NOISE ANNOYANCE AND LOUDNESS: ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE OF HEALTHCAREBUILDINGS IN IBADAN CITY, NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/tnamp.v25.723Keywords:
Noise annoyance, Loudness, Acoustic comfort, Healthcare buildings, Dementia care, Tropical climate, Indoor environmental qualityAbstract
The acoustic performance of healthcare buildings is frequently overlooked in tropical, low-resource settings, where natural ventilation couples interior soundscapes to intense urban noise. This study identifies the audible noises in two contrasting Ibadan facilities—a private (HC1) and a government (HC2) home— and determines the physical and psychological impacts of loudness and annoyance on frail residents living with dementia. A-weighted sound pressure levels were measured across six interior spaces at three daily intervals in two seasons, and triangulated with a survey of 135 caregivers and a one-year incident review. Levels reached 53.03 dB(A) in HC1 and 67.40 dB(A) in HC2, exceeding the WHO 35 dB(A) guideline throughout. Perceived loudness and annoyance were strongly inter-correlated and associated with agitation, anxiety, wandering, and disturbed sleep; human-related factors outweighed housing-related factors. Traffic, generators, amplified religious broadcasts, and staff conversation were the most undesired sources. The findings support embedding acoustic criteria in tropical healthcare design and policy.
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