Noise assessment within healthcare facilities: annoyance and intrusiveness of sound sources

Noise in hospitals is an issue that is increasing over time. Therefore, investigations in this context deserve special attention. Quantifying noise and the annoyance it may cause on users is complex. Some studies use psychoacoustic parameters to describe noise and its perception by users within these contexts. In Italy, UNI/TS 11844:2022 proposes a method to quantify the intrusiveness of a sound source based on Detection Theory. This article, referring to measurements performed within an Italian medical general ward, proposes a discussion of these methods to explore their application in the hospital context.