title: [The auditory and neuropsychological effects of school children's exposure to environmental noise in a locality in Bogotá, 2010].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluating the effect of environmental noise on the auditory health of a group of students from a locality in Bogotá, their educational development and leisure activities and the appearance of neuropsychological symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational cross-sectional prevalence study in a sample of 581, 10-17 year-old children and adolescents in two district educational institutions, defined as higher (>65 dB) and lower exposure (<65 dB) according to an environmental noise map of the locality, such ranking being subsequently verified. A survey was made regarding their health-related background, perception of being exposed to noise and auditory health-related habits; a liminal tone audiometry of the airway was taken using the criteria recommended in the Infrastructure Technical Advisory Group'snoise-induced hearing loss (ITAG-NIHL) guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The more exposed school exceeded the regulations concerning comfortable environmental noise levels (7/8 measurements). Both institutions' levels exceeded WHO recommendations (15/16 measurements); 14.8 % of students had some degree of hearing loss. No significant differences were identified regarding exposure; however, higher thresholds were found in the more exposed group when comparing mean hearing threshold. Students attending morning sessions had a greater prevalence of hearing loss and neuropsychological symptoms and neuro-otological symptoms and difficulty in sleeping was reported amongst the more exposed students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A difference was found between students' hearing thresholds, depending on their exposure, suggesting an association with the levels of noise to which they are exposed.
authors.affiliation: Secretaría Distrital de Salud de Bogotá, Colombia, ekmedina@saludcapital.gov.co.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quiroz-Arcentales
authors.affiliation: Secretaría Distrital de Salud de Bogotá, Colombia, ekmedina@saludcapital.gov.co.
authors.forename: Luís J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hernández-Flórez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Fontibón. Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia, jccorredorg@unal.edu.co.
authors.forename: Jeimy C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Corredor-Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Fontibón. Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia, jccorredorg@unal.edu.co.
authors.forename: Viviana A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Rico-Castañeda
authors.affiliation: Hospital Fontibón. Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia, jccorredorg@unal.edu.co.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rugeles-Forero
authors.affiliation: Secretaría Distrital de Salud de Bogotá, Colombia, ekmedina@saludcapital.gov.co.
authors.forename: Katalina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Medina-Palacios
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003105:Colombia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health