Media Coverage December 18, 2005

• Noise Pollution causes Psychological Disorder to RGH Patients

Noise Pollution causes Psychological Disorder to RGH Patients
Dawn, Islamabad
December 18, 2005

Noise pollution is causing psychological and physiological dis­orders to patients housed in the Rawalpindi General' Hospital (RGH), specially those 'from earthquake-hit areas.

Noise created by the heavy traffic on the Murree Road and planes taking off and land­ing at the nearby Islamabad airport deepens the depression of the traumatized earth­quake survivors lying there in a state of help­lessness, according to a research report.

"Mood fluctuation, over alertness to sudden stimulus, feeling upset even in the presence of minor noise exposure and suppression of memories of earthquake are the psychological impacts being experienced by patients in the hospital," said the findings of the research con­ducted by Nazima Shaheen, an environmen­talist working with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

Psychological disorders caused by noise are more common among female earthquake vic­tims than male. Some 71 per cent of the female patients experienced psychological disorder compared to 31 per cent of the males.

"Percentile noise levels are alarming and are much higher than the recommended noise levels set for silence zones", observes the research.

It showed that the noise pollution made 92 per cent of the respondents feel discomfort or annoyance constantly. Some 87 per cent felt sleep and rest discomfort, while another 79 per cent could not properly communicate.

Respondents had been selected from causality, orthopaedic, psychiatry, children, cardiological and surgical wards. They belonged to Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Bagh and Chakoti. More than half of the respon­dents also felt "often, always, sometimes or seldom" ear irritation, headache, stomach upsets and nausea.

The research fears post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the earthquake sur­vival. Canteen is one of the most noisy places at the hospital, while noise level in the causality ward is higher than other wards.

The major noise sources are external and internal. External noise sources included traffic and aircraft while internal sources include hospital staff, visitors, attendants, door slamming, moving trolleys, speakers, construction activities and music.

The research has recommended diversion of flight path of aircraft from the hospital area besides marking "noise barriers" on Murree Road by banning horns, speeding, and noise within a limit of more than 100 metres from each side of the hospital. It has asked for an awareness campaign to be launched through media for the hospital staff, visitors and those plying on the road to make then aware of the repercussions of noise pollution.