Comparison of Mental Health Status of People Exposed to Noise Pollution with People in Non-Polluted Areas of Sari

Abstract

Noise pollution in psychological terms is defined as an unpleasant, undesirable or unwanted sound and in quantitative terms, it is a sound possessing all different wavelengths and intensities with no certain combination which is unpleasant to ear. The present study was conducted to compare the mental health status of people exposed to noise pollution with people in non-polluted areas of Sari. The sample population in the present descriptive study included 200 people selected by Random sampling method. Then, Sari was divided into four areas in terms of noise pollution, and after implementing GHQ-28 questionnaire (which reliability and validity have been confirmed), general health as well as mental health of samples were compared with each other. Data analysis was conducted based on occupation and residence location using variance analysis tests and t-Test for quantitative data and Square-test for qualitative data. Complaints about physical difficulties in traders’ group working in non-polluted environment are lower than traders’ group working in an environment exposed to noise pollution. These complaints among residents in non-polluted areas are at the lowest level. In overall review, the prevalence and average of mental health disorders amongst traders in areas exposed to noise pollution are higher than traders in non-polluted areas. Average complaints about physical difficulties, anxiety and sleeping problems, problems with social performance, depression and in general average mental and physical disorders are higher in resident and working groups in areas exposed to noise pollution, however, only complaints about physical difficulties are statistically significant.