An American study has looked more closely at the effects of typical hospital sounds on sleep. Sleep phases Different hospital sounds were played at sound levels varying from 40 dB to 70 dB and during different sleep phases. The probability of arousal varied with sound type, sound level, and sleep phase. Less surprising higher sound […]
Healthcare
CleanMed conference on healthcare and sustainability
26-28 September 2012 Healthcare without Harm organized CleanMed – creating healing environments – conference on sustainable healthcare. The conference gathered healthcare providers, sustainability organizations, and medical and building material suppliers to discuss and share successful initiatives from many different perspectives. The topics included diverse presentations from wastewater management to how to communicate internally to engage […]
Sleep in the ICU – review of current knowledge
A new article on the current knowledge of sleep disturbances in the ICU was featured in the latest issue of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavia. Sleep disturbances in the ICU environment are a significant problem and have many underlying causes. However are a difficult phenomenon to observe due to the physical status of the patient group. This […]
The sound environment in ICU
A newly published study from Sweden describes the audible atmosphere of an intensive care unit patient room over a 24-hour period. The study aimed to investigate sound level data and compare patient recollection of the sound environment during the stay. The study showed that sound levels are exceeding 55dB between 70-90% of the time, which […]
Noisy toys can damage childrens’ hearing
Researchers from UC Irvine’s Department of Otolaryngology measured the noise levels of two dozen popular noisy toys in stores and purchased the 10 loudest for precise gauging in a soundproof booth at UC Irvine Medical Center. They found that all exceeded 90 decibels and several reached 100 or more, equivalent to the noise of a […]
Hearing screening across Europe
The prevention, screening and treatment of communication disorders among children, including the use of e-health and innovative solutions, is one of the priorities in the field of public health during just started Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Official information can be found here. Screening In accordance with that, “European consensus on […]
Conference on future hospitals and healthcare buildings
From May 10-12 2011 many are participating in the conference on future hospitals and other healthcare premises in Copenhagen. Ecophon is also participating and active on Twitter about what’s hot and what’s not. Apart from workshops, debates, and study visits, the participants will have an opportunity to listen to a wide range of lectures performed […]
ICU staff become more relaxed
“Staff really cool down in here, relaxed. The different light, the muffled sound, and the nice colors in the room affect everyone who stays here, “says ICU nurse Ann-Louise Smith. Ann-Louise works as an ICU nurse at Södra Älvborgs Hospital, where one of the ICU rooms is specially designed to create a better environment […]
Too noisy to sleep? Let the hospital know
Nighttime noise can be devastating and too noisy to recover during a hospital stay. Silent Hospitals Help Healing Through its Silent Hospitals Help Healing Committee, the Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix is making a conscious effort to improve the sound situation in the hospital by involving the patients. By sending “noise alerts” when […]
Traffic noise increases risk of stroke
A recently published Danish study indicates that traffic noises may increase the risk of stroke, particularly for older individuals. Risk of stroke The study was published in the European Heart Journal and looked at the association between road traffic noise and stroke in more than 51,000 Danish people. It was found that for every 10-decibel […]
