Awareness and knowledge about the effects of noise on the health of the population of Córdoba

Abstract

This study assessed the knowledge of 1,402 participants about the effects of noise on health, the identification of sources of noise pollution, and knowledge of legislation and information channels.

A descriptive cross-sectional design with non-probabilistic sampling was used, using an online questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using Google Sheets.

The results showed that 69.4% of respondents were aware of the adverse effects of noise on health, with significant differences according to gender (p = 0.00008), age (p = 0.0032) and educational level (p = 0.048). Regarding noise sources, 81% identified urban sources as the main generators of noise pollution. However, 54% of respondents were unaware of current noise legislation, and 70% did not know familiar with institutional channels for obtaining information. Concerning the relationship between recognition of urban noise sources and knowledge of current legislation, as well as familiarity with institutional channels, the p-values ​​obtained in the Chi-square tests were all equal to 0. This indicates that there is no statistically significant relationship between these aspects, suggesting a disconnect in the population's awareness and knowledge about effective noise management.

These results highlight the need to implement educational campaigns and improve access to information about regulations and available resources, especially in demographic groups underrepresented in this study. However, the sample's disparity in terms of age and gender suggests the need for a more representative sample in future studies to obtain more accurate and objective conclusions