Evaluation of Environmental Noise Pollution (Traffic, Schools, Hospitals) and Noise Perception

Abstract

Nowadays, noise pollution, one of the crucial environmental problems as a result of increase in the population, has caused physical and psychological negativities in people's lives. The increase in the number of vehicles along with the population, the lack of infrastructure in the existing roads, misbehavior of the drivers due to the lack of education lead to an increase in noise pollution. The current study aimed to determine how much noise pollution that people are exposed to in traffic, schools and hospitals in Kayseri, one of the most important industrialized centers in Turkey with a population approximately 1.4 million. The levels of noise pollution averagely varied between 62-72 dBA in the streets and it is observed that the noise level changes depending on the vehicle intense in traffic. The noise levels in schools ranged from 41 to 57 dBA in the morning when window was closed that were higher than the regulation limit. The noise levels in hospitals were between 46 and 58 dBA when window is closed. The results of the survey conducted among a total of 153 people showed that noise was considered as environmental pollution by 98% in residential, 90% in schools and 73% in hospitals. The most noise-related health effects specified by the participants was the headache with 41% followed by frustrated and stressed with 24%