The effect of noise in outdoor spaces on the users of Imam al-Sadiq general hospital in the Hilla city

Abstract EN

This study was conducted between 2018-2019 due to the importance of Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) general hospital, which is considered one of the most modern hospitals in the province of Babylon, as well as its clinical capacity, so its importance emerged.

the theoretical studies included a review of the modern local and international sources and studies that pertain to the problem of noise and its impact on human health and the useful means to mitigate its severity.

what is the second stage? a-the field study was conducted through spot visits to the hospital, collecting maps and data, and determining the noise sources and their intensity.

b-questionnaire : it was conducted to find out the opinion of hospital users about noise and its psychological and health impact on them.

it included patients, visitors, and staff (medical, administrative) of the hospital.

several proposals have been developed to treat noise and reduce its intensity, thus providing the appropriate environment for users of external spaces in the hospital.

noise has become an essential part of daily life to which man is constantly exposed, as it has become one of the pests of the times due to the increase in its sources in terms of vehicles, laboratories, trains...etc.

the effect of which is not limited to disturbance and nervous and psychological tension only, but also extends to the incidence of dangerous diseases, such as heart diseases and brain disorders, which threaten human health, and make noise one of the main dangers to his life.

this was confirmed by a recent study that people who are exposed to noise and noise for a long time in the workplace or during recreational activities may be more susceptible to heart disease (https://www.arab48.com ›).

Al-Muaini (2015) mentioned that noise constitutes a system of anxiety and disturbance to the natural surroundings of the human being, which can be considered as a pollution caused by the city.

it is now a serious problem in urban areas resulting from the increase in population density, manufacturing operations, works, engines...etc.

noise pollution problems are increasing day by day, especially in crowded urban areas next to highways, main streets, airports...etc.

the wrong choice of the location of the Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) general hospital in the center of Hilla and on both sides of the most crowded streets, negatively affected the comfort of the hospital’s users, including doctors, patients, visitors, and functional and service staff due to the noise generated by the movement of cars, in addition to the difficulty of access to the hospital and that the noise does not affect the users of the external spaces only, but may reach its intensity to the internal spaces in the hospital and cause inconvenience to the hospital users.

therefore, when designing the hospital’s external spaces, this important factor must be taken into consideration, by presenting appropriate proposals to mitigate its severity in accordance with international standards used for this purpose.