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Hearing impairments and tinnitus are being reported in an increasing extent from employees in the preschool. The investigation included 101 employees at 17 preschools in Umeå county, Sweden. Individual noise recordings and stationary recordings in dining rooms and play halls were conducted at two departments per preschool. The effects of noise exposures were carried out through audiometric screenings and by use of questionnaires. The average individual noise exposure was close to 71 dB(A), with individual differences but small differences between the preschools. The noise levels in the dining room and playing halls were about 64 dB(A), with small differences between the investigated types of rooms and preschools. The hearing loss of the employees was significantly higher for the frequencies tested when compared with an unexposed control group in Sweden. Symptoms of tinnitus were reported among about 31% of the employees. Annoyance was rated as somewhat to very annoying. The voices of the children were the most annoying noise source. The dB(A) level and fluctuation of the noise exposure were significantly correlated to the number of children per department. The preschool sound environment is complex and our findings indicate that the sound environment is hazardous regarding auditory disorders. The fluctuation of the noise is of special interest for further research.

The aim of the study was to analyze the presence of stress-related health problems among preschool employees and the way in which these reactions are related to noise and other work parameters. The investigation included 101 employees at 17 preschools in Umeå County, located in northern Sweden. Individual noise recordings and recordings in dining rooms and play halls were made at two departments from each preschool. The adverse effects on the employees were analyzed by use of different validated questionnaires and by saliva cortisol samples. Stress and energy output were pronounced among the employees, and about 30% of the staff experienced strong burnout syndromes. Mental recovery after work was low, indicated by remaining high levels of stress after work. The burnout symptoms were associated with reduced sleep quality and morning sleepiness. Cortisol levels supported the conclusion about pronounced daily stress levels of the preschool employees.

Purpose

The aim of the study was to analyze the exposure effects of different types of noise measures carried out at preschools. The project was carried out as an intervention study.

Methods

The investigation included 89 employees at 17 preschools in the northern part of Sweden. Individual noise recordings and recordings in dining rooms and play halls were made at two departments in each preschool. The adverse effects on the employees were analyzed with validated questionnaires and saliva cortisol samples. Evaluations were made before and one year after the first measurement. Between the two measurements, measures had been taken to improve the sound environments at the preschools.

Results

The effects of the measures varied at lot, both with respect to the sound environments and health. Regarding acoustical measures, significant changes were seen for some of the variables analyzed. For most of the tested effects, the changes however were very small and non-significant. The effects of organizational measures on the objective and subjective noise values were in overall less pronounced.

Conclusion

Acoustical measures improved the subjectively rated sound environment more than organizational measures. This may be due to the high work effort needed to implement organizational measures. Even though the sound level was not lower, the personnel experienced improvements of the sound environment.

The study included six departments, with two employees at each department, characterized by high levels of stress and burnout and six departments, with two employees at each department, characterized by low levels of stress andburnout. A total of 24 females with a mean age of 43.5 years participated in the study. The employees rated stress at work and burnout by use of different questionnaires. Cortisol samples were collected at wake up, one hour afterwake up, at 11:00 am and at 09:00 pm. An observation study was made to create an overview of the interactionbetween the children and the personnel during periods described as overloading.

More than 50% of the employees stated that all members of the staff did not have equal commitment to the work. About 8% considered this stressful to a high degree. More than half found their increased administrative work task as stressful to a high degree. Half of the personnel felt it stressful to a high degree, not being able to give all the children the attention they needed.

The highest stressors regarding the organization of the work were when conflicts occurred among the personnel. The highest stressors regarding noise were the children´s voices closely followed by noise when changing the children´sclothes. The highest stressor regarding the constitution of the child group was when the personnel experienced that they had a child in the group they thought needed special support. In general, the high stress group rated all stressors as higher compared to the low stress group. Significant differences were pronounced among stressors regarding“organization of the work” and “work situations”. The results also indicate that individuals who are highly stressed by noise from the childrens activities rated their rewards as lower. The high stress group had more communications to and from the children, both before lunch and during lunch.

An essential conclusion, is also that noise and noise sources, may impair the work situation of the employees fundamentally, thereby increasing the stress levels. It is assumed that noise exposures in the preschool, isolated or in combination with other stressor, plays a fundamental role in the building up acute as well as long term stress. One of the stand points of the study is that overloaded communication between the personnel and children might be a pronounced factor behind the situational and longterm stress.