• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.319-328
• /
• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to identify nursing interventions clinically applicable to relieve displeasure and anxiety of patients having an operation in which loud noise was unavoidable. Methods: Participants were 34 patients scheduled to have a total knee replacement. They were assigned to either the control (17 patients) or experimental (17 patients) group. Data were collected from September to November 2010. The instruments used for the survey included noise-control earplugs, a noise level meter (TES-1358) and a structured scale measuring degree of noise perception, displeasure and anxiety. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, standard deviation, $x^2$-test, and t-test with the SPSS WIN 18.0 program. Results: Hypothesis 1: 'The displeasure levels of the experimental group of patients wearing earplugs will be lower than the control group patients without earplugs' was accepted (t=-20.769, p<.001). Hypothesis 2: 'The anxiety levels of the experimental group of patients wearing earplugs will be lower than the control group patients without earplugs' was accepted (t=-6.298, p<.001). Conclusion: Based on these findings, the wearing of earplugs for patients having a surgical operation with loud noises is recommended as an effective nursing intervention to relieve patient displeasure and anxiety during their surgical operations.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.239-251
• /
• 2023

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of noise-filtering earplugs on the hearing ability of dentists wearing them during noise-induced dental procedures. Pure tone audiometry and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) tests were conducted at the initial visit and 1 year later to evaluate the hearing ability of the participants. As a result of the study, the pure tone average of the group wearing earplugs decreased significantly compared to the group not wearing earplugs, indicating an improvement in hearing. However, the signal-to-noise ratio of the DPOAE tests did not show a significant difference. These findings suggest that noise-filtering earplugs may have some effectiveness in preventing hearing loss. However, since the 1-year observation period may not be adequate to identify changes in hearing, a follow-up study with an extended follow-up period is necessary.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
• /
• v.20 no.10
• /
• pp.891-899
• /
• 2010

Since the working machine generates an excessive loud noise as much as its use-purpose and dimension, those damages are occurring to the exposed workers such as unpleasant sense, stress and occupational hearing-impaired. Accordingly, as one of the measures for prevention such loud noise, various soundproof protection tools were developed. However, such soundproof protection tools were presented the physical measured value only, it is real state that the psychological study result with regard to the soundproof effect which the workers are actually feeling, is not existing. On such point of view, with the object on the typical earplugs and earcaps among the soundproof protection tools, this study has ever tried a subjective evaluation about the degree of soundproof effect through Psycho-acoustics experiment. It is considering that such study result could be utilized as the useful material when establishing the soundproof measure for the workers in the future.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.127-138
• /
• 2008

Purpose: To examine the effects of the environmental nursing intervention using eye-shields and earplugs on the incidence of delirium, environmental stress and sleep among the patients with open-heart surgery in the post-cardiac ICU(intensive care units). Method: This study was a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design. The subjects consisted of 93 patients who received ICU care after the cardiac surgery. Among those, 32 subjects was assigned in one experimental group with eye-shields, 31 in the other experimental group with earplugs, and 30 in the control group. ICU delirium was measured by CAM-ICU, environmental stress by ICUESS, and sleep by two sleep scales developed by Oh, et al. and Kim. The data were analyzed by the SPSS 13.0 program including frequency, percentage, t-test, $x^2$ test, ANOVA and ANCOVA. Results: There are no statistically significant differences in the incidence of delirium among three groups (p=.139). The ICU environmental stress scores from the subjects of two experimental groups demonstrated lower (F=6.731, p=.002) than the control group. Also, the degrees of sleep pattern (p=.000, p=.000) and sleep satisfaction (p=.000, p=.000) were greater than those of the control group. Conclusion: Although the environmental nursing intervention using eye-shields and earplugs did not demonstrate the effects in decreasing the incidence of ICU delirium, it has affirmative effects in decreasing environmental stress and improving the quality sleep among the patients with open-heart surgery while they stay in ICU. Further nursing implications are discussed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.29 no.2 s.53
• /
• pp.239-254
• /
• 1996

Health services on industrial noisy environment have been provided only for noise-induced hearing loss management until now. But gradually, modem diseases and death have come to be related to stress and mental health deeply, therefore noise-induced mental disorder, like a stress became very important. In this point, the purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between noise exposure level in worksite and workers' stress symptoms. This study included a survey of 786 manual workers selected from 89 worksites in 21 factories in Puchon. The results were as follows: 1. For demographic characteristics, most of the workers were males(80.8%), the $20\sim29years$ old were 34.5% and those who graduated from high school were 65.3%. The workers whose monthly income ranged from 100,000 to 800,000 won were 37.5% and who have a religion were 47.9%. 2. For occupational characteristics, workers who had worked $1\sim5$ years in the factories were 33.0%. Those who were much for them workload were 43.9% and who worked more than 8 hours a day were 73.9%. Those who were disatisfied with their job and pay were 31.9% and 50.6%. The workers who responsed ventilation condition of their worksites were bad were 51.9% and the dissatisfed with working environment of their worksites were 45.9%. 3. Workers who were suffering from tinnitus were 53.3% and those who perceived hearing loss were 50.1%. Persons who reported they always wore earplugs at work were 35.4%. Those who felt earplugs bigger than their ears were 30.6% and those who experienced eardiseases caused by earplugs were 25.6%. 4. For the noise exposure level in worksite, workers who were exposed to $80\sim90dB$ were 30.3%, $90\sim100dB$ were 26.4% and $50\sim70dB$ were 19.2%. 5. Workers' stress symptoms were significantly related to marital status and their monthly income(p<0.05). Workers who were single and had lower monthly income showed higher PSI (Psychiatric Symptom Index) scores than those who were married and had higher monthly income. Higher PSI scores were also significantly related to $1\sim2$ days hight-work per week, much for them workload, dissatisfaction with their job, and bad relationship with their bosses and coworkers. 6. Higher PSI scores were significantly related to severe tinnitus and perceived hearing losso(p<0.001). Workers who felt the earplugs they use did not fit their ears showed significantly higher PSI scores(p<0.01). Workers who reported that they did not feel they need earplugs showed. significantly higher PSI scores (p<0.05). Increased experience of eardisease caused by earplugs that did not fit were also significantly related to higher PSI scores(p<0.01). 7. The higher noise exposure level in worksite from 80dB was, the more severe stress symptoms including PSI subparts were reported; Anxiety, Anger, Depression, and Cognitive disorder(p<0.001). 5. According to the results of stepwise multiple regression analysis, factors affecting workers' PSI scores were perceived hearing loss$(R^2=0.160)$, noise exposure level in worksite$(R^2=0.110)$, realtionship with coworkers, amount of workload, monthly income and relationship with bosses orderly and the total $R^2$ of this 6 factors was 0.371. 9. The most significant factors that have impact on manual workers' stress symptoms were perceived hearing loss and noise exposure level in worksite, especially noise exposure level in the worksite was the most affective factor on the depression symptom.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 2014

The objective of this study is the frequency of the noise source 170 dB level of impulsive sound attenuation performance by earplugs to identify, to analyze the frequency characteristics of a shape and pattern. The attenuation performance of the impulsive noise by the frequency levels on the Combat Arm and 3M Form types 1100 Earplugs were evaluated. In order to check the sound attenuation performance of the B&K head and torso simulator and sound attenuation performance of the ear simulator data was verified. Previous studies have most impact, even in the noise source and the impulse noise level is 140 dB, but this study is higher than that of the impulsive noise source features. The results of the impulse noise attenuation effect is frequency-dependent mean 28.58 dB.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.5-10
• /
• 2007

Purpose: This study examined whether or not the balance performing ability of the disabled (blindness and deafness) is lower than normal people. Chronometry was used to compare the balance maintaining ability of blind and deaf subjects with that of normal subjects under the same conditions. Methods: In this study, balance foam, eye bandage, earplugs and headphones were used. The balance foam used in this study is smooth with slight elasticity and a convex upper side, 60cm wide, 15cm long and 9cm high. The eye bandage was used to artificially block the sight of the normal subjects, and the earplugs and headphones to block their hearing. Results: The mean time of the normal subjects standing with their eyes open, blindfolded and wearing ear plugs was 26.7, 19.8 and 28.7sec, respectively. The mean standing maintaining time for the blind and deaf subjects was 12.5 sec and 24.1 sec, respectively. The t-test result of the calculated mean time showed no significant difference (p>0.05) between the normal subjects and the normal subjects with their hearing blocked but there was a significant difference between the normal subjects with their hearing blocked and the deaf subjects (p>0.05). Conclusion: There was significance between the normal subjects and the normal subjects with their eyes blocked but there was no significant difference between the normal subjects with their eyes blocked and the blind subjects. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between the deaf and the normal subjects, which corresponds to the report showing that sight has a significant influence on balance.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.121-128
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study is to confirm the impact of noise on subject accomplishment as well as physical/mental load, and evaluates the effects of noise-masking and earplug. 15 college students participate in the test, and the comparison is performed by executing four projects according to conditional categories of noise environments; control condition, noise condition, earplug condition, and noise-masking condition. Noise in the field site of the H manufacturer was used as the noise source, the general job aptitude test which consist of linguistic ability, math ability, perception ability, reasoning ability was used as the task of this project. To estimate physical/mental load evaluation, we used the heart rate R-R interval, Criteria flicker fusion frequency(CFF) and measured NASA-TLX workload for subjective evaluation. As the research outcome, it is shown that there is a meaningful difference for the project task score, dropping rate of CFF, the heart rate, and NASA-TLX subjective evaluation score according to conditions of noise environment. Therefore, the impact of noise on capability of subject accomplishment as well as physical/mental load was confirmed along with the effects of using earplug and noise-masking.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.75-85
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine effects of music intervention on environmental stress and sleep quality in liver transplant patients who are receiving care in one-person isolation rooms of an ICU. Methods: The study was a quasi-experimental design pre-and-post nonequivalent control group. Participants were 37 patients (18 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group) who, after receiving liver transplant, were hospitalized in one-person isolation rooms of the ICU. The study covered patients admitted between August 2016 and December 2017. Earplugs and sleep shades were provided as ordinary care to both experimental and control groups, and music intervention was provided to the experimental group three times a day for 30 minutes each from the first day of hospitalization. Results: The first hypothesis, "The experimental group who received music intervention will experience a lower environmental stress level than the control group" was supported (Z=-3.212, p<.001). The second hypothesis, "The experimental group who received music intervention will experience a higher sleep quality than the control group" was also supported (t=3.715, p=.001). Conclusion: Findings show that music intervention is an effective nursing intervention to reduce environmental stress and improve sleep quality in liver transplant patients in the ICU.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.184-191
• /
• 2021

Background: Hearing protection devices (HPDs) are often used in the workplace to prevent hearing damage caused by noise. However, a factor that can lead to hearing loss in the workplace is improper HPD fitting, and the previous literature has shown that instructing workers on how to properly insert their HPDs can make a significant difference in the degree of attenuation. Methods: Two studies were completed on a total of 33 Hydro One workers. A FitCheck Solo field attenuation estimation system was used to measure the personal attenuation rating (PAR) before and after providing one-on-one fitting instructions. In addition, external ear canal diameters were measured, and a questionnaire with items related to frequency of use, confidence, and discomfort was administered. Results: Training led to an improvement in HPD attenuation, particularly for participants with poorer PARs before training. The questionnaire results indicated that much HPD discomfort is caused by heat, humidity, and communication difficulties. External ear canal asymmetry did not appear to significantly influence the measured PAR. Conclusion: In accordance with the previous literature, our studies suggest that one-on-one instruction is an effective training method for HPD use. Addressing discomfort issues from heat, humidity, and communication issues could help to improve the use of HPDs in the workplace. Further research into the effects of canal asymmetry on the PAR is needed.