A Correlational Study On Noise And The Cardiovascular Health Within Residential Communities

Abstract

The concern on the many health risks that noises entail has brought an awareness to the way many cities and suburbs have been designed. The aim of this study was to obtain data that would determine the type of correlational relationship that existed between the exposure to high-levels of noise and the presence of symptoms related to cardiovascular issues within a residential setting. A survey was done by means of a clustered sampling within the residential areas located near the Davao Bay Walk-Queensland, Matina Aplaya, Davao City that resulted to one-hundred and nine (109) respondents. The results have shown that residences located near the identified source of noise have greater positive responses with regards to the presence of the symptoms that denote the risk of acquiring cardiovascular-related diseases. A weak yet positive correlational relationship was then inferred from the findings for the two variables.

Keywords: Architecture, Urban Planning, Noise, Health

Introduction

Residents of whose financial and social standing that are of subpar nature, and of whose routine carries disturbed sleeping patterns and cycles, may be at risk of experiencing the negative effects that noises entail (Orban, et al. , 2016). In addition to this, Weinhold (2015) discusses that with the presence of noise in residential patches of the community, symptoms of cardiovascular issues, concentration problems and trouble with bodily locomotive functions such as complication with the joints are more likely to appear. In a technical context, a human body can only tolerate sound as high as eighty-five decibels (85dB) and beyond this threshold would put the person at risk of acquiring temporary or a gradual permanent damage on his hearing capabilities (Walsh, 2000).

On the other hand, Abelard (2017) stresses that music or sound played over one-hundred and forty decibels (140dB) is considered to have crossed the “danger level” marker whilst in full contrast, normal conversation only generates sixty decibels (60dB) (Walsh, 2000). Nijland, Hartemink, Kamp & Wee (2006) also argue that as the resident’s time of dwelling extends indefinitely in an affected area, the said residents gradually develop sensitivity to noise which in turn becomes the precursor to the development of noise annoyance (Zimmer & Ellermeier, 1999). Moreover, in the process of examining the exposure of the residential faction to the urban din, the scope and urban composition of a community are arguably significant artifacts to consider (Tenailleau, et al. , 2014). Even with the continued consultation with the body of knowledge to substantiate the development of auditory problems being a negative effect of prolonged exposure to high-levels of noise, there still lies the lack of focal attention on the re-affirmation of the relationship between the symptomatic show of cardiovascular issues and the alarming exposure to high-levels of noise. Thus, the aim of this paper is to determine the type of correlational relationship that existed between the exposure to high-levels of noise and the presence of symptoms related to cardiovascular issues within a residential setting. Research QuestionHow is the exposure to high-levels of noise correlated to the symptomatic manifestations of cardiovascular-related issues of the residents dwelling within the scope of the identified source of noise?

Materials And Methods

Study Population and Scope

The study was conducted within a controlled scope of three-hundred and forty-seven point five meters (347. 5 m) radial distance from the point of identified source of a high-leveled noise that was the entertainment restaurant and bar operating on the boundaries of Low and High-Density Residential Zones (R-1) and (R-3) located near the Davao Bay Walk-Queensland, Matina Aplaya, Davao City. Such scope of radial distance was the result of the calculation that the speed of sound would generate in correspondence with the average temperature that Davao City had for the entire year of 2016. The mode of choosing the appropriate type of respondents for the study depended greatly on discerning the boundaries that the speed of sound would cover in unit measure of meters/second (m/s) as attested by the standardization (Seng Piel Audio, 2014). This is due to the ground the speed covered equated to that area being directly affected with respect to the exposure time. Using a five percent (5%) margin error and a ninety percent (90%) confidence level, a sample size of one-hundred and nine (109) households from the qualified population of two-hundred and sixty-six (266) households was then determined. This was done using Raosoft, a free application found on the internet. The sample size who were the identified subjects directly affected were then surveyed. The participation was then informed through a written consent provided alongside with the survey per participant.

Data Acquisition

Levels of noise were based on the threshold of hearing and with it, the point of source coincided with that of the level it corresponds by means of identifying the decibels it generated per given amount of time. The researcher used a cellular phone device and a calibrated application that catered to the measurement of sound decibels. The step enabled the researcher to acquire the reference data needed to progress to next step. Upon the completion of conducting ten (10) trials that was necessary for the reliability of the data, the mean result based on the peak measurements per trial was ninety-seven point six decibels (97. 6 dB) and its corresponding standard deviation was two point fifty-nine (2. 59). The datum was then cross-checked with its corresponding level with respect to the Absolute Threshold of Hearing and the acquired data indeed went beyond the tolerable and safe level intended for human auditory range.

The aforementioned threshold, as defined by Yost & Killion in 1997, is a reference for which Sound Pressure Levels are shown from the highest point to the lowest that enables the listener to hear a particular sound with clarity. This also enabled the identification of which levels were tolerable for human auditability. The surveys contained questions that only enabled close-ended responses in multiple-choice format. Options that elicited personal information responses were then bracketed into groups. The queries were based on the variables that influenced the data. Symptomatic manifestations of cardiovascular-related diseases were determined through the acquisition of data by means of a survey with close-ended responses in a multiple-choice format. The survey contained questions that were indicators symptomatic manifestations of cardiovascular related diseases such as blood pressure levels, high cholesterol levels, coronary heart diseases and other medically-identified heart conditions.

Calculations

Furthermore, Seng Piel Audio (2014) explicitly states that the calculation of the speed of sound heavily leaned on the temperature and not with the altitude above sea-level as many experts on the field have assumed to be. The calculation for the speed of sound follows: V (velocity of the wave or the speed of sound) is equal to three-hundred and thirty degree Celsius (331°C), a constant for the speed of sound in zero degree Celsius (0°) that is then later added to the product of zero point six (0. 6), a constant for the speed of sound where there is an increase in temperature, so there shall be with speed of sound too at a rate of 0. 6 meters per second (m/s) per Celsius degree and the given temperature. The average temperature for the year two-thousand and sixteen (2016) as reported by the University of Mindanao’s Weather Station is twenty and seven Celsius (27°C) that is then multiplied to a constant of zero point six (0. 6) and its product later added to another constant of three-hundred and thirty degree Celsius (331°C). The resulting velocity of the wave or the speed of sound is three-hundred and forty-seven point five meters per second (347. 5 m/s) (Seng Piel Audio, 2014). The result was then used as a basis for the identification of the controlled scope for the study.

Conclusions

The findings have led the researcher to conclude that a weak positive correlational relationship between the exposure to high-levels of noise and the symptomatic manifestations possessed by the residents dwelling within the scope of identified source of noise exists.

Reccomendation

The researcher would like to point out that with the data gathered, noise sensitivity, relative motion of air, fluctuating temperature, presence of buffers and barriers and the varying durations of exposure are variables that needs to be dealt with and addressed with respect to the type of method or tool that any future researcher would use if ever there would be an expression of desire to replicate or further enhance this study.