leq5min and $59.8{\sim}70.6$(average 64.9) dB(A). 2) The users's responses on major noise type were 'noise by handling equipment and tableware', 'noise by moving chairs', and 'taking noise' in cafeteria, but 'taking noise' and 'background music' in restaurant. 3) It was found that the differences of indoor noise condition between with 2 subjects were caused by finishing materials, kitchen division type, and furniture type.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.599-602
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• 2005

This paper describes a experimental study determining the effects of the type and loudness of introducing sounds on the amenity and the masking degree of background noise. 132 relative test sounds with 11 types of introducing sounds and 3 steps of road traffic noise were presented to 29 subjects through headphone in the laboratory experiment. Seven scale of polar adjective such as 'Strong Weak', 'Pleasant Unpleasant', 'Clear Unclear', 'Suitable Unsuitable', 'Comfortable-Discomfortable' was employed for the evaluation of amenity. And Seven scale of mono polar adjective such as 'Very-Not at all' was employed for the evaluation of masking degree against road traffic noise. The results are as follows; Green music was evaluated the highest amenity among test sounds and murmurs of a stream, signal music, song of a bird, crying of insect was showed the amenity rank of order. The softer and weaker introducing sound was evaluated more suitable and comfortable under the road traffic noise. So adequate level of introducing sounds was considered for the desirable urban soundscape. Also the louder sounds compared to background noises had greater masking effects. But similar levels of introducing sounds were recommended considering both good amenity and masking effects.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.265-278
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• 2015

Objective:To study the sources of indoor noise, its effects on human health, noise assessment and regulation through the use of standards, and techniques used to reduce noise. Background: Noise significantly affects the living environment, and there are an increasing number of reports of its impacts on human health. Method: We reviewed domestic and foreign data regarding environmental noise, and examined its effects and the standards used to regulate noise levels. Results: We describe the major sources of indoor noise and suggest possible legal standards, as well as recommended criteria for the control of noise. Conclusion: South Korea has higher legal standards of environmental noise than international standards in terms of threshold values. People in Korea are exposed to various sources of noise, and therefore the reduction of noise is urgently required. Application: Depending on the features of indoor spaces, an appropriate degree of indoor noise can be determined and techniques to reduce excess noise are required.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2013

This study compared and analysed ground vibration, size of underwater background noise in fish farms and underwater object noise of blasting and obtained ground vibration prediction equation through a regression analysis and correlation equation between underwater object noises in order to predict degrees of underwater noise in blasting and organize underwater noise control regulations. Before the study, when background noise of fish and shellfish farms with different conditions was measured, levels of background noise were different according to environmental characteristics of each farm. Ground vibration which causes underwater noise was measured to obtain a correlation equation between ground vibration and underwater object noise. Therefore, if underwater noise is predicted for each construction with a use of a correlation and permissible standards appropriate for each condition are applied for design and construction, financial loss from damages to fish and shellfish caused by development of insufficient technological and engineering logic can be prevented and successful construction with safety of underwater creatures guaranteed can be achieved.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.1627-1633
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• 2017

This paper proposes a voice enhancing ear-protection system which is based on feedback active noise control(FBANC). The proposed system selectively suppresses the background noise and preserves the talking voice by controlling the adaptive algorithm with the voice activity period detection module. The noise reduction performance of the proposed noise canceling algorithm is analytically derived for the two key performance affecting parameters, i.e., electro-acoustic coupling distance and noise bandwidth. The proposed system is also implemented with a floating-point DSP system and its performance is experimentally tested to compare with the analytically derived results. The achieved levels of noise reduction for the three different noise bandwidths cases, i.e., 10Hz, 50Hz, and 90Hz, are high to show 17.05dB, 10.54dB and 8.99dB, respectively. The feasibility of the proposed system is also shown by the peak noise reduction achieved more than 25dB while preserving the voice component in the frequency range between 200-800Hz.