ICU Environmental Noise and Healthcare Workers

This prospective observational study aims to evaluate the effects of environmental noise in the intensive care unit on healthcare workers. Healthcare personnel working in intensive care units and hospital wards will be compared in terms of cochlear function, noise sensitivity, anxiety levels, perceived noise burden, and functional effects of noise exposure. The study seeks to determine whether long-term occupational exposure to intensive care unit noise is associated with measurable auditory and non-auditory effects in healthcare workers.

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Key information

Conditions

Noise Exposure Anxiety Disorders Healthcare Intensive Care (ICU) Mental Disorders Occupation

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital

Izmir, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

This prospective observational study is designed to evaluate the potential auditory and non-auditory effects of intensive care unit environmental noise on healthcare workers. The study is being conducted in a tertiary training and research hospital and includes volunteer healthcare personnel working in intensive care units and hospital wards. Participants are classified according to their work setting, and comparisons are performed between the intensive care unit group and the ward group.

The study focuses on occupational exposure to the intensive care environment and its possible association with cochlear function, perceived noise burden, noise sensitivity, anxiety levels, and functional effects related to workplace noise. Audiological assessment includes distortion product otoacoustic emission measurements, and questionnaire-based assessments are used to evaluate perceived noise-related burden and associated psychological and functional effects. The study aims to determine whether prolonged work in the intensive care environment is associated with measurable changes in hearing-related parameters and subjective outcomes when compared with work in hospital wards.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Age ≥18 years, Actively working in the Anesthesiology and Reanimation ICU, or in a hospital ward, Voluntary participation in the study,

Exclusion criteria

Age <18 years, Pregnancy, Previously diagnosed hearing loss, History of head trauma, History of ear surgery

Treatment and study plan

Intensive care unit environmental noise exposure

Other

Occupational exposure to routine environmental noise in the intensive care unit setting during regular work activities.

Primary outcomes

Cochlear Function Assessed by DPOAE

Time frame: At baseline

Cochlear function will be evaluated using distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) amplitudes and signal-to-noise ratio values, and compared between healthcare workers in the ICU group and the ward group.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Tepecik Training and Research Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluation of the Effects of Intensive Care Unit Environmental Noise on Healthcare Workers

Acronym: ICU-Noise

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Apr 16, 2026
Registry last updated: Apr 21, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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