Do noise Levels in Surgical ICUs Are Consistently Above Recommended Standards?
Ambient sound levels in the surgical ICUs were consistently above levels recommended by the World Health Organization and Environmental Protection Agency at all times. The use of a formal quiet time intervention was associated with a significant, but clinically irrelevant reduction in the median maximum sound level at night. Our results suggest that excessive ambient noise in the ICU is largely attributable to environmental factors, and behavior modifications are unlikely to have a meaningful impact. Future investigations, as well as hospital designs, should target interventions toward ubiquitous noise sources such as ventilation systems, which may not traditionally be associated with patient care.
The results support the beta-cell stress hypothesis and suggest that maternal experiences of serious life events such as divorce and violence seem to be involved in the induction or progression of diabetes-related autoimmunity in children at age 2.5 years, independent of family history of type 1 diabetes.