Noise pollution in primary education public centres of Albacete Section: Health and quality of life How to quote Molina Alarcón M et al. Contaminación sonora en centros públicos de educación primaria de Albacete. Metas de Enferm mar 2011; 14(2): 68-71 Authors1Milagros Molina Alarcón, 2Francisco García Alcaraz, 3Antonia Alfaro Espín, 4José Luis Blanco y López de Lerma, 5Mª Llanos Amo Saus Position 1Profesora Titular de Universidad. Doctora en Química. Facultad de Enfermería de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 2Profesor de Enfermería Comunitaria de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería de Albacete. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. 3Profesora de Enfermería Materno-Infantil de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería de Albacete. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. 4Técnico audiólogo. Centro Audiológico Soniótica. Albacete. 5Profesora de la Escuela Universitaria Politécnica de Albacete. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. Contact address Milagros Molina Alarcón. Facultad de Enfermería. Campus Universitario. 02071 Albacete. Contact email: milagros.molina@uclm.es Abstract Objective: to determine the ongoing noise level equivalent to the one experienced by a student in his or her daily activity in public primary schools of Albacete. Material and method: cross-sectional descriptive observational study in 11 public primary schools of Albacete. Dependent variable: ongoing noise level equal to that experienced by the student (Leq in dBA). Independent variables: school and places in the school. The measurements have been performed using type 2.226 Bruel & Kjaer sound measurers with tripod. 95% Confidence intervals were calculated. Results: the average noise level equivalent to that in the classrooms of children between the age of three and five had a mean value of 75 dBA, for ages between six and seven it was 66 dBA and for ages between 8 and 11 it was 69 dBA. The sample distribution mean (ages between 3 and 11) was 70 dBA. The average noise level equivalent in the hallway at the end of the school day had a mean value of 71 dBA and 83 dBA in the playground during break. Conclusions: the equivalent ongoing noise levels obtained exceed the limits established by the current legislation for schools. Therefore, students are exposed to elevated noise during their school activity. Keywords: childhood; noise; noise pollution; researchschool Versión en Español Título: Contaminación sonora en centros públicos de educación primaria de Albacete