title: Environment in pediatric wards: light, sound, and temperature.
abstract: The mutual relationship between sleep and disease is well known, becoming more relevant whenever the disease leads to hospitalization. We intend to describe patterns of environmental factors of some pediatric wards, and to verify if these are in line with those recommended. As a secondary aim, we characterize sleep quality during hospitalization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five pediatric wards of a tertiary-level hospital were included. Light, sound, and temperature were measured and assessed through descriptive statistics. The following recommended values were considered: maximum light 100 Lux, maximum sound 45 dB, and optimal temperature 20-24 °C. A questionnaire was prepared to assess children's sleep, and it was completed by a caregiver.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Light values were within the desirable limits for 86% of evaluated time. In all wards, the intensity of sound was much higher than desirable, being above 45 dB during 85% of evaluated time. The temperature was above 24 °C during 78% of total time. Based on 34 answered questionnaires (out of 50 distributed), almost half of the respondents believe that sleep quality and restlessness are worse at the hospital. Most children slept for a longer time at home. Eighteen children awoke more times at the hospital, and those awakenings were mostly attributed to noise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sound and temperature were higher than recommended. The different values between these wards may be due to different levels of care, but this shows that there are no standard rules on this matter. A worse quality and shorter duration of sleep at hospital were reported. Comprehensive studies are necessary to evaluate the impact of environmental factors on disease recovery.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Santa Maria Hospital, Academic Medical Centre of Lisbon, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-035 Lisbon, Portugal. Electronic address: lcfoliveira@gmail.com.
authors: Lia
authors: L
authors: Oliveira
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Santa Maria Hospital, Academic Medical Centre of Lisbon, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-035 Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Cláudia
authors: C
authors: Gomes
authors: Laboratory of Biomathematics, Institute of Preventive Medicine and ISAMB, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Medical Centre of Lisbon, University of Lisbon, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Leonor
authors: L
authors: Bacelar Nicolau
authors: Laboratório de Metrologia Electro-Física, Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, Taguspark, Oeiras. Avenida Prof. Dr. Cavaco Silva, n° 332740, 120 Porto Salvo, Portugal.
authors: Luís
authors: L
authors: Ferreira
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Santa Maria Hospital, Academic Medical Centre of Lisbon, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-035 Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Rosário
authors: R
authors: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008029:Lighting; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013696:Temperature
keywords: Children; Hospital environment; Hospitalization; Sleep quality; Wards