Occupational Health Outcomes Among Staff Working in Low-, Medium-, and High-Noise Zones of the Central Sterile Supply Department and Operating Room

Objective: To explore the associations between noise exposure and occupational health indicators among staff working in the central sterile supply department (CSSD) and operating room. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 100 healthcare technicians working in the CSSD and operating room between January 2025 and February 2026. Based on the noise monitoring data of the hospital, the work zones were categorized into low-noise zone (<65 dB), medium-noise zone (65–75 dB), and high-noise zone (>75 dB) according to the equivalent continuous sound levels. Outcomes included hearing discomfort, tinnitus, sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), attentional performance (Digit Cancellation Test), mental fatigue (Mental Fatigue Scale), perceived workload (the NASA Task Load Index [NASA-TLX]), and thermal discomfort. A binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between noise exposure levels and occupational health outcomes. Results: Compared with staff working in the low-noise zone, those working in high-noise zones had a higher incidence of hearing discomfort and tinnitus ( P < 0.05), and higher PSQI scores ( P < 0.01). High-noise exposure was significantly associated with poorer attentional performance and greater mental fatigue ( P < 0.01). The NASA-TLX total score in the high-noise zone was significantly higher than that in the low-noise zone ( P < 0.01), with the greatest differences observed in mental demand and temporal demand dimensions. In binary logistic regression analysis, staff working in high-noise zones had higher odds of tinnitus (OR = 3.82, 95% CI: 1.92–7.61, P < 0.001) and hearing discomfort (OR = 4.25, 95% CI: 2.11–8.56, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Higher occupational noise exposure was associated with hearing discomfort, poorer sleep quality, greater mental fatigue, poorer attentional performance, and higher perceived workload among staff working in CSSDs and operating rooms.