Associations Between Noise Exposure, Psychological Status, and Fertility Intentions Among Female Healthcare Professionals of Childbearing Age in Shenzhen.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the factors that influence the fertility intention of female medical staff of childbearing age in Shenzhen and analyse the association of noise exposure with their psychological status and their correlation with fertility intention.

METHODS

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 615 female medical staff members. Data on basic demographics, fertility intentions, and the general well-being scale were collected. Individual noise dosimeters were used to measure objective noise exposure during working hours. Logistic regression, chi-square test, and hierarchical regression were used for analysis. A mediation model based on logistic regression was tested using the bootstrap method (5000 resamples).

RESULTS

Age, occupation, professional title, education level, income, home ownership, overtime, health, marital status, spousal support, family living pattern, working hours, and noise exposure level were significantly associated with fertility intention ( P < 0.05). The high noise exposure group (>65 dB[A]) had significantly lower pleasure or happy mood scores (10.00 [8.00, 12.00]) than the medium (12.00 [10.00, 14.00]) and low groups (13.00 [11.00, 15.00]), with higher anxiety symptoms ( P < 0.05). Living with children and a spouse (OR = 2.170, P < 0.001) and better psychological well-being (OR   = 1.071) were promoting factors for high fertility intention (ideal number of children >2). Medium noise exposure (OR = 0.478, P < 0.001), high noise exposure (OR   = 0.246, P < 0.001), and working in high-noise departments (OR   = 0.412, P < 0.001) were inhibiting factors for high fertility intention. Psychological status partially mediated the noise-fertility association (indirect effect = -0.134, 23.32% of the total effect).

CONCLUSION

Female medical staff of childbearing age in Shenzhen were generally less willing to have more than two children. Noise exposure is associated with fertility intention both directly, by increasing psychological burden, and indirectly, by reducing positive emotions. Family support patterns also play an important role.