Residential road traffic noise and general mental health in youth: The role of noise annoyance, neighborhood restorative quality, physical activity, and social cohesion as potential mediators

Addressing the influencing path of social noise exposure risk perception on noise mitigation behavior

Noise interference has become a common health risk in population-densified urban areas where social noise occurs frequently. However, the influence of an individual's perception of social noise exposure risk on reactive behavior remains unknown. This study developed an integrative psychosocial perspective-based model that includes constructs from two theoretical frameworks (the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Value-Belief-Norm theory) to analyze noise risk perception and behavioral intention for social noise mitigation. Haidian District, Beijing, was selected as the case study area and 300 questionnaires were distributed. The results showed that personal attributes had significant effects on residents' noise exposure risk perception and noise-mitigation behavioral intentions. Noise perception, as represented by awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility, was significantly related to noise mitigation behavioral intention. Awareness of consequences directly positively influenced behavioral intention (β = 0.235, p < 0.001) and indirectly positively influenced behavioral intention through the mediating effect of the ascription of responsibility, which accounted for 24 % of the total effect of awareness of consequences on behavioral intention. This study provides valuable insights into the risks of social noise and encourages adaptive measures to reduce it.

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.

Characterization of soundscape assessment in outdoor public spaces of urban high-rise residential communitiesa)

Soundscape perceptual models were developed in various contexts. However, as the outdoor public space in high-rise residential communities differs in terms of space planning and management, the soundscape perceptual characteristics are still unclear. In this study, an on-site survey was conducted to obtain the perceptual dimensions of soundscape in outdoor public spaces in urban high-rise residential communities based on evaluations of residents. Meantime, the soundscape of the space in different community layouts were compared. It was found that: (1) Four dimensions of outdoor soundscape in high-rise communities were extracted, namely Relaxation, Communication, Quietness, and Spatiality. The first three dimensions were positively correlated with overall soundscape satisfaction significantly. (2) Relaxation was mostly correlated with dominance of noise; Communication and Quietness were primarily related to sounds from human beings. (3) Lower traffic noise and higher levels of human sounds were perceived in enclosed communities, resulting in higher Relaxation and lower Quietness scores in outdoor public spaces in enclosed communities than non-enclosed ones. These findings evoke insights into the understanding of soundscape assessment in different contexts, and provide implications for sound environment design in urban high-rise communities.

Protective effect of restorative possibilities on cognitive function and mental health in children and adolescents: A scoping review including the role of physical activity

Background The exposome approach can be a powerful tool for understanding the intertwining of social, physical, and internal influences that shape mental health and cognitive development throughout childhood. To distil conceptual models for subsequent analyses, the EU-funded project Early Environmental quality and Life-course mental health effects (Equal-Life) has conducted literature reviews on potential mediators linking the exposome to these outcomes. We report on a scoping review and a conceptual model of the role of restorative possibilities and physical activity. Methods Peer-reviewed studies published since the year 2000 in English, on the association between the exposome and mental health/cognition in children/adolescents, and quantitatively investigating restoration/restorative quality as a mediating variable were considered. Database searches were last updated in December 2022. We used an unstructured expert-driven approach to fill in gaps in the reviewed literature. Results Five records of three distinct studies were identified, indicating a scarcity of empirical evidence in this newly developing research area. Not only were these studies few in numbers, but also cross-sectional, lending only tentative support to the idea that perceived restorative quality of adolescent's living environment might mediate the association between greenspace and mental health. Physical activity emerged as a mediator leading to better psychological outcomes in restorative environments. We provide a critical discussion of potential caveats when investigating the restoration mechanism in children and propose a hierarchical model including restoration, physical activity, and relational dynamics between children and their environment, including social context, as well as restorative environments other than nature. Conclusions It is justified to further explore the role of restoration and physical activity as mediators in the association between early-life exposome and mental health/cognitive development. It is important to consider the child perspective and specific methodological caveats. Given the evolving conceptual definitions/operationalizations, Equal-Life will attempt to fill in a critical gap in the literature.

Perceiving noise in daily life: How real-time sound characteristics affect personal momentary noise annoyance in various activity microenvironments and times of day

Annoyance is a major health burden induced by environmental noise. However, our understanding of the health impacts of noise is seriously undermined by the fixed contextual unit and limited sound characteristics (e.g., the sound level only) used in noise exposure assessments as well as the stationarity assumption made for exposure-response relationships. To address these limitations, we analyze the complex and dynamic relationships between personal momentary noise annoyance and real-time noise exposure in various activity microenvironments and times of day, taking into account individual mobility, multiple sound characteristics and nonstationary relationships. Using real-time mobile sensing, we collected individual data of momentary noise annoyance, real-time noise exposure as well as daily activities and travels in Hong Kong. A new sound characteristic, namely sound increment, is defined to capture the sudden increase in sound level over time and is used along with the sound level to achieve a multi-faceted assessment of personal real-time noise exposure at the moment of annoyance responses. Further, the complex noise exposure-annoyance relationships are learned using logistic regression and random forest models while controlling the effects of daily activity microenvironments, individual sociodemographic attributes and temporal contexts. The results indicate that the effects of the real-time sound level and sound increment on personal momentary noise annoyance are nonlinear, despite the overall significant and positive impacts, and different sound characteristics can produce a joint effect on annoyance. We also find that the daily activity microenvironments and individual sociodemographic attributes can affect noise annoyance and its relationship with different sound characteristics to varying degrees. Due to the temporal changes in daily activities and travels, the noise exposure-annoyance relationships can also vary over different times of the day. These findings can inform both local governments and residents with scientific evidence to promote the creation of acoustically comfortable living environments.

Longitudinal associations of neighbourhood environmental exposures with mental health problems during adolescence: Findings from the TRAILS study

BACKGROUND

Cross-sectional studies have found associations between neighbourhood environments and adolescent mental health, but the few longitudinal studies mainly focused on single exposure-based analyses and rarely assessed the mental health associations with environmental changes.

OBJECTIVES

We assessed longitudinal within- and between-person associations of multiple neighbourhood time-varying physical and social environmental exposures with externalising and internalising problems throughout adolescence.

METHODS

We used four waves of TRAILS (Tracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey) data on self-reported externalising and internalising problems at ages 11, 13, 16, and 19 among 2,135 adolescents in the Netherlands. We measured residence-based time-varying environmental exposures, including green space, air pollution (fine particulate matter (PM2.5)), noise, deprivation, and social fragmentation. We fitted random-effect within-between regression models to assess the environment-mental health associations.

RESULTS

At the within-person level, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 0.056 IQR (95% CI: 0.014, 0.099) increase in externalising problems, while an IQR social fragmentation increase was associated with a 0.010 IQR (95% CI: -0.020, -0.001) decrease in externalising problems. Stratification revealed that the association with PM2.5 was significant only for movers, whereas the association with social fragmentation remained only for non-movers. At the between-person level, an IQR higher noise was associated with a 0.100 IQR (95% CI: 0.031, 0.169) more externalising problems, while higher deprivation (β = 0.080; 95% CI: 0.022, 0.138) and lower fragmentation (β = -0.073; 95% CI: -0.128, -0.018) were associated with more internalising problems. We also observed positive between-person associations between PM2.5, noise, and internalising problems, but both associations were unstable due to the high PM2.5-noise correlation. Further, we observed a non-linear between-person PM2.5-externalising problems association turning positive when PM2.5 > 15 µg/m3. Null associations were found for green space.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggested that air pollution, noise, and neighbourhood deprivation are risk factors for adolescent mental health. Not only exposure levels but also exposure changes matter for adolescent mental health.

Association Between Commuting Time and Subjective Well-Being in Relation to Regional Differences in Korea

BACKGROUND

Long commuting times have a negative impact on mental health. However, few studies have explored the relationship between commuting time and well-being based on urbanization by region. Our study examines this relationship as well as the effect of regional differences on Korean workers.

METHODS

We used data from the sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey. Commuting time and occupational factors were assessed using a questionnaire, and subjective well-being was assessed using the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index. Regions were divided into the cities and the provinces based on Korea's administrative divisions. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between commuting time and well-being. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for well-being were estimated, using participants commuting time of < 20 minutes as a reference group.

RESULTS

The total number of workers was 29,458 (13,855 men, 15,603 women). We found higher aORs for low well-being among workers with long commuting times (aOR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.11-1.36 and aOR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.16-1.42 for 60-79 and ≥ 80 minutes, respectively). When stratified by sex and region, higher aORs for low well-being were found only in the workers who lived in cities.

CONCLUSION

Long commuting time was negatively associated with well-being in Korean wage workers living in the cities. Policies for reducing commuting time should be discussed to address the mental health of workers, especially those living in metropolitan cities.

Do objective and subjective traffic-related pollution, physical activity and nature exposure affect mental wellbeing? Evidence from Shenzhen, China

Urban environment (e.g. greenspaces, air pollution and traffic noise) and individuals' behaviours (e.g. physical activity) have all been associated with mental wellbeing. The large majority of studies on the influence of nature exposure on mental wellbeing assumed that multiple pathways act independently, ignoring the interactions among potential correlated pathways that engage simultaneously. The parallel mediation approach fails to explore the complex associations of combined exposure to air pollution, traffic noise and nature exposure with physical activity, which in turn affect mental wellbeing. Hence, the interest of understanding the sophisticated interactions among different pathways is warranted. We utilized structural equation modelling to simultaneously evaluate whether actual and perceived traffic-related pollution and physical activity mediate the associations between mental wellbeing and nature exposure, which was assessed by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), green view index (GVI), green space density and park accessibility. In summer 2022, we conducted questionnaires from 1772 adults residing in 117 neighbourhoods in Shenzhen, China. Nature exposure was positively and directly associated with mental wellbeing in the single mediator model that considered physical activity only. The indirect effects of nature exposure on mental wellbeing were observed through all pathways in all models, except through the perceived acoustic quality pathway in the serial mediation model. In addition, the percentage mediated by perceived air quality was higher than that of perceived acoustic quality. The influence of nature exposure on mental wellbeing was only for a small proportion mediated by the physical activity pathway. The associations between nature exposure and mental wellbeing were modified by individual characteristics, such as gender, age, income level and alcohol usage, but not employment status and smoking behaviour. These findings point out the importance of both objective and subjective environmental features and human behaviours on mental wellbeing, as well as the necessity of considering multiple pathways simultaneously.

Neighborhood Physical and Social Environments and Social Inequalities in Health in Older Adolescents and Young Adults: A Scoping Review

Poor health and well-being are prevalent among young people. Neighborhoods may play a role in promoting good health. Little is known on if and how neighborhood characteristics affect health, and social inequalities therein, among young people. In this scoping review, we asked: (1) what features of the neighborhood physical and social environments have been studied in association with the physical and mental health and well-being of young people 15 to 30 years old; and (2) to what extent have social differentials in these associations been studied, and how? We identified peer-reviewed articles (2000 to 2023) through database and snowball searches. We summarized study characteristics, exposure(s), outcome(s) and main findings, with an eye on social inequalities in health. Out of the 69 articles reviewed, most were quantitative, cross-sectional, conducted among 18-year-olds and younger, and focused on the residential neighborhood. Neighborhood social capital and mental health were the most common exposure and outcome studied, respectively. Almost half of the studies examined social inequalities in health, mostly across sex/gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Evidence gaps remain, which include exploring settings other than residential neighborhoods, studying the older age stratum of young adulthood, and assessing a broader range of social inequalities. Addressing these gaps can support research and action on designing healthy and equitable neighborhoods for young people.

The Contribution of Environmental Science to Mental Health Research: A Scoping Review

Mental health is influenced by multiple complex and interacting genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors. As such, developing state-of-the-art mental health knowledge requires collaboration across academic disciplines, including environmental science. To assess the current contribution of environmental science to this field, a scoping review of the literature on environmental influences on mental health (including conditions of cognitive development and decline) was conducted. The review protocol was developed in consultation with experts working across mental health and environmental science. The scoping review included 202 English-language papers, published between 2010 and 2020 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic), on environmental themes that had not already been the subject of recent systematic reviews; 26 reviews on climate change, flooding, air pollution, and urban green space were additionally considered. Studies largely focused on populations in the USA, China, or Europe and involved limited environmental science input. Environmental science research methods are primarily focused on quantitative approaches utilising secondary datasets or field data. Mental health measurement was dominated by the use of self-report psychometric scales. Measures of environmental states or exposures were often lacking in specificity (e.g., limited to the presence or absence of an environmental state). Based on the scoping review findings and our synthesis of the recent reviews, a research agenda for environmental science's future contribution to mental health scholarship is set out. This includes recommendations to expand the geographical scope and broaden the representation of different environmental science areas, improve measurement of environmental exposure, prioritise experimental and longitudinal research designs, and giving greater consideration to variation between and within communities and the mediating pathways by which environment influences mental health. There is also considerable opportunity to increase interdisciplinarity within the field via the integration of conceptual models, the inclusion of mixed methods and qualitative approaches, as well as further consideration of the socio-political context and the environmental states that can help support good mental health. The findings were used to propose a conceptual model to parse contributions and connections between environmental science and mental health to inform future studies.

Building a City with Low Noise Pollution: Exploring the Mental Health Effect Thresholds of Spatiotemporal Environmental Noise Exposure and Urban Planning Solution

Urban noise pollution and health hazards have become serious social problems and challenges. Noise prevention and control is the most cost-effective health strategy. However, in urban planning and noise control, reliable evidence is still lacking on individual spatiotemporal environmental noise exposure and its mental health effects. This study used real-time noise exposure data and GPS trackers from 142 volunteers aged 18 to 60 years in Guangzhou, and further analyzed the differences in environmental noise exposure and its mental health impact thresholds under individual spatiotemporal behavior. The results showed that the noise exposure of residents under daily activities has obvious differences in time, space and place. Regarding the threshold relationship between noise exposure and mental health, noise exposure at night, work, personal affairs, travel and sleep activities, as well as at home and work had a threshold effect on residents' mental health. Noise thresholds were 60 dB, 60 dB, and about 34 dB at night, during work or at a workplace, and while sleeping, respectively. The optimal sound environment for personal affairs, traveling, and at home was around 50 dB, 55-70 dB, and 45 dB, respectively. The environmental noise exposure assessment and mental health impact threshold analysis based on the spatial and temporal activities of individuals will provide important reference for government management departments in planning and policy formulation.

Effects of noise on pedestrians in urban environments where road traffic is the main source of sound

Research combining the measurement of objective variables with surveys of people's perception of noise on city streets is useful in terms of understanding the impact of urban noise on the population and improving the environment. Although previous investigations have analysed the factors that may influence the noise annoyance of citizens, it is usually considered as a global aspect. This paper presents research based on in situ surveys and objective variables (urban, meteorological and noise indicators) to evaluate some specific effects of noise on pedestrians in urban environments where road traffic is the main source of sound. The results show significant relationships of the effects of noise and perceptions of how noisy urban environments are with variables such as building height, road category and temperature, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.37 to 0.64. Significant correlations between these subjective variables and the acoustic variables were also found, with explanations of variability that reached values of up to 50 %. A multivariate analysis revealed that both urban variables (especially the category of street) and environmental variables can be an alternative or a complement to models predicting the effects and perception of environmental noise based only on acoustic variables.

Environmental noise and health in low-middle-income-countries: A systematic review of epidemiological evidence

Evidence of the health impacts from environmental noise has largely been drawn from studies in high-income countries, which has then been used to inform development of noise guidelines. It is unclear whether findings in high-income countries can be readily translated into policy contexts in low-middle-income-countries (LMICs). We conducted this systematic review to summarise noise epidemiological studies in LMICs. We conducted a literature search of studies in Medline and Web of Science published during 2009-2021, supplemented with specialist journal hand searches. Screening, data extraction, assessment of risk of bias as well as overall quality and strength of evidence were conducted following established guidelines (e.g. Navigation Guide). 58 studies were identified, 53% of which were from India, China and Bulgaria. Most (92%) were cross-sectional studies. 53% of studies assessed noise exposure based on fixed-site measurements using sound level meters and 17% from propagation-based noise models. Mean noise exposure among all studies ranged from 48 to 120 dB (L_eq), with over half of the studies (52%) reporting the mean between 60 and 80 dB. The most studied health outcome was noise annoyance (43% of studies), followed by cardiovascular (17%) and mental health outcomes (17%). Studies generally reported a positive (i.e. adverse) relationship between noise exposure and annoyance. Some limited evidence based on only two studies showing that long-term noise exposure may be associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular outcomes in adults. Findings on mental health outcomes were inconsistent across the studies. Overall, 4 studies (6%) had "probably low", 18 (31%) had "probably high" and 36 (62%) had "high" risk of bias. Quality of evidence was rated as 'low' for mental health outcomes and 'very low' for all other outcomes. Strength of evidence for each outcome was assessed as 'inadequate', highlighting high-quality epidemiological studies are urgently needed in LMICs to strengthen the evidence base.

Adjustable Sound Absorber of Multiple Parallel-Connection Helmholtz Resonators with Tunable Apertures Prepared by Low-Force Stereolithography of Photopolymer Resin

The variable noise spectrum for many actual application scenarios requires a sound absorber to adapt to this variation. An adjustable sound absorber of multiple parallel-connection Helmholtz resonators with tunable apertures (TA-MPCHRs) is prepared by the low-force stereolithography of photopolymer resin, which aims to improve the applicability of the proposed sound absorber for noise with various frequency ranges. The proposed TA-MPCHR metamaterial contains five metamaterial cells. Each metamaterial cell contains nine single Helmholtz resonators. It is treated as a basic structural unit for an array arrangement. The tunable aperture is realized by utilizing four segments of extendable cylindrical chambers with length l₀, which indicates that the length of the aperture l is in the range of [l₀, 4l₀], and that it is tunable. With a certain group of specific parameters for the proposed TA-MPCHR, the influence of the tunable aperture with a variable length is investigated by acoustic finite element simulation with a two-dimensional rotational symmetric model. For the given noise spectrum of certain actual equipment with four operating modes, the TA-MPCHR sample with a limited total thickness of 40 mm is optimized, which is made of photopolymer resin by the low-force stereolithography, and its actual average sound absorption coefficients for the frequency ranges of 500-800 Hz, 550-900 Hz, 600-1000 Hz and 700-1150 Hz reach 0.9203, 0.9202, 0.9436 and 0.9561, respectively. Relative to common non-adjustable metamaterials, the TA-MPCHR made of photopolymer resin can reduce occupied space and improve absorption efficiency, which is favorable in promoting its practical applications in the noise pollution prevention.

Noise Disturbance and Well-Being in the North of Spain

Environmental noise is considered one of the main risks for physical and mental health and well-being, with a significant associated burden of disease in Europe. This work aims to explore the main sources of noise exposure at home and its effect on well-being in northern Spain. A transversal opinion study has been performed through a closed questionnaire. The questionnaire included three different parts: sociodemographic data, noise disturbance, and the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5). A Binary Logistics Regression model was performed to analyze the relationship between noise exposure and well-being. Overall, 16.6% of the participants consider that the noise isolation of their homes is bad or very bad. The noise generated by the neighbors (air and impact noise) is considered the most disturbing indoor noise source, while street works are the most disturbing outdoor noise source in urban areas and road traffic is the most disturbing in rural areas. People who indicate that noise interferes with their life at home have a worse score on the WHO-5 (decreased perception of well-being). The exposure to outdoor noise (specifically the noise coming from the street and trains), internal impact noise produced by neighbors, and in general, the noise that wakes you up, is related to receiving a worse score in the WHO-5 (p < 0.05). Administrative bodies must ensure that laws regulating at-home noise levels, which are continually being updated with stricter restrictions, are enforced.

Urban environment and physical activity and capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Physical activity and exercise capacity are key prognostic factors in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but their environmental determinants are unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To test the association between urban environment and objective physical activity, physical activity experience and exercise capacity in COPD.

METHODS

We studied 404 patients with mild-to-very severe COPD from a multi-city study in Catalonia, Spain. We measured objective physical activity (step count and sedentary time) by the Dynaport MoveMonitor, physical activity experience (difficulty with physical activity) by the Clinical visit-PROactive (C-PPAC) instrument, and exercise capacity by the 6-min walk distance (6MWD). We estimated individually (geocoded to the residential address) population density, pedestrian street length, slope of terrain, and long-term (i.e., annual) exposure to road traffic noise, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter (PM_2.5). We built single- and multi-exposure mixed-effects linear regressions with a random intercept for city, adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS

Patients were 85% male, had mean (SD) age 69 (9) years and walked 7524 (4045) steps/day. In multi-exposure models, higher population density was associated with fewer steps, more sedentary time and worse exercise capacity (-507 [95% CI: 1135, 121] steps, +0.2 [0.0, 0.4] h/day and -13 [-25, 0] m per IQR). Pedestrian street length related with more steps and less sedentary time (156 [9, 304] steps and -0.1 [-0.1, 0.0] h/day per IQR). Steeper slope was associated with better exercise capacity (15 [3, 27] m per IQR). Higher NO₂ levels related with more sedentary time and more difficulty in physical activity. PM_2.5 and noise were not associated with physical activity or exercise capacity.

DISCUSSION

Population density, pedestrian street length, slope and NO₂ exposure relate to physical activity and capacity of COPD patients living in highly populated areas. These findings support the consideration of neighbourhood environmental factors during COPD management and the attention to patients with chronic diseases when developing urban and transport planning policies.

Environmental noise-induced cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health disorders: a brief review

BACKGROUND

Environmental noise is a pervasive pollutant that is one of the greatest environmental threats to mental, physiological and psychological well-being and has a significant global health burden associated with it. Many epidemiological studies indicate long-term relationship of noise pollution with wide range of metabolic, cardio-vascular and respiratory disorders and diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to thoroughly analyse available literature on public health implications and various underlying biological mechanisms associated with ambient noise exposure, taking into account both objective and subjective measures of noise exposure.

METHODS

A search of literature for review on environmental noise and associated cardiovascular, mental health and metabolic implications on human health was done using Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed databases.

DISCUSSION

Experimental studies indicate that noise exposure leads to endocrine effects, increased incidence of diabetes, impairment of cognitive performance, sleep disturbance and annoyance. Epidemiological evidence indicates that high levels of noise, particularly at night, may cause arterial hypertension and endothelial dysfunction due to higher level of stress hormones and oxidative stress. An increased incidence of cardio-vascular diseases like myocardial infarction, heart rate, ischemic heart disease, stroke and heart failure is associated with noise-induced mental stress. Furthermore, psychological and mental health issues like anxiety and depression are also related with exposure to noise pollution.

CONCLUSION

This article summarises a comprehensive and systematic knowledge established in recent noise research with the spotlight on cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health disorders of environmental noise, providing unique understanding into underlying mechanisms.

New determinants of mental health: the role of noise pollution. A narrative review

Urbanisation processes and anthropogenic actions led to a significant increase in pollution levels, with relevant consequences on global health. In particular, noise pollution demonstrated an association with cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory diseases. Furthermore, increasing evidence underlined the possible role of air and noise pollution in the development of psychiatric disorders. In this narrative review, evidence concerning the relationship between noise pollution and the emergence of psychiatric symptoms or psychiatric disorders is summarised. After the literature search process was completed, 40 papers were included in the present review. The exposure to road-, rail-, and air- traffic represented a risk factor for the emergence of affective disorders. This could also be mediated by the occurrence of circadian rhythms disturbances or by noise annoyance and noise sensitivity, both influencing psychological well-being and health-related quality of life. Fewer studies concentrated on special populations, particularly pregnant women and children, for whom noise pollution was confirmed as a risk factor for psychopathology. The better clarification of the complex interaction between noise pollution and mental health may help to identify subjects at risk and targeting specific prevention and intervention strategies in the urban environment.

Green Space for Mental Health in the COVID-19 Era: A Pathway Analysis in Residential Green Space Users

Residential green space is among the most accessible types of urban green spaces and may help maintain mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is insufficiently understood how residents use residential green space for exercise during the epidemic. The pathways between residential green space and mental health also merit further exploration. Therefore, we conducted an online study among Chinese residents in December 2021 to capture data on engagement with urban green space for green exercise, the frequency of green exercise, perceived pollution in green space, perceptions of residential green space, social cohesion, depression, and anxiety. Among the 1208 respondents who engaged in green exercise last month, 967 (80%) reported that green exercise primarily occurred in residential neighborhoods. The rest (20%) reported that green exercise occurred in more distant urban green spaces. The most common reasons that respondents sought green exercise in urban green spaces were better air and environmental qualities. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was then employed to explore the pathways between the perceived greenness of residential neighborhoods and mental health among respondents who used residential green space for exercise. The final model suggested that residential green space was negatively associated with anxiety (β = −0.30, p = 0.001) and depression (β = −0.33, p < 0.001), mainly through indirect pathways. Perceived pollution and social cohesion were the two mediators that contributed to most of the indirect effects. Perceived pollution was also indirectly associated with green exercise through less social cohesion (β = −0.04, p = 0.010). These findings suggest a potential framework to understand the mental health benefits of residential green space and its accompanying pathways during the COVID-19 era.

Application of University Campus Noise Map Based on Noise Propagation Model: A Case in Guangxi University

Considering the characteristics of a campus environment and the rules that govern outdoor sound propagation, this paper identifies traffic noise as the dominant noise source of the campus environment based on the measurement of the noise environment. A noise propagation model that is suitable for university campuses was developed and used it was to create a noise map of the ambient area of the teaching building on the campus of Guangxi University. This noise map was then utilized to analyze the noise environment. The results revealed that for a given teaching building, the noise disturbance on high-rise classrooms is more significant compared to the impact on low-rise classrooms. Attention should then be paid to noise control in the high-rise classroom of the building. By appropriately increasing the distance between the building and the main traffic road or by adopting a judicious soundscape design that considers the shape of the building, it is possible to effectively reduce the interference of noise during teaching activities in a building and improve the sound quality of the campus environment. The results of this study provide a theoretical framework for the governance of the campus acoustic environment.

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.

Effects of Forest on Birdsong and Human Acoustic Perception in Urban Parks: A Case Study in Nigeria

The quality of the natural sound environment is important for the well-being of humans and for urban sustainability. Therefore, it is important to study how the soundscape of the natural environment affects humans with respect to the different densities of vegetation, and how this affects the frequency of singing events and the sound pressure levels of common birds that generate natural sounds in a commonly visited urban park in Abuja, Nigeria. This study involves the recording of birdsongs, the measurement of sound pressure levels, and a questionnaire evaluation of sound perception and the degree of acoustic comfort in the park. Acoustic comfort, which affects humans, describes the fundamental feelings of users towards the acoustic environment. The results show that first, there is a significant difference between the frequency of singing events of birds for each category of vegetation density (low, medium, and high density) under cloudy and sunny weather conditions, but there is no significant difference during rainy weather. Secondly, the measured sound pressure levels of the birdsongs are affected by vegetation density. This study shows a significant difference between the sound pressure levels of birdsongs and the vegetation density under cloudy, sunny, and rainy weather conditions. In addition, the frequency of singing events of birds is affected by the sound pressure levels of birdsongs with respect to different vegetation densities under different weather conditions. Thirdly, the results from the respondents (N = 160) in this study indicated that the acoustic perception of the park was described as being pleasant, vibrant, eventful, calming, and not considered to be chaotic or annoying in any sense. It also shows that the human perception of birdsong in the park was moderately to strongly correlated with different densities of vegetation, and that demographics play an important role in how natural sounds are perceived in the environment under different weather conditions.

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.

Green space, air pollution, traffic noise and mental wellbeing throughout adolescence: Findings from the PIAMA study

BACKGROUND

Green space, air pollution and traffic noise exposure may be associated with mental health in adolescents. We assessed the associations of long-term exposure to residential green space, ambient air pollution and traffic noise with mental wellbeing from age 11 to 20 years.

METHODS

We included 3059 participants of the Dutch PIAMA birth cohort who completed the five-item Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) at ages 11, 14, 17 and/or 20 years. We estimated exposure to green space (the average Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and percentages of green space in circular buffers of 300 m, 1000 m and 3000 m), ambient air pollution (particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide, PM_2.5 absorbance and the oxidative potential of PM_2.5) and road traffic and railway noise (L_den) at the adolescents' home addresses at the times of completing the MHI-5. Associations with poor mental wellbeing (MHI-5 score ≤ 60) were assessed by generalized linear mixed models with a logit link, adjusting for covariates.

RESULTS

The odds of poor mental wellbeing at age 11 to 20 years decreased with increasing exposure to green space in a 3000 m buffer (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.78 [95% CI 0.68-0.88] per IQR increase in the average NDVI; adjusted OR 0.77 [95% CI 0.67-0.88] per IQR increase in the total percentage of green space). These associations persisted after adjustment for air pollution and road traffic noise. Relationships between mental wellbeing and green space in buffers of 300 m and 1000 m were less consistent. Higher air pollution exposure was associated with higher odds of poor mental wellbeing, but these associations were strongly attenuated after adjustment for green space in a buffer of 3000 m, traffic noise and degree of urbanization. Traffic noise was not related to mental wellbeing throughout adolescence.

CONCLUSIONS

Residential exposure to green space may be associated with a better mental wellbeing in adolescents.

From Childhood Residential Green space to Adult Mental Wellbeing: A Pathway Analysis among Chinese Adults

Residential green spaces, arguably the most accessible type of urban green space, may have lasting impacts on children and even change their lives later in adulthood. However, the potential pathways from childhood residential green space to adulthood mental wellbeing are not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a questionnaire survey among Chinese adults (N = 770) in September 2021 to capture data on subjective measures of residential green space and nature contact during childhood, and nature connectedness, nature contact, and mental wellbeing during adulthood. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine theoretical pathways between childhood residential green space and adult mental wellbeing. The results suggest that childhood residential green space positively predicts childhood nature contact and also has direct and indirect positive impacts on nature contact, nature connectedness, and mental wellbeing during adulthood. These findings advance understanding of the long-term impacts of childhood residential green space. Policymakers are advised to prioritize residential greening as well as other recreational facilities for children when planning health-promoting environments in urban spaces. Due to limitations in our study design, we also advise future studies to re-examine and extend the framework documented here.

Parametric Optimization of Local Resonant Sonic Crystals Window on Noise Attenuation by Using Taguchi Method and ANOVA Analysis

Local resonant sonic crystals (LRSCs) window as a novel design has recently been proposed to achieve a good balance between noise mitigation, natural ventilation and natural lighting. In an effort to explore the feasibilities of such designs in civil residential buildings, an optimization methodology was proposed to develop a more compact LRSCs window with high noise attenuation performance in the present study. Specifically, the Taguchi method was adopted for the design of experiments on the parameters of interest and their corresponding levels, and SN ratio analysis was then applied for the parametric evaluations on the noise attenuation on specified frequencies in traffic noise (concentrated sound energy frequency range: 630–1000 Hz). Three optimal sets of design parameters on the interested frequencies, namely, 630 Hz, 800 Hz and 1000 Hz were obtained. ANOVA analysis was conducted to quantificationally identify the design parameters with statistical significance and remarkable contribution to the desired performance. Results indicate that the slit size has the most significant influence on the overall noise attenuation performance, followed by cavity width. An optimal set of design parameters to achieve the overall best noise reduction performance in the frequency range of 630–1000 Hz was finally determined by combining the SN ratio and ANOVA analysis. A prototype of the final optimized LRSCs window was then fabricated and tested in a semi-anechoic chamber. Good agreement was found between the experiment and numerical simulation. In comparison to the benchmark case, the final optimized design can achieve a further noise reduction by 2.84 dBA, 3.48 dBA and 5.56 dBA for the frequencies of 630 Hz, 800 Hz and 1000 Hz, respectively. The overall noise reduction for the interested frequency range can be promoted by 3.28 dBA. The results indicate that the proposed optimization methodology is practical and efficient in designing a high-performance LRSCs window or improving similar applications.

Housing and mental health during outbreak of COVID-19

With global health concerns of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19), house quarantine was considered to prevent the outbreak of the disease and to ensure physical health. However, it may cause serious mental health problems. The present study aimed to evaluate housing preferences, housing satisfaction, and mental health of residents during house quarantine of COVID-19 considering housing type, spaces, environmental factors, and function and activities. In this regard, quantitative data were gathered through administering online questionnaires. In April 2020, responses were collected from 421 residents who lived in Tehran, then the collected data were analyzed using the SPSS software. According to the results, environmental factors had a higher mean than spaces and functions and activities throughout housing preferences, and the best mental health was related to the very high satisfaction level of the roof, green space, and exercising outdoor indicators. Findings of housing type revealed that people who lived in private houses had better mental health than residents of low-rise or high-rise housing.

The relative effects of self-reported noise and odour annoyance on psychological distress: Different effects across sociodemographic groups?

In earlier research, both higher levels of noise and odour annoyance have been associated with decreased mental health. Presumably, these perceptions can trigger feelings of threat and stress reactions and in turn evoke psychological distress. There are two important lacunas in the research on this topic: most studies only consider either noise or odour annoyance and not their relative effect on psychological distress and there is scarce evidence about whether different sociodemographic groups experience more psychological distress due to noise and odour annoyance. Starting from the diversity in the available coping resources and in their daily life patterns, we distinguish gender, age and educational level as relevant sociodemographic variables. Using data from the Health Monitor (n = 25236) in Noord-Brabant, we found using Ordinary Least Squares Regression that individuals that reported higher levels of noise and odour annoyance reported higher levels of psychological distress. Furthermore, the effect of noise annoyance was relatively stronger compared to that of odour annoyance. Regarding the interaction effects, we found that younger adults’ psychological distress was more strongly affected by noise annoyance compared to older adults, but not by odour annoyance. The psychological distress of individuals with no or primary education was more strongly affected by both noise and odour annoyance compared those with tertiary education, but not when compared to those who completed lower or higher secondary education. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find different effects between men and women. Though the evidence for the interactions was mixed, classic health inequalities along age and education lines are reinforced when considering the relationship between noise and odour annoyance and psychological distress.

Association of noise exposure with risk of metabolic syndrome: Evidence from 44,698 individuals

AIMS

Previous studies have explored the association between noise exposure and risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, the results remain inconclusive.

METHODS

PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched through December 2020, multivariate-adjusted relative risks (RRs) were pooled by using random-effects models. Subgroup analysis was also conducted stratifying by gender, study location, study design, source of noise, study quality, adjusting for smoking, drinking, body mass index, physical activity and shift work.

RESULTS

Five studies involving 44,698 participants and 5187 MetS cases were included. A summarized adjusted RR for the relationship between noise exposure and risk of MetS was 1.27 (95% CI, 1.02-1.60), and 1.11 (1.02-1.21) for blood pressure and 1.11 (1.06-1.17) for blood glucose. Subgroup analysis revealed that the pooled risk of MetS was statistically significant in all cohort studies (RR = 1.34, 95 %CI, 1.06-1.68), ambient/traffic noise (RR = 1.24, 95 %CI, 1.13-1.35) and occupational noise by removing one low quality study (RR = 2.21, 95 %CI, 1.41-3.44).

CONCLUSIONS

Noise exposure is associated with an increased risk of MetS, and occupational noise exposure may result in a greater risk. Additional more prospective large-scale studies conducted in more countries or populations are needed to confirm the results, establish causality and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Community lives of adolescents across multiple special needs: Discrimination, community belonging, trusted people, leisure activities, and friends

We sought to gain insights into the community lives, experiences, and activities of adolescents across multiple categories of special needs. Specifically, we: explored the particular aspects of their lives adolescents felt elicited discrimination; determined whether adolescents feel a sense of community belongingness, as well as the categories of people whom adolescents approach when help is needed; and detailed the leisure activities respondents undertake and with which frequency, in addition to the quantity of friendships they have. We performed assorted descriptive analyses of the McCreary Centre Society's 2013 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey (BCAHS) database. We found tremendous variation in the survey responses of adolescents, both within and between special needs categories, highlighting the importance of such exploratory analyses. This paper provides inductive population-based evidence to inform theories about the community lives of adolescents with special needs, as well as to guide programs and policies targeting such youth.

Does the perceived neighborhood environment promote mental health during pregnancy? Confirmation of a pathway through social cohesion in two Spanish samples

Physical neighborhood attributes such as greenness, walkability and environmental pollution may have an influence on people's behavior and health. It has been claimed that part of such effects may come from the promotion of physical activity and the strengthening of social cohesion. In this study, we recruited samples of pregnant women in two Spanish cities (Donostia-San Sebastián, 440 participants and Barcelona, 360 participants) who filled in a questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for 1 week during the first trimester of pregnancy. The influence of perceived residential greenness, walkability and environmental pollution on mental health (GHQ-12) was tested in two structural equation models that included light physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and social cohesion as mediators. Two solutions showing excellent and good fits (Donostia-San Sebastián: X²(3) = 2.56, p = .465, CFI = 1, RMSEA < 0.001; Barcelona: X²(6) = 4.86, p = .566, CFI = 1, RMSEA = 0.048) consistently showed that neighborhood attributes promote mental health through social cohesion in the two cities. Stratified analyses revealed that the social cohesion-mental health effect was only statistically significant for low and medium socioeconomic status groups in the Donostia-San Sebastián sample. Pathways through physical activity were not confirmed.

Traffic Noise Annoyance in the Population of North Mexico: Case Study on the Daytime Period in the City of Matamoros

Aim: The presence of noise in urban environments is rarely considered a factor that causes damage to the environment. The primary generating source is transportation means, with vehicles being the ones that affect cities the most. Traffic noise has a particular influence on the quality of life of those who are exposed to it and can cause health alterations ranging from annoyance to cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to describe the relationship between the traffic noise level and the perceived annoyance in the inhabitants of a city on the Northern Border of Mexico. The work carried out in a city represents the vulnerability characteristics: economic, social, and migratory of its sizable portion of the inhabitants. Due to that, it is impossible to identify precisely the number of residents as the number of vehicles in circulation.

Methods: The streets and avenues with an annual average daily traffic of more than 1,000 vehicles were considered for the measurement of traffic noise. The equipment used was a vehicle gauge with non-invasive speed radar; type I integrating sound level meters, with their respective gauges and tripods. A questionnaire was applied to people living within 250 m of the streets and avenues in which the noise was measured.

Results: The noise measurement found a parameter of LA_eq estimated for 12 h during the day, exceeding 70 dBA. The data received from the questionnaire were statistically tested by using Pearson's correlation tests. A total number of 2,350 people were participated, of whom 1,378 were women (58.6%) and 972 were men (41.4%). The age of participants is ranged from 18 to 75 years. The overall perception of traffic noise annoyance identified that 1,131 participants (48.1%) responded “Yes” as they considered the noise annoying. Participants who responded “No” as well as those who responded “Do not know” resulted in a total of 1,219 people (51.9%).

Conclusion: The results show that the population is desensitized to traffic noise and does not perceive it as an annoyance. The flow of vehicles and the type of vehicles are the significant factors for the propagation and increase in the traffic noise levels. Women present a considerable appreciation of traffic noise perception instead of younger people who demonstrate a higher tolerance to high-level exposure. This reflects the lack of information of the population around the noise problem and its effects.

Road traffic noise, noise sensitivity, noise annoyance, psychological and physical health and mortality

BACKGROUND

Both physical and psychological health outcomes have been associated with exposure to environmental noise. Noise sensitivity could have the same moderating effect on physical and psychological health outcomes related to environmental noise exposure as on annoyance but this has been little tested.

METHODS

A cohort of 2398 men between 45 and 59 years, the longitudinal Caerphilly Collaborative Heart Disease study, was established in 1984/88 and followed into the mid-1990s. Road traffic noise maps were assessed at baseline. Psychological ill-health was measured in phase 2 in 1984/88, phase 3 (1989/93) and phase 4 (1993/7). Ischaemic heart disease was measured in clinic at baseline and through hospital records and records of deaths during follow up. We examined the longitudinal associations between road traffic noise and ischaemic heart disease morbidity and mortality using Cox Proportional Hazard Models and psychological ill-health using Logistic Regression; we also examined whether noise sensitivity and noise annoyance might moderate these associations. We also tested if noise sensitivity and noise annoyance were longitudinal predictors of ischaemic heart disease morbidity and mortality and psychological ill-health.

RESULTS

Road traffic noise was not associated with ischaemic heart disease morbidity or mortality. Neither noise sensitivity nor noise annoyance moderated the effects of road traffic noise on ischaemic heart disease morbidity or mortality. High noise sensitivity was associated with lower ischaemic heart disease mortality risk (HR = 0.74, 95%CI 0.57, 0.97). Road traffic noise was associated with Phase 4 psychological ill-health but only among those exposed to 56-60dBA (fully adjusted OR = 1.82 95%CI 1.07, 3.07). Noise sensitivity moderated the association of road traffic noise exposure with psychological ill-health. High noise sensitivity was associated longitudinally with psychological ill-health at phase 3 (OR = 1.85 95%CI 1.23, 2.78) and phase 4 (OR = 1.65 95%CI 1.09, 2.50). Noise annoyance predicted psychological ill-health at phase 4 (OR = 2.47 95%CI 1.00, 6.13).

CONCLUSIONS

Noise sensitivity is a specific predictor of psychological ill-health and may be part of a wider construct of environmental susceptibility. Noise sensitivity may increase the risk of psychological ill-health when exposed to road traffic noise. Noise annoyance may be a mediator of the effects of road traffic noise on psychological ill-health.

The Effects of Green and Urban Walking in Different Time Frames on Physio-Psychological Responses of Middle-Aged and Older People in Chengdu, China

Nighttime walking is becoming a popular exercise for many middle-aged and older people in Asian countries. However, the health benefits of nighttime walking in urban areas and green spaces are still unclear. This study evaluated the physiological and psychological responses of 48 middle-aged and older people who walked 1.6 km through a green space and an urban area during daytime and nighttime. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), and Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS) were employed to measure the psychological responses, and pulse rate and blood pressure (SBP, DBP and MAP) were measured to evaluate the physiological responses. The results showed that the daytime green walking induced psychological improvements and lowered blood pressure (p < 0.05), while the daytime urban walking resulted in slight deterioration of all the measured parameters (p > 0.05). On the other hand, the nighttime green walking induced lowered blood pressure (p < 0.05), whilst the nighttime urban walking resulted in psychological improvements and lowered blood pressure (p < 0.05), and no significant difference was found in any measured parameter between the two nighttime walking groups. In conclusion, urban areas are noisy and irritating in the daytime, and not suitable for walking, but may become pleasurable and attractive at night. The psychological benefits of green walking may decrease at night, and nighttime walking in either an urban area or a green space may achieve similar health benefits. Therefore, we recommend that urban citizens start nighttime walking in a green space or an urban area to keep fit when the air is less polluted.

Perceived neighbourhood characteristics and depressive symptoms: Potential mediators and the moderating role of employment status

Multiple neighbourhood characteristics have been linked to depressive symptoms. However, few studies have simultaneously considered multiple mechanisms that explain this relationship, and how they might interact. Further, most studies regard exposure to the residential environment as constant, and therefore disregard variation in exposure by individual factors. This study investigates whether and to what extent stress and physical activity mediate the association between neighbourhood characteristics and depression, and also to what extent employment status moderates this relationship. A population-representative survey of n = 11,505 people in the Netherlands was conducted. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Neighbourhood characteristics were perceived green and blue space, pleasantness, environmental disturbance, social cohesion and safety. Employment status was combined with place of work to establish two groups: those who were non-working or who worked from home ('at home'), and those who worked somewhere outside of the home ('working'). Multi-group structural equation modelling was employed to understand the theorised relationships for both groups. Perceived environmental disturbance, social cohesion and safety were significantly indirectly related to depressive symptoms via stress, with larger effect sizes in the 'at home' group. Pleasantness was also significantly indirectly related to depressive symptoms via stress, in the 'at home' group only. There was no evidence for physical activity as a mediator. Our findings suggest that neighbourhood social characteristics may have a greater influence on depressive symptoms than physical characteristics. Stress appears to be a key mediator of this relationship. In addition, the neighbourhood appears to exert a greater influence on those who spend more time in their neighbourhood. Interventions to promote mental health should focus on the social environment, and in particular pay attention to those who are spatially confined in poorer quality neighbourhoods.

Incidence of depression in relation to transportation noise exposure and noise annoyance in the SAPALDIA study

Prospective evidence on the risk of depression in relation to transportation noise exposure and noise annoyance is limited and mixed. We aimed to investigate the associations of long-term exposure to source-specific transportation noise and noise annoyance with incidence of depression in the SAPALDIA (Swiss cohort study on air pollution and lung and heart diseases in adults) cohort. We investigated 4,581 SAPALDIA participants without depression in the year 2001/2002. Corresponding one-year mean road, railway and aircraft day-evening-night noise (Lden) was calculated at the most exposed façade of the participants' residential floors, and transportation noise annoyance was assessed on an 11-point scale. Incident cases of depression were identified in 2010/2011, and comprised participants reporting physician diagnosis, intake of antidepressant medication or having a short form-36 mental health score < 50. We used robust Poisson regressions to estimate the mutually adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of depression, independent of traffic-related air pollution and other potential confounders. Incidence of depression was 11 cases per 1,000 person-years. In single exposure models, we observed positive but in part, statistically non-significant associations (per 10 dB) of road traffic Lden [RR: 1.06 (0.93, 1.22)] and aircraft Lden [RR: 1.19 (0.93, 1.53)], and (per 1-point difference) of noise annoyance [RR: 1.05 (1.02, 1.08)] with depression risk. In multi-exposure model, noise annoyance effect remained unchanged, with weaker effects of road traffic Lden [(RR: 1.02 (0.89, 1.17)] and aircraft Lden [(RR: 1.17 (0.90, 1.50)]. However, there were statistically significant indirect effects of road traffic Lden [(β: 0.02 (0.01, 0.03)] and aircraft Lden [β: 0.01 (0.002, 0.02)] via noise annoyance. There were no associations with railway Lden in the single and multi-exposure models [(RR_{both models}: 0.88 (0.75, 1.03)]. We made similar findings among 2,885 non-movers, where the effect modification and cumulative risks were more distinct. Noise annoyance effect in non-movers was stronger among the insufficiently active (RR: 1.09; 95%CI: 1.02, 1.17; p_interaction = 0.07) and those with daytime sleepiness [RR: 1.07 (1.02, 1.12); p_interaction = 0.008]. Cumulative risks of Lden in non-movers showed additive tendencies for the linear cumulative risk [(RR_{per 10dB of combined sources}: 1.31 (0.90, 1.91)] and the categorical cumulative risk [(RR_{triple- vs. zero-source ≥45 dB}: 2.29 (1.02, 5.14)], and remained stable to noise annoyance. Transportation noise level and noise annoyance may jointly and independently influence the risk of depression. Combined long-term exposures to noise level seems to be most detrimental, largely acting via annoyance. The moderation of noise annoyance effect by daytime sleepiness and physical activity further contribute to clarifying the involved mechanisms. More evidence is needed to confirm these findings for effective public health control of depression and noise exposure burden.

Pathways and contingencies linking road traffic noise to annoyance, noise sensitivity, and mental Ill-Health

Context:

Traffic noise may contribute to depression and anxiety through higher noise annoyance (NA). However, little is known about noise sensitivity (NS) and mental health status as contextual factors.

Objective:

We tested three hypotheses: (1) Traffic noise is associated with mental ill-health through higher NA; (2) Mental ill-health and NS moderate the association between traffic noise and NA; and (3) NS moderates the indirect effect of traffic noise on mental ill-health.

Subjects and Methods:

We used a convenience sample of 437 undergraduate students from the Medical University in Plovdiv, Bulgaria (mean age 21 years; 35% male). Residential road traffic noise (L_Aeq; day equivalent noise level) was calculated using a land use regression model. Depression and anxiety symptoms were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, respectively. NA was measured using a 5-point verbal scale. The Noise Sensitivity Scale Short Form (NSS-SF) was used to measure NS. To investigate how these variables intertwine, we conducted mediation, moderation and moderated mediation analyses.

Results:

L_Aeq was indirectly associated with higher PHQ-9/GAD-7 scores through higher NA, but only in the low NS group. The relationship between L_Aeq and NA was stronger in students reporting depression/anxiety. While high NS was associated with high NA even at low noise levels, L_Aeq contributed to NA only in students low on NS.

Conclusions:

We found complex conditional relationships between traffic noise, annoyance and mental ill-health. Understanding respective vulnerability profiles within the community could aid noise policy and increase efficacy of interventions.

Understanding the relationships among individual-based momentary measured noise, perceived noise, and psychological stress: A geographic ecological momentary assessment (GEMA) approach

This study aims to understand how the relationship between individual-based noise exposure and psychological stress is influenced by perceived noise and context. Using geographic ecological momentary assessment, along with activity-travel diaries, GPS tracking, and portable noise sensors, this study collected real-time data of individuals' daily movement, noise exposure, and self-reported noise perception and psychological stress. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the direct and indirect pathways among context, momentary measured noise, perceived noise, and psychological stress. The study finds that momentary measured noise influences psychological stress through the mediating effect of perceived noise. Further, different activity and travel, social, and temporal contexts significantly influence people's momentary measured noise, perceived noise, and psychological stress. These findings advance our understanding of specific contexts, individual-based objectively measured and subjectively perceived environmental exposures, and their effects on psychological health at a high spatiotemporal resolution.

Assessment of noise pollution and associated subjective health complaints and psychological symptoms: analysis through structure equation model

Road traffic noise is affecting the exposed population through its detrimental effects. This study was conducted in urban zones of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to analyze causal relationship between noise and subjective health complaints with a special focus on psychological symptoms. A 12-h (LAeq) noise survey conducted at different locations (n = 57) indicated a noise range of 46.3-86.3 dB (A). A questionnaire survey was conducted from local residents (n = 500), students (n = 500), policemen (n = 500), shopkeepers (n = 500), and drivers (n = 500) exposed to road traffic noise and analyzed through structure equation modeling (SEM). Different models were prepared and a modified model obtained the acceptable model fit, i.e., chi-square 0.093, χ²/df 1.286, comparative fit index 0.986, goodness of fit index 0.966, normed fit index 0.943, Tucker-Lewis index 0.977, and root mean square error of approximation 0.034. The modified model gives not only the information about direct but also indirect effects of noise on the exposed population. Adding on, the model clearly indicates that sensitivity to noise has strong relationship with subjective health complaints (headache, exhaustion, and psychological symptoms such as annoyance, difficulty concentrating, ill temper, and anxiety) than profession, age, location, and gender. Duration of exposure to road traffic noise has an important role in increasing the frequency of subjective health issues. The model is important in depicting that sensitivity to noise may produce subjective health complaints (standardized parameter estimates of 0.12 and 0.29) but the mediator has much stronger positive path estimates (0.59). The modified model sought to discover and explicate the underlying mechanism of an observed relationship existing between the selected dependent and an independent variable through the identification of the mediator variables.

Assessing personal noise exposure and its relationship with mental health in Beijing based on individuals' space-time behavior

BACKGROUND

Most prior studies adopted a static residence-based approach in the assessment of noise exposure, which may lead to biased exposure estimates and misleading findings in noise-health relationships. Relatively little is known about personal noise exposure based on individuals' space-time behavior and its effect on mental health.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to analyze and geo-visualize personal exposure to noise in various microenvironments based on individuals' space-time trajectories at a very fine resolution and to further investigate the relationships between mental health and personal noise exposure at both the activity/travel episode level and the entire day level.

METHODS

Individual-level real-time data were collected with portable noise sensors and GPS trackers from a sample of 117 residents aged 18-60 years old from December 2017 to February 2018 in Beijing, China. Descriptive statistics and geo-visualization methods were used to examine how personal noise exposure varied across different activity types, travel modes, and among residents living in the same residential neighborhood on workdays and weekends based on individuals' space-time behaviors. Logistic regression models were applied to examine the relationships between personal noise exposure and self-reported mental health.

RESULTS

We observed substantial differences in personal noise exposure across different activity types. The equivalent sound levels (L_eq, dB(A)) for sleeping were the lowest, while the average L_eq for work-related activities was the highest in indoor environments. The noise exposure levels for activities in outdoor environments were higher than indoor noise levels but differed between workdays and weekends. Variations in noise exposure associated with different travel modes were also evident, with the average L_eq for public transport being much higher than that of other travel modes. A-weighted equivalent sound pressure level measured over 24 h for each individual (L_eq,24h, dB(A)) varied significantly for residents living in the same residential neighborhood, ranging from 36 to 97 dB(A), with the majority of respondents being exposed to noise levels above 55 dB(A) on both workdays and weekends. Regarding the noise-health relationships, the modeling results showed that individual-level objective noise exposure based on space-time behaviors measured over a 24-h period (L_eq,24h) was strongly associated with residents' self-reported mental health. Higher exposure to noise was significantly associated with worse mental health. However, personal noise exposure at the activity/travel episode level (L_eq) was not significantly associated with mental health on weekdays, but this link turned out to be significant in the weekend model.

CONCLUSIONS

There were large variations in personal noise exposure associated with different activity types and travel modes, and the individual-level noise exposure varied significantly across time of day and between residents living in the same residential neighborhood. Variations in personal exposure strongly depend on different space-time behaviors and individual-specific microenvironments experienced in daily life, and they were significantly correlated with mental health.

Common mental disorders prevalence in adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analyses

An increasing number of original studies suggest the relevance of assessing mental health; however, there has been a lack of knowledge about the magnitude of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) in adolescents worldwide. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of CMD in adolescents, from the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Only studies composed by adolescents (10 to 19 years old) that evaluated the CMD prevalence according to the GHQ-12 were considered. The studies were searched in Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, Adolec, Google Scholar, PsycINFO and Proquest. In addition, the reference lists of relevant reports were screened to identify potentially eligible articles. Studies were selected by independent reviewers, who also extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Meta-analyses were performed to summarize the prevalence of CMD and estimate heterogeneity across studies. A total of 43 studies were included. Among studies that adopted the cut-off point of 3, the prevalence of CMD was 31.0% (CI 95% 28.0-34.0; I2 = 97.5%) and was more prevalent among girls. In studies that used the cut-off point of 4, the prevalence of CMD was 25.0% (CI 95% 19.0-32.0; I2 = 99.8%). Global prevalence of CMD in adolescents was 25.0% and 31.0%, using the GHQ cut-off point of 4 and 3, respectively. These results point to the need to include mental health as an important component of health in adolescence and to the need to include CMD screening as a first step in the prevention and control of mental disorders.

Using structural equation modeling to examine pathways between perceived residential green space and mental health among internal migrants in China

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence suggests that exposure to residential green space is beneficial for people's mental health along multiple pathways. It remains unknown, however, whether the complex pathways found for the general population also apply to internal migrants in China.

AIM

To examine the mediators of green space-mental health associations among migrants in the metropolis of Shenzhen, China.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 591 migrants aged between 18 and 68 years in January-April 2017 in Shenzhen, a city facing a considerable inflow of rural-urban migration. Migrants' mental health was assessed using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Data on migrant's green space perception, migration characteristics, environmental disturbances, social cohesion, physical health, etc. were obtained through a questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the mechanisms underlying the green space-mental health association.

RESULTS

No direct effect of perceived green space on migrants' mental health was found. We did find, however, that perceived green space is significantly and indirectly related to mental health through reducing perceived environmental disturbance and enhancing social cohesion. Migrants' residential mobility presented a significant potential risk to migrants' physical health and might influence their mental health indirectly. A similar but only weakly significant health-threatening effect was found for migration frequency. Male and female respondents showed different patterns regarding their physical and mental health status. Migrants with higher personal incomes seemed to face a lower mental health risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest distinctive pathways through which residential green space could affect the mental health of internal migrants in China. Further studies in rapidly urbanizing areas are advised to evaluate green space-mental health relationships for specific population groups/subgroups with distinctive socioeconomic backgrounds.

Evidence for Environmental Noise Effects on Health for the United Kingdom Policy Context: A Systematic Review of the Effects of Environmental Noise on Mental Health, Wellbeing, Quality of Life, Cancer, Dementia, Birth, Reproductive Outcomes, and Cognition

This systematic review commissioned by the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), considers how the evidence base for noise effects on health has changed following the recent reviews undertaken for the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines. This systematic review assesses the quality of the evidence for environmental noise effects on mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life; birth and reproductive outcomes; and cognition for papers published since the WHO reviews (mid-2015 to March 2019), as well as for cancer and dementia (January 2014 to March 2019). Using the GRADE methodology (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) most evidence was rated as low quality as opposed to very low quality in the previous reviews. There is now low-quality evidence for a harmful effect of road traffic noise on medication use and interview measures of depression and anxiety and low quality evidence for a harmful effect of road traffic noise, aircraft noise, and railway noise on some cancer outcomes. Many other conclusions from the WHO evidence reviews remain unchanged. The conclusions remain limited by the low number of studies for many outcomes. The quantification of health effects for other noise sources including wind turbine, neighbour, industrial, and combined noise remains a research priority.

Assessment of noise pollution and its effects on human health in industrial hub of Pakistan

Faisalabad is one of the major industrial cities of Pakistan, which may cause noise pollution to the local residents due to the development of robust industrial and transport systems. This study aimed at (i) mapping the noise pollution levels at various locations of Faisalabad city; (ii) comparing noise pollution levels in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening for each source; and (iii) assessing nonauditory effects of noise on human health. Two industries and 43 famous/busy locations of Faisalabad Sadar were selected to study noise pollution by using the sound level meter for the period of 24 h. A questionnaire-based survey was carried out near the sampling points to get a public perception about the health impacts of noise pollution. The measured equivalent sound pressure levels (SPLeq) were higher than the permissible limits at all the sampling locations during morning, afternoon, and evening hours. The maximum sound pressure level (SPL_max) was 102 dB inside the production unit in the afternoon at Mian Muhammad Siddiq Textile Loom industry. The average SPL was found at State Bank road (102 dB), Children's Hospital (101 dB), Jhang Bazar (100 dB) in the afternoon and at Punjab Medical College in the evening (97 dB). Based on the survey, 94% of respondents reported headache, 76% sleeplessness, 74% hypertension, 74% physiological stress, 64% elevated blood pressure levels, and 60% dizziness due to noise. Noise pollution is higher than the standard limits and causes auditory as well as nonauditory effects on humans. The vehicles and industrial machinery should be maintained, and sound proofing and protection equipment should be provided to the workforce in order to protect them from extreme noise levels.

Environmental noise and sleep and mental health outcomes in a nationally representative sample of urban US adolescents

BACKGROUND

Environmental noise has been linked to negative health outcomes, like poor sleep, poor mental health, and cardiovascular disease, and likely accounts for more than 1 million disability-adjusted life years annually in Western Europe. Adolescence may be a particularly sensitive period for noise exposure due to an increased need for sleep, failure to meet sleep guidelines, and increased risk for first onset of some mental health disorders. However, the potential health effects of living in high-noise environments have not been studied in US adolescents, rarely in European adolescents, and mental health outcomes studied have not corresponded to diagnoses from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

METHODS

Using a US-based nationally representative survey of urban adolescents (N = 4,508), we estimated associations of day-night average sound levels exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency's 55 decibel limit with sleep outcomes and lifetime mental health DSM diagnoses. We implemented doubly robust targeted minimum loss-based estimation coupled with propensity score matching to account for numerous potential adolescent, household, and environmental confounders.

RESULTS

Living in a high- versus low-noise Census block group was associated with later bedtimes on weeknights (0.48 hours, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.15, 1.12) and weekend nights (0.65 hours, 95% CI = 0.37, 0.93), but not with total hours slept. Associations between living in a high- versus low-noise Census block group and mental disorders were mixed, with wide CIs, and not robust to sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

We find evidence for an association between residence in a high-noise area and later bedtimes among urban adolescents but no consistent evidence of such an association with mental health disorders.

Neighborhood affluence is not associated with positive and negative valence processing in adults with mood and anxiety disorders: A Bayesian inference approach

Survey-based studies show that neighborhood disadvantage is associated with community reported mental health problems. However, fewer studies have examined whether neighborhood characteristics have measurable impact on mental health status of individuals in general and whether neighborhood characteristics impact positive/negative valence processing at both behavioral and brain levels. This study addressed these questions by investigating effects of census-based neighborhood affluence on self-reported symptoms, brain functions, and structures associated with positive/negative valence processing in a sample of individuals with mood and anxiety disorders (n = 262). Employing a Bayesian inference approach, our investigation demonstrates that neighborhood affluence fails to be associated with positive/negative valence processing measured across multiple modalities, with the only effects of neighborhood affluence identified in trait anxiety scores. These findings highlight that while community-based relationships between neighborhood characteristics and mental health problems are strong, it is much less clear that these characteristics have a measurable impact on the individual.

Traffic noise exposure of high-rise residential buildings in urban area

Noise pollution is a major factor of environmental complaints in many cities, which has significant impacts on human health. As a dominating source of environmental noise, the impact of road traffic noise is increasing. Residents living in high-rise buildings along the main road are severely affected by traffic noise. In order to assess the noise level of urban area along the main road in Guangzhou, three buildings were selected to conduct traffic noise measurements, and the questionnaire about traffic noise impact on human being was completed. Through the questionnaire, around 70% of participants consider the traffic noise has negative effect, and about 60% of participants consider the noise has moderate or much higher impact on physical comfort. Around 65% of participants consider the noise had moderately or much higher impact on their psychological comfort. By analyzing the measured data, all of the measured noise levels in three buildings exceed the recommended limit of 55 dB (A) in the daytime and 45 dB (A) in the night for residence, and the exceeded value can be up to 16 dB (A). By comparing the fitting curve of noise level transfer function on each floor relative to the reference floor, the quadratic polynomial was selected to plot the transfer function rather than cubic polynomial.

Façades, floors and maps - Influence of exposure measurement error on the association between transportation noise and myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological research on transportation noise uses different exposure assessment strategies based on façade point estimates or regulatory noise maps. The degree of exposure measurement error and subsequent potentially biased risk estimates related to exposure definition is unclear. We aimed to evaluate associations between transportation noise exposure and myocardial infarction (MI) mortality considering: assumptions about residential floor, façade point selection (loudest, quietest, nearest), façade point vs. noise map estimates, and influence of averaging exposure at coarser spatial scales (e.g. in ecological health studies).

METHODS

L_den from the façade points were assigned to >4 million eligible adults in the Swiss National Cohort for the best match residential floor (reference), middle floor, and first floor. For selected floors, the loudest and quietest exposed façades per dwelling, plus the nearest façade point to the residential geocode, were extracted. Exposure was also assigned from 10 × 10 m noise maps, using "buffers" from 50 to 500 m derived from the maps, and by aggregating the maps to larger areas. Associations between road traffic and railway noise and MI mortality were evaluated by multi-pollutant Cox regression models, adjusted for aircraft noise, NO₂ and socio-demographic confounders, following individuals from 2000 to 2008. Bias was calculated to express differences compared to the reference.

RESULTS

Hazard ratios (HRs) for the best match residential floor were 1.05 (1.02-1.07) and 1.03 (1.01-1.05) per IQR (11.3 and 15.0 dB) for road traffic and railway noise, respectively. In most situations, comparing the alternative exposure definitions to this reference resulted in attenuated HRs. For example, assuming everyone resided on the middle or everyone on first floor introduced little bias (%Bias in excess risk: -1.9 to 4.4 road traffic and -4.4 to 10.7 railway noise). Using the noise grids generated a bias of approximately -26% for both sources. Averaging the maps at a coarser spatial scale led to bias from -19.4 to -105.1% for road traffic and 17.6 to -34.3% for railway noise and inflated the confidence intervals such that some HRs were no longer statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Changes in spatial scale introduced more bias than changes in residential floor. Use of noise maps to represent residential exposure may underestimate noise-induced health effects, in particular for small-scale heterogeneously distributed road traffic noise in urban settings.

Multiple pathways link urban green- and bluespace to mental health in young adults

BACKGROUND

A growing body of scientific literature indicates that urban green- and bluespace support mental health; however, little research has attempted to address the complexities in likely interrelations among the pathways through which benefits plausibly are realized.

OBJECTIVES

The present study examines how different plausible pathways between green/bluespace and mental health can work together. Both objective and perceived measures of green- and bluespace are used in these models.

METHODS

We sampled 720 students from the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Residential greenspace was measured in terms of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), tree cover density, percentage of green areas, and Euclidean distance to the nearest green space. Bluespace was measured in terms of its presence in the neighborhood and the Euclidean distance to the nearest bluespace. Mental health was measured with the 12-item form of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The following mediators were considered: perceived neighborhood green/bluespace, restorative quality of the neighborhood, social cohesion, physical activity, noise and air pollution, and environmental annoyance. Structural equation modelling techniques were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Higher NDVI within a 300 m buffer around the residence was associated with better mental health through higher perceived greenspace; through higher perceived greenspace, leading to increased restorative quality, and subsequently to increased physical activity (i.e., serial mediation); through lower noise exposure, which in turn was associated with lower annoyance; and through higher perceived greenspace, which was associated with lower annoyance. Presence of bluespace within a 300 m buffer did not have a straightforward association with mental health owing to competitive indirect paths: one supporting mental health through higher perceived bluespace, restorative quality, and physical activity; and another engendering mental ill-health through higher noise exposure and annoyance.

CONCLUSIONS

We found evidence that having more greenspace near the residence supported mental health through several indirect pathways with serial components. Conversely, bluespace was not clearly associated with mental health.

Pathways linking residential noise and air pollution to mental ill-health in young adults

BACKGROUND

Recent years have seen growing, but still tentative, evidence of the potential associations of environmental noise and air pollution with mental disorders. In the present study, we aimed to examine the associations between residential noise and air pollution exposures and general mental health in young adults with a focus on underlying processes METHODS: We sampled 720 students (18-35 years) from one university in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Residential noise (L_Aeq; day equivalent noise level) and air pollution (NO₂) were assessed at participant's residential address by land use regression models. General mental health was measured with a short form of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The following putative mediators were considered: annoyance from environmental pollution, sleep disturbance, restorative quality of the neighborhood, neighborhood social cohesion, and commuting/leisure time physical activity. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the theoretically-indicated interplay between exposures, mediators, and GHQ.

RESULTS

We observed an association between higher L_Aeq and GHQ, in which environmental annoyance and neighborhood restorative quality emerged as key mediators. First, L_Aeq was associated with higher annoyance, and through it with lower restorative quality, and then in turn with lower physical activity, and thus with higher GHQ. Simultaneously, higher annoyance was associated with higher sleep disturbance, and thereby with higher GHQ. NO₂ had no overall association with GHQ, but it was indirectly associated with it through higher annoyance, lower restorative quality, and lower physical activity working in serial.

CONCLUSION

We found evidence that increased residential noise was related to mental ill-health through several indirect pathways. Air pollution was associated with mental health only indirectly.