The Effect of Noise Pollution on Lung Sound Recognition by Medical Students

Title: The Effect of White Noise on the Ability of a Medical Student to Recognise Correctly Adventitious Lung Sound.Methodology: Randomized, controlled trial, blind study.Study Duration: The estimated duration for the main protocol (e.g., from the start of screening to the last subject processed and finishing the study) is approximately 4 weeks.Study Centre: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) and Kaunas Hospital of LSMU.Objectives: Primary Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of second-year and third-year medical students in correctly identifying pathological and nonpathological lung sounds under different white noise levels.Number of Subjects: A group of 104 students will be exposed (EXP) to learning pathological and nonpathological sounds for 3 days. After 3 days students will take 3 tests with different levels of white noise pollution added ( signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) 20, 40 and none added).Diagnosis and Main Inclusion Criteria:Inclusion Criteria: male and female second and third-year LSMU students; 18-40 years old; in any distribution. Consent and compliance with all aspects of the study protocol, and methods, providing data during follow-up contact. Please, see the methods section for a full list of inclusion criteria. Exclusion Criteria: deafness; age over 40; conditions that prevent the student from using earphones. Please, see the methods section for a full list of exclusion criteria.Regimen: EXP group will receive 3-day training of 101 lung sounds.Statistical Methodology: Results will be analyzed with the SPSS (version 27) and Jamovi (version 2.3.21). A p-value < 0.05 will be considered statistically significant. The effect of 3 levels of white noise on the EXP group will be compared utilizing a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical test. Though, if data does not adhere to a normal distribution then Kruskal - Wallis will be applied. McNemar's test will be used to compare if there was a statistical difference between second-year and third-year students.

Inclusion Criteria:Male and female second and third-year LSMU students;18 years and older;subject that provides full written consent to participate in the study.Exclusion Criteria:not a second-year or third-year at LSMU;deafness;age over 40;conditions that prevent students from using earphones;subject does not provide full consent.