Road traffic noise, sensitivity, annoyance and self-reported health--a structural equation model exercise.

Noise, sleep and poor health: Modeling the relationship between road traffic noise and cardiovascular problems.

Annoyance and other reaction measures to changes in noise exposure - a review.

Aesthetic and affective effects of vocal and traffic noise on natural landscape assessment

Aircraft noise and incidence of hypertension—Gender specific effects

The aim of this study
was to evaluate subjective noise
perception and objective parameters
of circulation in the vicinity of
the Frankfurt airport. Two areas
were selected in which aircraft
noise was the predominant source
of noise (and was) created by
planes induced by take off but not
during landing. Data of residents
living in the two areas were observed
over a period of twelve
weeks, one area being exposed to
air traffic noise for three quarters
of the given time, the other for one
quarter of the time. Fifty
three volunteers (age 50–52 ± 15 y)
monitored their blood pressure
and heart rate over a period of
three months by using an automatic
device with digitized readings.
They also protocolled their
own subjective perception of noise
and sleep quality. Thirty one probands
were living West of the airport
(West group) and were exposed
to a nocturnal equivalent
continuous air traffic noise level of
Leq(3) = 50 dB(A) outside, during
flight direction 25 to the West.
Twenty two probands were living
East of the airport (East group)
and were exposed to Leq(3) = 50 dB
(A) during flight direction 07 to
the East. During the opposite flight
directions air craft noise corresponded
to Leq(3) = 40 dB(A) in
both areas. Frankfurt airport operates
direction 25 for about 75%
of the time on average and direction
07 for 25% of the time. The average blood pressure was
significantly higher in the West
group with higher noise exposure.
Morning systolic blood pressure
was 10 mmHg and diastolic pressure
8 mmHg higher in the West
group. Throughout the observation
period, the East group showed
a parallel between daily changes in
noise and subjective noise perception.
In the West group such a
parallel did not appear. This reaction
was considered to be the
consequence of the high noise exposure
of the West group. It is concluded that a population
exposed to a nocturnal
equivalent continuous air traffic
noise level of Leq(3) = 50 dB(A) for
three quarters of a given time has a
higher average blood pressure
compared to a population exposed
to the same equal energy noise
level for only one quarter of the
time. Within the East group a
parallel between noise exposure
and noise perception was observed,
while in the West group
this parallel did not appear. The
difference is considered to be the
consequence of higher noise stress
levels in the West group. The data
are in accordance with recent epidemiological
studies and indicate
that a nocturnal aircraft noise of
Leq(3) = 50 dB(A) can have negative
effects on subjective noise
perception and on objective parameters
of circulation.

M. Kaltenbach

Papers

Noise perception, heart rate and blood pressure in relation to aircraft noise in the vicinity of the Frankfurt airport