Análise do risco da poluição sonora para a saúde da população no município de João Pessoa-PB

Abstract

The sound has always been present in human life and in the environment. However, the disorderly growth of the urbanization process and industrial development boosted the arise of noise pollution. A problem that has become one of the biggest health risks today, once thousands of people are exposed to high levels of sound pressure. Several adverse health effects have been related to intense noise, in the same way that different sound sources are present in urban spaces. This study, therefore, aims to analyze the risk of noise pollution to the health of the population in the city of João Pessoa-PB. The methodology used was a systematic literature review, data on complaints about noise in 2019, and an online questionnaire was applied to a sample of the population. The review was carried out in the Scopus and PUBMED databases and the search being carried out in the abstract, title and keywords of the publications. The universe consisted of 385 studies, of which 19 were included after applying filters at each stage and the predefined eligibility criteria. The complaints dataset were collected at the Municipal Secretary of Environment (SEMAM), they were organized in spreadsheets and they were analyzed by absolute frequency according to the variables: neighborhood (municipal division), shift (day: 7 am to 6 pm and night: 6 pm to 7 am), reason and outcome actions. The questionnaire was applied to the inhabitants of the municipality in the online format and the answers were also organized in spreadsheets and analyzed by absolute frequency. It was observed that 89% of the studies included in the review are related to non-auditory health effects and the quality of the evidence was classified as moderate at 73.7% and high at 26.3%. The number of complaints related to noise pollution in 2019 in João Pessoa ranked first compared to other types of pollution. Among the neighborhoods, Mangabeira stood out with the highest percentage. Bars, restaurants and party houses motivate the highest number of noise complaints (24.5%), followed by the residence/neighborhood (20.5%) and vehicles (16.5%). The morning shift has 55% of the total number of complaints, however, in some neighborhoods, individually, the night shift stands out. Regarding the questionnaire, the sample consisted of 208 respondents. The self-reported health effects with the highest percentage were: annoyance (81,1%), stress (67.1%), low concentration and attention (68.5%), headache (51.4%) and sleep disturbance (48.2%). Most people consider the environment to be comfortable (44.2%) and recognize the damage that can be caused to their health by exposure to noise (87.1%). The most uncomfortable sound source mentioned was road traffic noise (52%). Regarding auditory symptoms/signs, it was found that 61.4% reported difficulty in understanding in noisy places and 46% were uncomfortable with loud sounds. From the selected articles, it can be concluded that the most studied health symptoms currently are sleep disturbance, the annoyance, and changes in mental health. Noise complaints are effective in characterizing noise pollution, although objective measures are also necessary. Noise deserves more attention from public managers, as it is a risk factor to people's health, generating an impact on their daily activities.