Comparative evaluation of soundscapes in human activities spatial contexts of pedestrian spaces adjacent to arterial roads

Pedestrian spaces adjacent to arterial roads are characterized by the dominance of traffic noise alongside various human activities. Research on the impact of traffic noise on the soundscape evaluation of pedestrian spaces has not considered human activities spatial contexts. To address this research gap, the present study constructed auditory environments for pedestrian spaces in the contexts of commuting, residential, and commercial activities. A total of seven auditory environments were subjected to laboratory auditory evaluations, including perceived dominance of sound source, acoustic comfort, and perceived affective quality of the soundscape. The results indicated that in pedestrian spaces with constant traffic noise, the presence of significant human activity sounds led to a decreased perceived dominance of traffic noise and an increased acoustic comfort, despite the higher acoustic energy. Thus, pedestrian spaces with a variety of human activity received better soundscape evaluations. The elements that reflected the human activities spatial contexts, including the types and intensity of human activities, played a crucial role in soundscape evaluations. Better acoustic comfort was reported in pedestrian spaces characterized by low-intensity residential activities and high-intensity commercial activities. Additionally, pedestrian spaces with more intense activities offered an actively engaging soundscape. The findings can provide reference for a more accurate evaluation of the soundscape in pedestrian spaces and guide the soundscape design of pedestrian environments.

Air pollution, traffic noise, greenness, and temperature and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes: Results from the KORA cohort study

Introduction

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major public health concern, and various environmental factors have been associated with the development of this disease. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal effects of multiple environmental exposures on the risk of incident T2D in a German population-based cohort.

Methods

We used data from the KORA cohort study (Augsburg, Germany) and assessed exposure to air pollutants, traffic noise, greenness, and temperature at the participants' residencies. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the associations with incident T2D, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Of 7736 participants included in the analyses, 10.5% developed T2D during follow-up (mean: 15.0 years). We found weak or no association between environmental factors and the risk of T2D, with sex and education level significantly modifying the effects of air pollutants.

Conclusion

Our study contributes to the growing body of literature investigating the impact of environmental factors on T2D risks and suggests that the impact of environmental factors may be small.

[Air pollution, noise and hypertension : Partners in crime]

Air pollution and traffic noise are two important environmental risk factors that endanger health in urban societies and often act together as "partners in crime". Although air pollution and noise often co-occur in urban environments, they have typically been studied separately, with numerous studies documenting consistent effects of individual exposure on blood pressure. In the following review article, we examine the epidemiology of air pollution and noise, especially regarding the cardiovascular risk factor arterial hypertension and the underlying pathophysiology. Both environmental stressors have been shown to lead to endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, pronounced vascular inflammation, disruption of circadian rhythms and activation of the autonomic nervous system, all of which promote the development of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. From a societal and political perspective, there is an urgent need to point out the potential dangers of air pollution and traffic noise in the American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) prevention guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines on prevention. Therefore, an essential goal for the future is to raise awareness of environmental risk factors as important and, in particular, preventable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Investigating important and necessary conditions to analyse traffic noise levels at intersections in mid-sized cities

Traffic noise is a major problem for urban residents, especially near intersections. In order to effectively manage and control traffic noise, there is a need for a better understanding of noise-influencing variables at intersections. In this way, the study aims to identify and distinguish the important and necessary conditions corresponding to the particular traffic noise level. Using 342 h of field data from 19 intersections in Kanpur, the current research has used the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA). The study determines that traffic volume, honking, speed, and median width are important factors. Traffic volume and honking are positively affecting traffic noise level, while speed and median width have a negative effect. Further investigation reveals that only traffic volume and honking are necessary to achieve a particular traffic noise level. Policymakers can use these findings to manage and control traffic noise at intersections.

Urban environment in pregnancy and postpartum depression: An individual participant data meta-analysis of 12 European birth cohorts

BACKGROUND

Urban environmental exposures associate with adult depression, but it is unclear whether they are associated to postpartum depression (PPD).

OBJECTIVES

We investigated associations between urban environment exposures during pregnancy and PPD.

METHODS

We included women with singleton deliveries to liveborn children from 12 European birth cohorts (N with minimum one exposure = 30,772, analysis N range 17,686-30,716 depending on exposure; representing 26-46 % of the 66,825 eligible women). We estimated maternal exposure during pregnancy to ambient air pollution with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), road traffic noise (Lden), natural spaces (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index; NDVI, proximity to major green or blue spaces) and built environment (population density, facility richness and walkability). Maternal PPD was assessed 3-18 months after birth using self-completed questionnaires. We used adjusted logistic regression models to estimate cohort-specific associations between each exposure and PPD and combined results via meta-analysis using DataSHIELD.

RESULTS

Of the 30,772 women included, 3,078 (10 %) reported having PPD. Exposure to PM10 was associated with slightly increased odds of PPD (adjusted odd ratios (OR) of 1.08 [95 % Confidence Intervals (CI): 0.99, 1.17] per inter quartile range increment of PM10) whilst associations for exposure to NO2 and PM2.5 were close to null. Exposure to high levels of road traffic noise (≥65 dB vs. < 65 dB) was associated with an OR of 1.12 [CI: 0.95, 1.32]. Associations between green spaces and PPD were close to null; whilst proximity to major blue spaces was associated with increased risk of PPD (OR 1.12, 95 %CI: 1.00, 1.26). All associations between built environment and PPD were close to null. Multiple exposure models showed similar results.

DISCUSSION

The study findings suggest that exposure to PM10, road traffic noise and blue spaces in pregnancy may increase PPD risk, however future studies should explore this causally.

Traffic noise distribution characteristics of high-rise buildings along ultra-wide cross section highway with multiple noise reduction measures

Nowadays, ultra-wide cross section highway is a hotspot in construction and brings some unique noise distribution characteristics. In this work, we further investigate noise distribution characteristics of diverse building layouts along ultra-wide cross section highway in Guangdong Province with multiple noise mitigation measures. By the aid of vehicle noise emission model and noise mapping, the influence of high-rise building layouts and shielding in the urban planning on noise mitigation is also considered. Some key findings are summarized as follows: (1) Under the same distance, the noise level of non-frontage building facades is higher than frontage building facades. After taking noise reduction measures, the noise reduction effect of non-street-facing building facades, buildings facing the road, and buildings at a long distance to the road is greater than street-facing building facades, buildings sideways to the road, and buildings at a short distance; (2) the distribution trend of insertion loss (IL) of non-frontage buildings is influenced by the height of the frontage buildings. Specifically, the trend of insertion loss first increases and then decreases as the floor rises when the height of non-frontage buildings is higher than frontage buildings. Comparatively, the trend of insertion loss decreases as the floor rises when the height of non-frontage buildings is equal to frontage buildings; (3) when double noise reduction measures are implemented, the noise distribution trend in buildings is similar to that observed with individual noise reduction measure, where the difference between both is only 0.6 dB(A). Thanks to the high representativeness of the case area, this work can provide some design guidance for the urban planning and the selection of noise reduction measures along the ultra-wide cross section highway.

The impact of traffic noise on the capitalization of public walking area: A hedonic analysis of Vienna, Austria

Traffic noise is a burden at home and outdoors. Economic literature confirms mostly negative effects of traffic noise on house prices, often based on distance between high noise and house location. We extend this literature using rich micro data to examine not only the impact of traffic noise at the house but also provide new results on the impact of traffic noise in public areas surrounding a home. Using Hedonic regression in Vienna, Austria, we confirm that very loud traffic noise (≥65 dB) experienced at the house reduces housing prices and further show that the value of public walking areas near a home, while positive overall, are substantially reduced when exposed to noise. Our findings help to establish spatial patterns in noise capitalization reflecting household exposure and the impact on the capitalized values of public areas in a context where active transportation (e.g. walking, biking) is an important mode of transportation. For policymakers, our findings help quantify and raise important questions as how to address and link the public bad nature of noise pollution to nearby residents.

Childhood sound disturbance and sleep problems in Alpine valleys with high levels of traffic exposures and greenspace

Sound disturbance and sleep problems are regarded as the most common adverse effects of environmental noise but evidence of the role of air pollution and greenspace is scant. This is especially true for children who find themselves in a sensitive developmental period and experience their environment differently than adults. This study examined the joint effects of traffic exposures and residential greenspace on child sound disturbance and sleep problems via perceptions of neighborhood quality. We used cross-sectional data for 1251 schoolchildren (8-12 years) in the Tyrol region of Austria/Italy. Questionnaires provided information on sociodemographic and housing factors, perceived neighborhood quality, sound disturbance in different situations, and sleep problems. Modelled acoustic indicators included day-evening-night sound levels and the highest percentile level, and night-time sound level and a bespoke sleep disturbance index. Nitrogen dioxide served as a proxy for traffic-related air pollution. The normalized difference vegetation index was calculated as a measure of residential greenspace, and presence of a domestic garden was self-reported. Results showed that higher level of traffic-related exposures was positively associated with sound disturbance and sleep problems, while living in a greener area, especially in a house with a garden, was associated with lower sound disturbance and less sleep problems even in the presence of traffic. Traffic exposures contributed to more unfavorable, and greenspace to more positive perceptions in terms of traffic-related stressors, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and general satisfaction with the neighborhood. This indirect path seemed more important for greenspace than for traffic exposures. In conclusion, it seems advantageous to combine traffic-related mitigation with improving access to greenspace in interventions for supporting the acoustic comfort of children during day and nighttime. Even highly nature-dominated environments could still benefit from proximal green infrastructure, especially from domestic gardens.

Concomitant exposure to air pollution, green space and noise, and risk of myocardial infarction: a cohort study from Denmark

AIMS

The three correlated environmental exposures (air pollution, road traffic noise, and green space) have all been associated with the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). The present study aimed to analyse their independent and cumulative association with MI.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a cohort of all Danes aged 50 or older in the period 2005-17, 5-year time-weighted average exposure to fine particles (PM2.5), ultrafine particles, elemental carbon, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and road traffic noise at the most and least exposed façades of residence was estimated. Green space around residences was estimated from land use maps. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI), and cumulative risk indices (CRIs) were calculated. All expressed per interquartile range. Models were adjusted for both individual and neighbourhood-level socio-demographic covariates. The cohort included 1 964 702 persons. During follow-up, 71 285 developed MI. In single-exposure models, all exposures were associated with an increased risk of MI. In multi-pollutant analyses, an independent association with risk of MI was observed for PM2.5 (HR: 1.026; 95% CI: 1.002-1.050), noise at most exposed façade (HR: 1.024; 95% CI: 1.012-1.035), and lack of green space within 150 m of residence (HR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.010-1.027). All three factors contributed significantly to the CRI (1.089; 95% CI: 1.076-1.101).

CONCLUSION

In a nationwide cohort study, air pollution, noise, and lack of green space were all independently associated with an increased risk of MI. The air pollutant PM2.5 was closest associated with MI risk.

Contributions of residential traffic noise to depression and mental wellbeing in Hong Kong: A prospective cohort study

Prior studies on the association between traffic noise and mental health have been mostly conducted in settings with lower population densities. However, evidence is lacking in high population-density settings where traffic noise is more pervasive and varies by topography and the vertical elevation of the residential unit. This study aimed to assess the mental health impact of residential traffic noise in one of the world's most urbanised populations. Data were analysed from 13,401 participants aged ≥15 years in a prospective cohort in Hong Kong from 2009 to 2014. Residential traffic noise level was estimated using 3D-geocoding and validated models that accounted for sound propagation in a highly vertical landscape. The 24-h day-night exposure to traffic noise, denoted as Ldn, was estimated with a 10-dB(A) penalty for night hours. Probable depression and mental wellbeing were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Short Form Health Questionnaire SF-12v2, respectively. Mixed effect regressions with random intercepts were used to examine the association between traffic noise and mental health outcomes. Residential road traffic noise (for each increment of 10 A-weighted decibels [dB(A)] 24-h average exposure) was associated with probable depression (odds ratio (OR) = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.31), and poorer mental wellbeing (mean difference = -0.19, 95% CI: 0.31, -0.06), adjusting for sociodemographics, smoking, body mass index, self-reported health, proximity to green space, and neighbourhood characteristics (average household income, population density, and Gini coefficient). The results were robust to further adjustment for air pollution. In stratified analyses, residential traffic noise was associated with probable depression and poorer mental wellbeing among students and individuals aged 15-34 years. Residential traffic noise was associated with probable depression and poorer mental wellbeing in a highly urbanised setting. As traffic noise is increasing in urban settings, the public health impact of noise pollution could be substantial.

Long-Term Exposure to Traffic Noise and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Diseases: a Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

While noise pollution from transportation has become an important public health problem, the relationships between different sources of traffic noise and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain inconclusive. A comprehensive meta-analysis was therefore conducted to quantitatively assess the effects of long-term exposure to road traffic, railway, and aircraft noise on CVDs and relevant subtypes. We systematically retrieved PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for articles published before April 4, 2022. Summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by the fixed- or random-effects models. In total, 23 articles were included in our meta-analysis. The risk of CVDs increased by 2% (RR 1.020, 95% CI 1.006-1.035) and 1.6% (RR 1.016, 95% CI 1.000-1.032) for every 10 dB increment of road traffic and aircraft noise. For CVD subtypes, the risk increased by 3.4% (1.034, 1.026-1.043) for stroke and 5% (1.050, 1.006-1.096) for heart failure with each 10 dB increment of road traffic noise; the risk of atrial fibrillation increased by 1.1% (1.011, 1.002-1.021) with each 10 dB increment of railway noise; and the risk increased by 1% (1.010, 1.003-1.017) for myocardial infarction, 2.7% (1.027, 1.004-1.050) for atrial fibrillation, and 2.3% (1.023, 1.016-1.030) for heart failure with each 10 dB increment in aircraft noise. Further, effects from road traffic, railway, and aircraft noise all followed positive linear trends with CVDs. Long-term exposure to traffic noise is positively related to the incidence risk of cardiovascular events, especially road traffic noise which significantly increases the risk of CVDs, stroke, and heart failure.

Exposure to long-term source-specific transportation noise and incident breast cancer: A pooled study of eight Nordic cohorts

BACKGROUND

Environmental noise is an important environmental exposure that can affect health. An association between transportation noise and breast cancer incidence has been suggested, although current evidence is limited. We investigated the pooled association between long-term exposure to transportation noise and breast cancer incidence.

METHODS

Pooled data from eight Nordic cohorts provided a study population of 111,492 women. Road, railway, and aircraft noise were modelled at residential addresses. Breast cancer incidence (all, estrogen receptor (ER) positive, and ER negative) was derived from cancer registries. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated using Cox Proportional Hazards Models, adjusting main models for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables together with long-term exposure to air pollution.

RESULTS

A total of 93,859 women were included in the analyses, of whom 5,875 developed breast cancer. The median (5th-95th percentile) 5-year residential road traffic noise was 54.8 (40.0-67.8) dB Lden, and among those exposed, the median railway noise was 51.0 (41.2-65.8) dB Lden. We observed a pooled HR for breast cancer (95 % confidence interval (CI)) of 1.03 (0.99-1.06) per 10 dB increase in 5-year mean exposure to road traffic noise, and 1.03 (95 % CI: 0.96-1.11) for railway noise, after adjustment for lifestyle and sociodemographic covariates. HRs remained unchanged in analyses with further adjustment for PM2.5 and attenuated when adjusted for NO2 (HRs from 1.02 to 1.01), in analyses using the same sample. For aircraft noise, no association was observed. The associations did not vary by ER status for any noise source. In analyses using <60 dB as a cutoff, we found HRs of 1.08 (0.99-1.18) for road traffic and 1.19 (0.95-1.49) for railway noise.

CONCLUSIONS

We found weak associations between road and railway noise and breast cancer risk. More high-quality prospective studies are needed, particularly among those exposed to railway and aircraft noise before conclusions regarding noise as a risk factor for breast cancer can be made.

The co-benefits of electric mobility in reducing traffic noise and chemical air pollution: Insights from a transit-oriented city

Traffic noise is a growing threat to the urban population. Prolonged exposure to traffic noise has been linked to negative health consequences such as annoyance, sleep disturbances and cardiovascular diseases. While electric vehicles are known to have lower noise profiles, the impacts of electric mobility on traffic noise, especially for electrified heavy-duty vehicles, have not been thoroughly examined. This study aims to examine the impacts of both electric light-duty vehicles and electric buses on traffic noise levels in a highly urbanized city. Traffic noise along the source line and pedestrian network was first estimated and mapped to illustrate its spatiotemporal variations. Then, scenario analysis was used to compare the impacts. Population potentially benefiting from reduced traffic noise in the neighbourhoods and the associated health impacts were also estimated. Results indicate that electric buses have a greater potential to reduce traffic noise, with a maximum reduction of 4.4 dBA during daytime in the urban cores. With all bus fleet electrified, around 60% of the population can benefit from a reduction of 1 dBA at the street environment, 15.3% for 1-2 dBA, and 4.3% for more than 2 dBA. The estimated reduction of preventable deaths and preventable cases of diseases per 100,000 population are 4.15 and 112.99 respectively. The findings shed important insights into prioritizing bus routes to be electrified in urban areas for maximizing health co-benefits.

Traffic noise annoyance in the LIFE-adult study in Germany: Exposure-response relationships and a comparison to the WHO curves

BACKGROUND

Noise annoyance is the second-highest cause of lost disability-adjusted life-years due to environmental noise in Europe. Evidence on exposure-response relationships (ERRs) for traffic noise annoyance with more accurate exposure values is still needed.

OBJECTIVES

In an analysis of the population-based LIFE-Adult study in Leipzig, Germany, we aimed to investigate the effect of road, railway (train and tram), and aircraft noise on high annoyance (HA).

METHODS

Traffic exposure data was taken for 2012 and data on noise annoyance was evaluated between 2018 and 2021. HA was defined according to international standardized norms. We calculated risk estimates using logistic regression, controlling for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, and compared our ERRs with those from the last WHO review on this topic.

RESULTS

Aircraft noise had the highest relative risk for noise-related HA (OR = 12.7, 95% CI: 9.37-17.10 per 10 dB L_den increase). The road and railway traffic risk estimates were similar to each other (road: OR = 3.55, 95% CI: 2.78-4.54; railway: OR = 3.31, 95% CI: 2.77-3.97 per 10 dB L_den increase). Compared to the WHO curves, the proportion of highly annoyed individuals was somewhat lower for road and rail traffic noise, but higher for aircraft noise.

DISCUSSION

Aircraft noise is particularly annoying. There were differences between our study's ERRs and those in the WHO review, especially for aircraft noise. These differences may be partly explained by the improved accuracy of the exposure values, as we considered secondary road networks and tram noise, and by a lack of a nighttime flight ban at the Leipzig airport. Geographical, regional and climatic variations, inconsistency in HA cut-offs, as well as temporal developments in the annoyance experience may also explain the differences. Since ERRs serve as a basis for decision making in public policies, regular updates of the curves based on new evidence is recommended.

Joint associations and pathways from greenspace, traffic-related air pollution, and noise to poor self-rated general health: A population-based study in Sofia, Bulgaria

BACKGROUND

Little is still known of how multiple urban exposures interact as health determinants. This study investigated various ways in which greenspace, traffic-related air pollution, and noise could operate together, influencing general health status.

METHODS

In 2022, a cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted in Sofia, Bulgaria. Included were 917 long-term adult residents who completed questionnaires on poor self-rated health (PSRH), total time spent in physical activity (PA), home garden presence, time spent in urban greenspace and nature, and sociodemographics. Residential greenspace was operationalized using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), tree cover density, number of trees, and access to local greenspace and parks. Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) was modeled for the study area. Road traffic, railway, and aircraft day-evening-night sound levels (L_den) were extracted from EU noise maps. Area-level income and urbanicity were considered. Analyses included multivariate ordinal regressions, interactions, and structural equation modeling (SEM).

RESULTS

Associations with PSRH were per 0.10 NDVI _300 m: OR = 0.65 (0.42-1.01), home garden: OR = 0.72 (0.49-1.07), per 5 μg/m³ NO₂: OR = 1.57 (1.00-2.48), per 5 dB(A) L_den road traffic: OR = 1.06 (0.91-1.23), railway: OR = 1.11 (1.03-1.20), and aircraft: OR = 1.22 (1.11-1.34). Spending >30 min/week in nature related to better health. In multi-exposure models, only associations with aircraft and railway L_den persisted. People with lower education and financial difficulties or living in poorer districts experienced some exposures stronger. In SEM, time spent in nature and PA mediated the effect of greenspace.

CONCLUSIONS

Greenspace was associated with better general health, with time spent in nature and PA emerging as intermediate pathways. NO₂, railway, and aircraft noise were associated with poorer general health. These results could inform decision-makers, urban planners, and civil society organizations facing urban development problems. Mitigation and abatement policies and measures should target socioeconomically disadvantaged citizens.

A study on the impact of road traffic noise exposure on work efficiency of housewives

Housewives are individuals who take on the caregiving role in the family in virtually every society and while discharging their duties experience serious psychological difficulties due to external environmental pollutants like air, noise, etc., which influences their efficiency of performing household activities. This study hypothesizes a causal association between perception of traffic noise and the reduction in performance of housewives in their daily household activities. A simple mediation model was utilized for the study with traffic noise perception as the exposure variable. The sensitivity to traffic noise, annoyance caused due to traffic noise, and the effect of traffic noise on housewives were evaluated using questionnaire survey. Of the respondents, 57.33% reported high level of traffic noise perception, while 65.81% reported high annoyance due to traffic noise perception. Of the respondents, 88.69% reported higher levels of agreement with regard to negative effect of traffic noise on their household activities. The results supported the hypothesis with respondents belonging to high and moderate noise perception groups reporting a higher reduction in performance as compared to those belonging to the low noise perception group at higher values of sensitivity. There was no significant direct effect among those who perceived traffic noise as high and moderate. However, the indirect path revealed that there was a significantly higher reduction in performance among those belonging to the high and moderate noise perception group as compared to those belonging to the low noise perception group while those who perceived traffic noise as high and moderate did not differ significantly only at higher levels of sensitivity. Using OGRS computational tool, a sensitivity value of 5.586 was identified as the Johnson-Neyman boundary of significance for the direct effect. The results from the study highlight the need for including environmental noise related regulations with regard to residential structures by the concerned authorities and also the need for undertaking more rigorous studies by health authorities and organizations so that the effects are minimized if not eliminated completely.

Numerical modeling and field test of sonic crystal acoustic barriers

The rapid development of highway traffic has gradually deteriorated the acoustic environment along the line. Sonic crystal theory provides new ideas for traffic acoustic barrier. However, the lack of practical numerical models and field test verifications has restricted the promotion and application of sonic crystal acoustic barriers (SCABs). In this study, a field test was conducted to study the noise reduction performance of SCAB. The SCAB exhibits excellent wave attenuation in the band gap, when compared with concrete acoustic barriers (CABs) along highways, the noise reduction performance in the band gap is improved by 0.5-2.1 dB(A), especially at the local peak in the highway noise spectrum. However, from the perspective of total insertion loss, CAB performs better than SCAB in all distances in the protected area. Next, the 3D FEM model is established based on the highway site and validated by the measured results. Compared with the commonly used 2D model, the 3D FEM model is more practical for considering the top diffraction and ground reflection, which influence the noise reduction performance a lot and need to be considered. To improve the noise reduction performance of SCAB, three types of optimization measures are explored. The gradient combination of scatterers can effectively improve the noise reduction effect in the low-frequency band gap, especially the high- to low-gradient layout. Besides, not only the porous sound-absorbing material but also the microperforated plates can improve the noise reduction effect, especially outside the band gap. The larger perforation rates and smaller apertures of microperforated plate are preferred in SCAB. This work provides field test support and promotes the application of SCABs in traffic noise control.

Assessment of Hidden Hearing Loss in Individuals Exposed to Occupational Noise Using Cochlear, Neural, Temporal Functions and Quality of Life Measures

The present study aims to identify the objective tests that can identify hidden hearing loss in a group of individuals exposed to occupational noise, which is not otherwise evident as a clinically relevant permanent threshold shift. A standard group comparison design was used to study the hidden auditory effect of occupational noise on traffic police officers. A total of 50 participants (n = 25 exposed to occupational noise; n = 25 non-occupational noise-exposed) were included in the study. The test battery comprised of behavioral tests (hearing thresholds from 250 to 16,000 Hz), fine structure Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE's) as physiological measure, Click and CE-chirp® evoked auditory brain stem response (ABR) as electrophysiological, and Gap detection test (GDT) and Temporal modulation transfer function (TMTF) as psychophysical measures. Among the measures evaluated, extended high-frequency audiometry, fine structure DPOAE amplitude, CE-chirp® ABR, GDT, and TMTF showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the traffic police individuals exposed to occupational noise and the controls. However, routine audiometry and click-evoked ABR did not show any significant differences. The high-frequency audiometric thresholds, fine structure DPOAEs, CE-chirp® evoked ABR, GDT and TMTF have been shown to be affected in individuals exposed to occupational noise. This finding indicates a hidden hearing loss in the study group. Hence, this study paves the way for early identification and intervention of noise-induced hearing loss by including these measures along with routine test protocol in susceptible individuals.

Traffic noise and adiposity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies

Traffic noise has attracted much attention as a significant and intractable public health threat. This study was designed as a systematical review to explore the association of traffic noise with different indicators of obesity, thus providing updated quantitative estimates for the pooled effect estimates of the existing literature. We conducted an extensive search for epidemiological studies that investigated the association of traffic noise with obesity in three electronic databases till February 23, 2021. We used random-effects meta-analysis to calculate the summary effect estimates for each 10-dB(A) increase in noise and compared the highest with the lowest category of noise in relation to seven obesity indicators. Meanwhile, we assessed the risk of bias and the overall quality of the evidence of each study as well as the level of evidence for each exposure-outcome pair. The initial search identified 30 studies, 13 of which were ultimately included. The meta-analysis for the highest versus the lowest category of noise exposure was generally associated with higher waist circumfluence (WC) ranging from 0.326 cm (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.078, 0.574) to 0.705 cm (95% CI = 0.071, 1.340) and higher odds of central obesity ranging from 1.055 (95% CI = 1.000, 1.109) to 1.167 (95% CI = 1.037, 1.298). When the continuous exposure (each 10 dB(A) increase in noise) was introduced, similar results were found. This study indicated positive associations of traffic noise with WC and central obesity. However, in consideration of some limitations, there is an urgent need for future studies to increase the sample size, discriminate the etiological differences in different noise and obesity indicators, and thoroughly consider socioeconomic status.

Useful tools for integrating noise maps about noises other than those of transport, infrastructures, and industrial plants in developing countries: Casework of the Aburra Valley, Colombia

The behavior of environmental noise in developing countries is conditioned by characteristics that are not only linked to transport, infrastructures, and industrial plants in the annuity (common representation in noise maps), but also to other types of sources and periodicities that can influence significantly in noise levels. For this reason, this work proposes different temporal analyzes during the annuity that can be linked to the noisy activities typical of developing tropical countries. To do this, a noise monitoring network composed of seven monitors representing different sources present in the Aburrá Valley (AV) in Colombia is analyzed with measurements of LAeq, every hour, in a period between August 2016 and July 2019. The results show that AV noise is strongly influenced by leisure activities related to high-power sound systems, different celebrations, and continuous noise from car traffic that affect the population mainly on weekends and nights. This work marks a clear path to precisely address noise pollution in the action plans of developing countries.

Vehicular traffic noise modelling of urban area-a contouring and artificial neural network based approach

Road traffic vehicular noise is one of the main sources of environmental pollution in urban areas of India. Also, steadily increasing urbanization, industrialization, infrastructures around city condition causes health risks among the urban populations. In this study, we have explored noise descriptors (L₁₀, L₉₀, L_dn, LNI, TNI, NC), contour plotting and find the suitability of artificial neural networks (ANN) for the prediction of traffic noise all around the Dhanbad township in 15 monitoring stations. In order to develop the prediction model, measuring noise levels of five different hours, speed of vehicles, and traffic volume in every monitoring point have been studied and analyzed. Traffic volume, percent of heavy vehicles, speed, traffic flow, road gradient, pavement, road side carriageway distance factors were taken as input parameter, whereas L_Aeq as output parameter for formation of neural network architecture. As traffic flow is heterogenous which mainly contains 59%, two wheelers and different vehicle specifications with varying speeds also affect driving and honking behavior which constantly changing noise characteristics. From radial noise diagrams shown that average noise levels of all the stations beyond permissible limit and the highest noise levels were found at the speed of 50-55 km/h in both peak and non-peak hours. Noise descriptors clearly indicate high annoyance level in the study area. Artificial neural network with 7-7-5 formation has been developed and found as optimum due to its sum of square and overall relative error 0.858 and .029 in training and 0.458 and 0.862 in testing phase respectively. Comparative analysis between observed and predicted noise level shows very less deviation up to ± 0.6 dB(A) and the R² linear values are more than 0.9 in all five noise hours indicating the accuracy of model. Also, it can be concluded that ANN approach is much superior in prediction of traffic noise level to any other statistical method.

A study on road traffic noise exposure and prevalence of insomnia

The potential of the nocturnal traffic noise to affect the quality and the quantity of sleep makes it a serious threat to public health. The present study is an attempt to provide insights into the ways through which nocturnal traffic noise causes insomnia. A total of 4525 respondents participated in the study. Modelled nocturnal noise levels were used, and the assessment of insomnia-related symptoms was done using the Jenkins sleep problem scale. A directed acyclic graph was used to obtain the minimum set of confounders that need to be adjusted for obtaining unbiased estimates. DASS-21 item scale was used to evaluate the mental health of respondents. The study reported significant associations between traffic noise exposure and all insomnia-related symptoms. For the total study population, the highest risk occurred for difficulty in falling asleep symptom (OR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.01 - 2.07). Based on the sensitivity analysis, respondents with bedrooms facing the road were found to have higher risks as compared to the overall sample with the highest risks occurring for difficulty in maintaining the sleep symptom (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.08 - 2.51). Severity levels of mental disorders showed an increasing trend with the increasing noise levels. Females were found to have a higher risk as compared to males (OR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.14 - 2.69). No significant association was found between traffic noise exposure and sleep medication usage. Future research on large populations can help in minimizing the impacts of nocturnal noise on public health.

Long-term exposure to transportation noise and risk for atrial fibrillation: A Danish nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological studies have linked transportation noise and cardiovascular diseases, however, atrial fibrillation (AF) has received limited attention. We aimed to investigate the association between transportation noise and AF risk.

METHODS

Over the period 1990-2017 we estimated road and railway noise (L_den) at the most and least exposed façades for all residential addresses across Denmark. We estimated time-weighted mean noise exposure for 3.6 million individuals age ≥35 years. Of these, 269,756 incident cases of AF were identified with a mean follow-up of 13.0 years. Analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for individual and area-level sociodemographic covariates and long-term residential air pollution.

RESULTS

A 10 dB higher 10-year mean road traffic noise at the most and least exposed façades were associated with incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for AF of 1.006 (1.001-1.011) and 1.013 (1.007-1.019), respectively. After further adjustment for PM_2.5, the IRRs (CIs) were 1.000 (0.995-1.005) and 1.007 (1.000-1.013), respectively. For railway noise, the IRRs per 10 dB increase in 10-year mean exposure were 1.017 (1.007-1.026) and 1.035 (1.021-1.050) for the most and least exposed façades, respectively, and were slightly attenuated when adjusted for PM_2.5. Aircraft noise between 55 and 60 dB and ≥60 dB were associated with IRRs of 1.055 (0.996-1.116) and 1.036 (0.931-1.154), respectively, when compared to <45 dB.

CONCLUSION

Transportation noise seems to be associated with a small increase in AF risk, especially for exposure at the least exposed façade.

An experimental test of chronic traffic noise exposure on parental behaviour and reproduction in zebra finches

Chronic traffic noise is increasingly recognised as a potential hazard to wildlife. Several songbird species have been shown to breed poorly in traffic noise exposed habitats. However, identifying whether noise is causal in this requires experimental approaches. We tested whether experimental exposure to chronic traffic noise affected parental behaviour and reproductive success in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). In a counterbalanced repeated-measures design, breeding pairs were exposed to continuous playback of one of two types of highway noise previously shown to be either neutral (control) or aversive. Parental nest attendance positively correlated with feeding effort and was higher for the aversive than the control sound and this effect was more pronounced for parents attending larger broods. However, neither noise condition affected offspring number, growth or body mass. The absence of an effect held when we combined our data with data from two other comparable studies into a meta-analysis. We discuss whether the increased nest attendance could be a compensatory strategy that alleviated detrimental noise effects on the chicks, and whether it could be caused by impaired parent-offspring or within-pair communication. Future work should test these hypotheses and investigate potential long-term costs of increased parental engagement.

Natural and built environments and blood pressure of Alpine schoolchildren

BACKGROUND

Early life environments may influence children's blood pressure (BP), but evidence on the combined effects of natural and built environment exposures is scarce. The present study investigates the associations of natural and built environment indicators, traffic noise, and air pollution with BP in children living in Alpine valleys.

METHODS

In 2004/2005, 1251 school children (8-12 years old) were sampled for a cross-sectional survey in several Austrian and Italian mountain valleys. Children's mothers completed a questionnaire. The outcomes of interest were systolic and diastolic BP measured with a calibrated oscillometric device. Indicators of land cover assigned to the residential and school coordinates within 100 and 1000 m included normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), tree canopy cover, and a broader naturalness indicator titled distance to nature (D2N). The presence of a home garden was also measured via self-report. Imperviousness density served as a proxy for the built environment. Residential air pollution (NO₂) and noise (L_den) from traffic were calculated using bespoke modeling. NO₂, L_den, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI) were treated as mediating pathways.

RESULTS

Higher NDVI and tree cover levels in residential and school surroundings and home gardens were consistently associated with lower BP. The built environment was associated with higher BP. Counterintuitive inverse associations between NO₂ and L_den and BP were also found. Structural equation modeling showed that higher levels of greenspace and presence of a home garden were weakly associated with more outdoor play spaces, and in turn with lower BMI, and ultimately with lower BP.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to natural environments may help maintain normal BP in children, while built environment may increase children's BP. Outdoor play and less adiposity in greener areas may mediate some of these associations. Evidence on air pollution and noise remains controversial and difficult to explain.