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The Association between Noise, Cortisol and Heart Rate in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community—A Pilot Study

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  • Allyson Green

    (Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Andrew D. Jones

    (Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Kan Sun

    (Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Richard L. Neitzel

    (Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
    Risk Science Center, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

Abstract

We performed a cross-sectional pilot study on salivary cortisol, heart rate, and personal noise exposures in a small-scale gold mining village in northeastern Ghana in 2013. Cortisol level changes between morning and evening among participants showed a relatively low decline in cortisol through the day (−1.44 ± 4.27 nmol/L, n = 18), a pattern consistent with chronic stress. A multiple linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, and time between samples indicated a significant increase of 0.25 nmol/L cortisol from afternoon to evening per 1 dBA increase in equivalent continuous noise exposure (L eq ) over that period (95% CI: 0.08–0.42, Adj R 2 = 0.502, n = 17). A mixed effect linear regression model adjusting for age and sex indicated a significant increase of 0.29 heart beats per minute (BPM) for every 1 dB increase in L eq . Using standard deviations (SDs) as measures of variation, and adjusting for age and sex over the sampling period, we found that a 1 dBA increase in noise variation over time (L eq SD) was associated with a 0.5 BPM increase in heart rate SD (95% CI: 0.04–−0.9, Adj. R 2 = 0.229, n = 16). Noise levels were consistently high, with 24-hour average L eq exposures ranging from 56.9 to 92.0 dBA, with a mean daily L eq of 82.2 ± 7.3 dBA (mean monitoring duration 22.1 ± 1.9 hours, n = 22). Ninety-five percent of participants had 24-hour average L eq noise levels over the 70 dBA World health Organization (WHO) guideline level for prevention of hearing loss. These findings suggest that small-scale mining communities may face multiple, potentially additive health risks that are not yet well documented, including hearing loss and cardiovascular effects of stress and noise.

Suggested Citation

  • Allyson Green & Andrew D. Jones & Kan Sun & Richard L. Neitzel, 2015. "The Association between Noise, Cortisol and Heart Rate in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community—A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:8:p:9952-9966:d:54566
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Roy Maconachie & Gavin Hilson, 2011. "Safeguarding livelihoods or exacerbating poverty? Artisanal mining and formalization in West Africa," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 35(4), pages 293-303, November.
    2. Roy Maconachie & Gavin Hilson, 2011. "Safeguarding livelihoods or exacerbating poverty? Artisanal mining and formalization in West Africa," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 35, pages 293-303, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Win Thiri Kyaw & Masayuki Sakakibara, 2022. "Transdisciplinary Communities of Practice to Resolve Health Problems in Southeast Asian Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Katrina N. Burns & Kan Sun & Julius N. Fobil & Richard L. Neitzel, 2016. "Heart Rate, Stress, and Occupational Noise Exposure among Electronic Waste Recycling Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Niladri Basu & Elisha P. Renne & Rachel N. Long, 2015. "An Integrated Assessment Approach to Address Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Ghana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Joaquín M. González-Cabrera & María Fernández-Prada & Concepción Iribar & Rogelio Molina-Ruano & María Salinero-Bachiller & José M. Peinado, 2018. "Acute Stress and Anxiety in Medical Residents on the Emergency Department Duty," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-9, March.

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