Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of an optimised environmental noise management protocol on sleep quality and fatigue levels in patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted. Patients admitted before the implementation of the optimised protocol (January 2023 to December 2023, receiving conventional noise management) were assigned to the conventional care group ( n = 63). Those admitted after implementation (January 2024 to December 2024, receiving optimised environmental noise management) were assigned to the optimised management group ( n = 64). A comparison was made between the two groups regarding noise decibel levels (daytime and nighttime), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index PSQI), fatigue (Cancer Fatigue Scale CFS) and comfort status (General Comfort Questionnaire GCQ). Results: The optimised management group demonstrated significantly lower noise decibel levels during daytime and nighttime compared with the conventional care group ( P 0, P 0, P < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was observed between noise decibel levels and GCQ scores ( r < 0, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Implementing an optimised environmental noise management protocol can effectively reduce noise levels in patient care units, thereby improving sleep quality, reducing fatigue, and enhancing overall patient comfort during hospitalisation.
Wu et al. (2026) studied this question.