title: [Environmental noise levels in 2 intensive care units in a tertiary care centre].
abstract: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has established a maximum noise level of 40 decibels (dB) for an intensive care unit. The aim of this study was to compare the noise levels in 2 different intensive care units at a tertiary care centre.
  
  
  
  Using a cross-sectional design study, an analysis was made of the maximum noise level was within the intensive coronary care unit and intensive care unit using a digital meter. A measurement was made in 4 different points of each room, with 5minute intervals, for a period of 60minutes 7:30, 14:30, and 20:30. The means of the observations were compared with descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U. An analysis with Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to the mean noise level.
  
  
  
  The noise observed in the intensive care unit had a mean of 64.77±3.33dB (P=.08), which was similar to that in the intensive coronary care unit, with a mean of 60.20±1.58dB (P=.129). Around 25% or more of the measurements exceeded the level recommended by the WHO by up to 20 points.
  
  
  
  Noise levels measured in intensive care wards exceed the maximum recommended level for a hospital. It is necessary to design and implement actions for greater participation of health personnel in the reduction of environmental noise.
authors.affiliation: División de Investigación en Salud, Hospital de Especialidades No. 2, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Nacional del Noroeste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México; Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Sonora, Campus Cajéme, Obregón, Sonora, México. Electronic address: jose.ornelas@cajeme.uson.mx.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ornelas-Aguirre
authors.affiliation: Dirección de enfermería, Hospital de Especialidades No. 2, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Nacional del Noroeste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Obregón, Sonora, México.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zárate-Coronado
authors.affiliation: Servicio de urgencias y terapia intensiva, Hospital de Especialidades No. 2, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Nacional del Noroeste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Obregón, Sonora, México.
authors.forename: Fabiola
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaxiola-González
authors.affiliation: Servicio de urgencias y terapia intensiva, Hospital de Especialidades No. 2, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Nacional del Noroeste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Obregón, Sonora, México.
authors.forename: Venigna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Neyoy-Sombra
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009622:Noise; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Calidad de atención en salud; Intensive care unit; Mexico.; México; Noise; Quality of health care; Ruido; Unidad de cuidado intensivo