Residential exposure to traffic noise and health-related quality of life--a population-based study

Studying the factors that affect urban road noise-case study: El-Tahrir Street, Al-Dokki Cairo, Egypt

Expanding road networks to accommodate various activities has significantly increased urban noise pollution, adversely affecting human health and quality of life. Numerous factors influence the noise level in urban areas, including road characteristics, traffic characteristics, surrounding buildings, and weather conditions. While previous studies have considered many of these factors individually, this study aims to integrate all relevant variables to comprehensively monitor and analyze their combined effects on noise levels. The objective is to determine the most influential factors that could be incorporated into effective noise reduction strategies. This research focuses on Cairo, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, where high noise levels are a persistent issue. A detailed case study of Tahrir Street in Dokki, Cairo, provides the basis for this investigation. One of the most crowded areas is El-Tahrir Street in Al-Dokki, which was selected as a case study in this research. This area experiences high traffic volume, with up to 1700 vehicles passing through within a 15-min interval. This significant traffic volume is the primary driver of the elevated noise levels in the area. Traffic and noise level monitoring was conducted using a field survey using the sound level meter. Consequently, a statistical analysis was conducted to investigate the correlation between different factors and the noise level and determine the most influential factors. The study revealed that traffic volume and congestion are the most significant factors influencing noise levels on Tahrir Street, exhibiting strong positive correlations (R = 0.38). Additionally, the study found an inverse relationship between vehicle speed and noise level due to high traffic volumes and identified that building characteristics and wind direction also play roles, albeit to a lesser extent.

A comparison of population-level exposure and equity tradeoffs across strategies to reduce fine particulate matter emissions from transportation sources in the northeastern US

BACKGROUND

Many climate mitigation policies to reduce transportation emissions have public health benefits related to ambient air pollution. However, few health analyses consider the equity implications of alternative policies. Equity can be conceptualized in many different ways that may be relevant to communities, decision-makers, and other stakeholders.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate alternative transportation emissions reduction scenarios across the northeastern United States considering population exposure reductions and multiple equity constructs.

METHODS

We developed four quantitative indicators reflecting equity constructs that aligned with stakeholder perspectives, including racial/ethnic exposure inequities, proportion of benefits in environmental justice communities, distribution of benefits among participating states, and rural/urban share of benefits. We analyzed numerous transportation emissions reduction scenarios for directly emitted fine particulate matter (primary PM2.5) covering 12 Northeast states and the District of Columbia. We used the Community Multiscale Air Quality model with the decoupled direct method to estimate the reduction in population-weighted primary PM2.5 exposure and the impact on equity for each scenario.

RESULTS

Scenarios that yielded greater reductions in population-weighted primary PM2.5 exposure generally emphasized emissions reductions in urban areas or states with large urban centers, with a more than threefold difference in benefits across scenarios. The higher exposure-benefit scenarios typically also had greater reductions in racial/ethnic exposure inequities but led to higher between-state or rural/urban inequality. Scenarios that targeted uniform percentage emission reductions from light or heavy-duty trucks best addressed rural/urban inequalities but led to the smallest reductions in racial/ethnic inequity.

CONCLUSION

There are intrinsic tradeoffs among equity constructs, where focusing resources on distributing benefits across states or between urban and rural populations could come at the expense of less reduction in racial/ethnic exposure inequities or in environmental justice communities. Future health benefits analyses should incorporate multiple equity indicators that reflect different stakeholder perspectives and articulate the underlying constructs and tradeoffs.

Association of transportation noise with cardiovascular diseases

This comprehensive article delves into the intricate and multifaceted issue of noise pollution, shedding light on its diverse sources, profound health implications, and the economic burden it imposes on societies. Noise pollution is an increasingly prevalent environmental challenge, impacting millions of people worldwide, often without their full awareness of its adverse effects. Drawing from a wealth of scientific research, the article underscores the well-established links between noise pollution and a spectrum of health issues, including cardiovascular diseases, sleep disturbances, and psychological stress. While exploring the sources and consequences of noise pollution, the article highlights the urgent need for a holistic and collaborative approach to mitigate its impact. This entails a combination of regulatory measures, technological innovations, urban planning strategies, and public education campaigns. It is increasingly evident that the detrimental effects of noise pollution extend beyond physical health, encompassing mental and social well-being. The article also addresses the synergistic relationship between noise pollution and other environmental stressors, emphasizing the importance of considering noise in conjunction with factors like air pollution and access to green spaces. It examines the potential of green spaces to mitigate the effects of noise pollution and enhance overall health.

Long-term noise exposures and cardiovascular diseases mortality: A study in 5 U.S. states

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have linked noise exposure with adverse cardiovascular events. However, evidence remains inconsistent, and most previous studies only focused on traffic noise, excluding other anthropogenic sources like constructions, industrial process and commercial activities. Additionally, few studies have been conducted in the U.S. or evaluated the non-linear exposure-response relationships.

METHODS

We conducted a relative incidence analysis study using all cardiovascular diseases mortality as cases (n = 936,019) and external causes mortality (n = 232,491) as contrast outcomes. Mortality records geocoded at residential addresses were obtained from five U.S. states (Indiana, 2007; Kansas, 2007-2009, Missouri, 2010-2019, Ohio, 2007-2013, Texas, 2007-2016). Time-invariant long-term noise exposure was obtained from a validated model developed based on acoustical measurements across 2000-2014. Noises from both natural sources (natural activities, including animals, insects, winds, water flows, thunder, etc.) and anthropogenic sources (human activities, including transportation, industrial activities, community facilities & infrastructures, commercial activities, entertainments, etc.) were included. We used daytime and nighttime total anthropogenic noise & day-night average sound pressure level combining natural and anthropogenic sources as exposures. Logistic regression models were fit controlling for Census tract-level & individual-level characteristics. We examined potential modification by sex by interaction terms and potential non-linear associations by thin plate spline terms.

RESULTS

We observed positive associations for daytime anthropogenic L50 (sound level exceeded 50% of time) noise (10-dBA OR = 1.047, 95%CI 1.025-1.069), nighttime anthropogenic L50 noise (10-dBA OR = 1.061, 95%CI 1.033-1.091) in a two-exposure-term model, and overall Ldn (day-night average) sound pressure level (10-dBA OR = 1.064, 95%CI 1.040-1.089) in single-exposure-term model. Females were more susceptible to all three exposures. All exposures showed monotonic positive associations with cardiovascular mortality up to certain thresholds around 45-55 dBA, with a generally flattened or decreasing trend beyond those thresholds.

CONCLUSIONS

Both daytime anthropogenic and nighttime anthropogenic noises were associated with cardiovascular disease mortality, and associations were stronger in females.

Urban noise exposure assessment based on principal component analysis of points of interest

Accurate qualitative and quantitative information on the characteristics of traffic noise exposure in densely populated urban areas is an important prerequisite for reasonable traffic noise control. The primary objective of this study is the development and application of a traffic noise exposure evaluation method based on points of interest (POIs). First, an automatic query arithmetic is used to acquire geospatial information, POIs data, building and network information from the webmap. Second, the attribute matrix of preprocessed POIs for the population is constructed. And the population distribution is obtained by principal component analysis (PCA) of POIs and Gaussian decomposition of demographic data. Then, the modified traffic noise line-source model is applied to calculate the noise distribution considering attenuation among buildings based on measured traffic flow parameters. Finally, with the help of the proposed noise evaluation indicators, and considering the noise function requirements (NFRs, which can be divided into four classes according to different area land-use types), traffic noise evaluation is realized. The proposed method is applied to a typical region with four NFR classes. It is concluded that the characteristics of traffic noise exposure are affected by traffic conditions, buildings, NFR classes and population distribution. And the crowds exposed to noise present aggregation effects, which are usually centered around specific buildings. In addition, POI types which people actives related suffer more serious noise exposure, and exposure is overestimated at low requirement regions without considering crowd distribution of the setting scenario.

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

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

Neighborhood environment and quality of life among community-living older adults in Nigeria: The moderating effect of physical activity

Understanding how neighborhood environments are related to older adults' quality of life (QoL) and physical activity (PA) is important for public health actions on healthy ageing in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined associations of perceived neighborhood environment attributes with QoL among older adults in Nigeria and investigated the moderating effects of PA on these associations. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 353 older adults (mean age = 68.9 ± 9.1 years) selected from 5 high- and low-income communities in Maiduguri, Nigeria. QoL, attributes of the neighborhood environments and PA were self-reported using validated questionnaires. Multi-level models were used to examine the direct associations between neighborhood environment attributes and each of the four domains of QoL (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environmental health), as well as the moderating effects of leisure-time and total PA. Seven of nine neighborhood environment features were positively associated with multiple domains of QoL. Residential density, land-use diversity, land-use mix-access, walking infrastructure, traffic safety and 'overall walkability' were positively related to both or either physical health and environmental health QoL among those who are physically active. In contrast, walking infrastructure, traffic safety, and 'overall walkability' were negatively related to psychological health QoL among those not physically active. Our findings suggest being physically active moderates the association of neighborhood environments with QoL among Nigerian older adults. We suggest that designing age-friendly communities and simultaneously promoting PA may be needed to improve QoL and help prepare the Nigerian society for the predicted increase in the older adult population.

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.

Evaluating the Impact of Social and Built Environments on Health-Related Quality of Life among Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND

With almost 17 million U.S. cancer survivors, understanding multilevel factors impacting health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is critical to improving survivorship outcomes. Few studies have evaluated neighborhood impact on HRQOL among cancer survivors.

METHODS

We combined sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral data from three registry-based studies in California. Using a three-level mixed linear regression model (participants nested within block groups and study/regions), we examined associations of both independent neighborhood attributes and neighborhood archetypes, which capture interactions inherent among neighborhood attributes, with two HRQOL outcomes, physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) composite scores.

RESULTS

For the 2,477 survivors, 46% were 70+ years, 52% were non-Hispanic White, and 53% had localized disease. In models minimally adjusted for age, stage, and cancer recurrence, HRQOL was associated with neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES), racial/ethnic composition, population density, street connectivity, restaurant environment index, traffic density, urbanicity, crowding, rental properties, and non-single family units. In fully adjusted models, higher nSES remained associated with better PCS, and restaurant environment index, specifically more unhealthy restaurants, associated with worse MCS. In multivariable-adjusted models of neighborhood archetype, compared with upper middle-class suburb, Hispanic small town and inner city had lower PCS, and high status had higher MCS.

CONCLUSIONS

Among survivors, higher nSES was associated with better HRQOL; more unhealthy restaurants were associated with worse HQROL. As some neighborhood archetypes were associated with HRQOL, they provide an approach to capture how neighborhood attributes interact to impact HRQOL.

IMPACT

Elucidating the pathways through which neighborhood attributes influence HRQOL is important in improving survivorship outcomes.

Cycling for health: Improving health and mitigating the climate crisis

OBJECTIVE

To review the literature about cycling and health, and to provide an overview and discussion of the available evidence.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The MeSH terms bicycle and transportation were searched in PubMed. Clinical trials, practice reviews, and systematic reviews were included. All reference lists were reviewed for additional articles.

MAIN MESSAGE

Climate change is a threat to health. In Canada alone, transportation is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Active transportation, which is any form of human-powered transportation, can mitigate the health effects of the climate crisis while simultaneously improving the health of people. Physical activity improves overall well-being, as well as physical and mental health. Active transportation, particularly cycling, is a convenient way to meet physical activity targets, reduce risk of disease and all-cause mortality, and derive mental health and social benefits. Family physician advocacy for active transportation has been shown to increase cycling levels in patients compared with no physician advocacy.

CONCLUSION

Family physicians can help to increase the level of active transportation at the individual patient level through patient education and behaviour change counseling; at the community level through community education and political advocacy; and at the policy level through partnerships with larger organizations.

Le cyclisme pour la santé

Objectif

Prendre connaissance de la littérature sur le cyclisme et la santé, et fournir un aperçu des données probantes publiées et en discuter.

Sources d’information

Une recherche a été effectuée sur PubMed à l’aide des mots-clés anglais bicycle et transportation . Les études cliniques, analyses de pratique et revues systématiques ont été incluses. Toutes les listes de références ont été examinées, à la recherche d’autres articles.

Message principal

Le changement climatique est une menace à la santé. Au Canada seulement, les moyens de transport sont la deuxième source d’émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Le transport actif, qui est un moyen de transport propulsé par l’être humain, atténue les effets sur la santé de la crise climatique tout en améliorant la santé. L’activité physique améliore le bien-être général, ainsi que la santé physique et mentale. Le transport actif, particulièrement le vélo, est une façon commode d’atteindre les cibles d’activité physique, de réduire le risque de maladie et de mortalité toutes causes confondues, et de profiter des bienfaits sur la société et sur la santé mentale. La promotion du transport actif par les médecins de famille a augmenté les déplacements à vélo des patients en comparaison avec l’absence de cette promotion.

Conclusion

Les médecins de famille peuvent contribuer à accroître le transport actif au niveau des patients individuels par l’éducation et les conseils visant à modifier les comportements; à l’échelle communautaire, par l’éducation communautaire et le plaidoyer politique; et au niveau des politiques, en s’associant à de plus vastes organisations.

Environmental exposure during travel: A research review and suggestions forward

Daily travel through the urban fabric exposes urban dwellers to a range of environmental conditions that may have an impact on their health and wellbeing. Knowledge about exposures during travel, their associations with travel behavior, and their social and health outcomes are still limited. In our review, we aim to explain how the current environmental exposure research addresses the interactions between human and environmental systems during travel through their spatial, temporal and contextual dimensions. Based on the 104 selected studies, we identify significant recent advances in addressing the spatiotemporal dynamics of exposure during travel. However, the conceptual and methodological framework for understanding the role of multiple environmental exposures in travel environments is still in an early phase, and the health and wellbeing impacts at individual or population level are not well known. Further research with greater geographical balance is needed to fill the gaps in the empirical evidence, and linking environmental exposures during travel with the causal health and wellbeing outcomes. These advancements can enable evidence-based urban and transport planning to take the next step in advancing urban livability.

University Students' Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine

BACKGROUND

Online education became mandatory for many students during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and blurred the distinction between settings where processes of stress and restoration used to take place. The lockdown also likely changed perceptions of the indoor acoustic environment (i.e., soundscape) and raised its importance. In the present study, we seek to understand how indoor soundscape related to university students' self-rated health in Bulgaria around the time that the country was under a state of emergency declaration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Between 17 May and 10 June 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among 323 students (median age 21 years; 31% male) from two universities in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Self-rated health (SRH) was measured with a single-item. Participants were asked how frequently they heard different types of sounds while at home and how pleasant they considered each of those sounds to be. Restorative quality of the home (the "being away" dimension of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale) was measured with a single-item. A priori confounders and effect modifiers included sociodemographics, house-related characteristics, general sensitivity to environmental influences, and mental health. Our analysis strategy involved sequential exploratory factor analysis (EFA), multivariate linear and ordinal regressions, effect modification tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM).

RESULTS

EFA supported grouping perceived sounds into three distinct factors-mechanical, human, and nature sounds. Regression analyses revealed that greater exposure to mechanical sounds was consistently associated with worse SRH, whereas no significant associations were found for human and nature sounds. In SEM, exposure to mechanical sounds related to lower restorative quality of the home, and then to poorer SRH, whereas nature sounds correlated with higher restorative quality, and in turn with better SRH.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest a role of positive indoor soundscape and restorative quality for promoting self-rated health in times of social distancing.

University Students' Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine

BACKGROUND

Online education became mandatory for many students during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and blurred the distinction between settings where processes of stress and restoration used to take place. The lockdown also likely changed perceptions of the indoor acoustic environment (i.e., soundscape) and raised its importance. In the present study, we seek to understand how indoor soundscape related to university students' self-rated health in Bulgaria around the time that the country was under a state of emergency declaration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Between 17 May and 10 June 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among 323 students (median age 21 years; 31% male) from two universities in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Self-rated health (SRH) was measured with a single-item. Participants were asked how frequently they heard different types of sounds while at home and how pleasant they considered each of those sounds to be. Restorative quality of the home (the "being away" dimension of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale) was measured with a single-item. A priori confounders and effect modifiers included sociodemographics, house-related characteristics, general sensitivity to environmental influences, and mental health. Our analysis strategy involved sequential exploratory factor analysis (EFA), multivariate linear and ordinal regressions, effect modification tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM).

RESULTS

EFA supported grouping perceived sounds into three distinct factors-mechanical, human, and nature sounds. Regression analyses revealed that greater exposure to mechanical sounds was consistently associated with worse SRH, whereas no significant associations were found for human and nature sounds. In SEM, exposure to mechanical sounds related to lower restorative quality of the home, and then to poorer SRH, whereas nature sounds correlated with higher restorative quality, and in turn with better SRH.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest a role of positive indoor soundscape and restorative quality for promoting self-rated health in times of social distancing.

Associations between perceived environmental pollution and health-related quality of life in a Chinese adult population

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures are being used in increasingly diverse populations. However, there have no known studies to date to examine the associations between perceived environmental pollution and HRQoL in a Chinese population. This study aimed to report the associations between air, water, noise pollution and HRQoL among Chinese adult population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey data was used from East Asian Social Survey 2010 with a sample of 3866 Chinese populations regarding environmental pollution. HRQoL was computed by SF-12 and reflected by physical and mental component summary score (PCS & MCS). Ordinary least regression analyses were used to examine associations between perceived environmental pollution and PCS and MCS scores. Models in SPSS PROCESS were selected to demonstrate the moderating and mediating effects.

RESULTS

Only considering one pollutant, perceived air pollution and perceived water pollution had significant associations with PCS and MCS scores. Perceived noise pollution had significant associations with PCS scores. Perceived air×noise, air×water, noise×water, and air×noise×water pollution had significant associations with PCS and MCS scores. Conditional (moderated) mediation showed that there were no moderating effects and mediating effects of perceived one pollutant on another pollutant.

CONCLUSIONS

Co-occurring perceived environmental pollution were mainly associated with progressive increase in PCS and MCS scores among the Chinese adult population. These results suggested that some effective policies should be carried out to improve environmental quality in Chinese adult population.

Road Traffic Noise Exposure and Depression/Anxiety: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Unlike other World Health Organization evidence reviews, the systematic review on mental disorders could not provide a quantitative estimate of the effect of environmental noise. With that in mind, we aimed to update it with additional studies published through to 18 August 2019 in order to allow for a formal meta-analysis of the association of residential road traffic noise with anxiety and depression. The quality effects and random effects estimators were used for meta-analysis and the robustness of findings was tested in several sensitivity analyses. Ten studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, from which we extracted 15 estimates for depression (n = 1,201,168) and five for anxiety (n = 372,079). Almost all studies were cross-sectional and the risk of bias in them was generally high. We found 4% (95% CI: -3%, 11%) higher odds of depression and 12% (95% CI: -4%, 30%) of anxiety associated with a 10 dB(A) increase in day-evening-night noise level (Lden). Both models suffered from moderate heterogeneity (55% and 54%), but there was evidence of publication bias only in the depression model. These findings were robust with no evidence of study-level moderators. A sensitivity analysis on an alternative set of categorically-reported estimates supported a linear relationship between Lden and depression. Taking into account an overall quality assessment for the included studies, we conclude that there is evidence of "very low" quality that increasing exposure to road traffic noise may be associated with depression and anxiety.

Demographic, Life Style and Job-Related Determinants of Quality of Life of Industrial Manufacturing Employees: An Application of Multilevel Latent Class Regression on a Large Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Employees are one of the key elements of an organization and measure the quality of life (QoL) provides reliable assessment of health and wellbeing in this population. This study aimed at investigating the QoL in a large sample of Iranian industrial manufacturing employees and its determinants.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study conducted was in 2015, 3063 people were selected among 16000 Esfahan Seal Company's employees using multistage cluster sampling. QoL was evaluated by EQ-5D questionnaire, mental health by GHQ-12, physical activity by IPAQ, job stress by Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire. Self-report questionnaire was used for gathering demographic characteristics. Multilevel latent class regression analysis was used for data analysis using R (3.4.3).

Results

The mean (SD) age of the study participants was 36.74 (7.31), and 91.5% of them were males. The mean (SD) sleep duration was 7.11 (1.17), and 95.4% of the participants had normal mental health. Latent class analysis classified employees into two classes (high (82.4%) and low QoL (17.6%)). Also employees' job categories classified into high and low QoL classes (79.55% and 20.45%, respectively). Latent class regression showed that lower age (OR=0.93; P< 0.0001), being male (OR=1.75; p=0.009), lower levels of education (OR=2.1; P< 0.0001), normal mental health (OR=12.4; P< 0.0001), higher sleep duration (OR=1.2; P< 0.0001) and lower BMI (OR=0.96; P=0.016) were significant predictors of being in high QoL class.

Conclusion

Our study provides data about the QoL of industrial manufacturing employees along with its significant determinants. The findings picture the ways for improving QoL, finally increasing the efficiency and productivity of workforce by directing health policies appropriately.

Cities and Mental Health

BACKGROUND

More than half of the global population currently lives in cities, with an increasing trend for further urbanization. Living in cities is associated with increased population density, traffic noise and pollution, but also with better access to health care and other commodities.

METHODS

This review is based on a selective literature search, providing an overview of the risk factors for mental illness in urban centers.

RESULTS

Studies have shown that the risk for serious mental illness is generally higher in cities compared to rural areas. Epidemiological studies have associated growing up and living in cities with a considerably higher risk for schizophrenia. However, correlation is not causation and living in poverty can both contribute to and result from impairments associated with poor mental health. Social isolation and discrimination as well as poverty in the neighborhood contribute to the mental health burden while little is known about specific interactions between such factors and the built environment.

CONCLUSION

Further insights on the interaction between spatial heterogeneity of neighborhood resources and socio-ecological factors is warranted and requires interdisciplinary research.

WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Quality of Life, Wellbeing and Mental Health

This systematic review assesses the quality of the evidence across studies on the effect of environmental noise (road traffic noise, aircraft noise, railway noise, wind-turbine noise) on quality of life, wellbeing and mental health. Quantitative studies of noise effects on children and adults published from January 2005 up to October 2015 were reviewed. A total of 29 papers were identified. 90% of the papers were of cross-sectional design, with fewer studies of longitudinal or intervention design. Outcomes included depression and anxiety, medication use and childhood emotional problems. The quality of the evidence across the studies for each individual noise source was assessed using an adaptation of the GRADE methodology. Overall, given the predominance of cross-sectional studies, most evidence was rated as very low quality, with evidence of effects only being observed for some noise sources and outcomes. These ratings reflect inconsistent findings across studies, the small number of studies and a lack of methodological robustness within some domains. Overall, there are few studies of clinically significant mental health outcomes; few studies of railway noise exposure; and studies of large samples are needed. The lack of evidence for noise effects across studies for many of the quality of life, wellbeing and mental health domains examined does not necessarily mean that there are no effects: rather, that they have not yet been studied robustly for different noise sources.

A Multilevel Analysis of Perceived Noise Pollution, Geographic Contexts and Mental Health in Beijing

With rapid urbanization and increase in car ownership, ambient noise pollution resulting from diversified sources (e.g., road traffic, railway, commercial services) has become a severe environmental problem in the populated areas in China. However, research on the spatial variation of noise pollution and its potential effects on urban residents’ mental health has to date been quite scarce in developing countries like China. Using a health survey conducted in Beijing in 2017, we for the first time investigated the spatial distributions of multiple noise pollution perceived by residents in Beijing, including road traffic noise, railway (or subway) noise, commercial noise, and housing renovation (or construction) noise. Our results indicate that there is geographic variability in noise pollution at the neighborhood scale, and road traffic and housing renovation/construction are the principal sources of noise pollution in Beijing. We then employed Bayesian multilevel logistic models to examine the associations between diversified noise pollution and urban residents’ mental health symptoms, including anxiety, stress, fatigue, headache, and sleep disturbance, while controlling for a wide range of confounding factors such as socio-demographics, objective built environment characteristics, social environment and geographic context. The results show that perceived higher noise-pollution exposure is significantly associated with worse mental health, while physical environment variables seem to contribute little to variations in self-reported mental disorders, except for proximity to the main road. Social factors or socio-demographic attributes, such as age and income, are significant covariates of urban residents’ mental health, while the social environment (i.e., community attachment) and housing satisfaction are significantly correlated with anxiety and stress. This study provides empirical evidence on the noise-health relationships in the Chinese context and sheds light on the policy implications for environmental pollution mitigation and healthy city development in China.

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

Given the ubiquitous nature of both noise pollution and mental disorders, their alleged association has not escaped the spotlight of public health research. The effect of traffic noise on mental health is probably mediated by other factors, which have not been elucidated sufficiently. Herein, we aimed to disentangle the pathways linking road traffic noise to general mental health in Bulgarian youth, with a focus on several candidate mediators - noise annoyance, perceived restorative quality of the living environment, physical activity, and neighborhood social cohesion. A cross-sectional sample was collected in October - December 2016 in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. It consisted of 399 students aged 15-25years, recruited from two high schools and three universities. Road traffic noise exposure (L_den) was derived from the strategic noise map of Plovdiv. Mental health was measured with the 12-item form of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Noise annoyance, perceived restorative quality of the living environment, commuting and leisure time physical activity, and neighborhood social cohesion were assessed using validated questionnaires. Analyses were based on linear regression mediation models and a structural equation modeling (SEM) to account for the hypothesized interdependencies between candidate mediators. Results showed that higher noise exposure was associated with worse mental health only indirectly. More specifically, tests of the single and parallel mediation models indicated independent indirect paths through noise annoyance, social cohesion, and physical activity. In addition, the SEM revealed that more noise annoyance was associated with less social cohesion, and in turn with worse mental health; noise annoyance was also associated with lower neighborhood restorative quality, thereby with less social cohesion and physical activity, and in turn with worse mental health. However, causality could not be established. Further research is warranted to expand our still limited understanding of these person-environment interactions.

Transportation noise exposure and cardiovascular mortality: a nationwide cohort study from Switzerland

Most studies published to date consider single noise sources and the reported noise metrics are not informative about the peaking characteristics of the source under investigation. Our study focuses on the association between cardiovascular mortality in Switzerland and the three major transportation noise sources-road, railway and aircraft traffic-along with a novel noise metric termed intermittency ratio (IR), expressing the percentage contribution of individual noise events to the total noise energy from all sources above background levels. We generated Swiss-wide exposure models for road, railway and aircraft noise for 2001. Noise from the most exposed façade was linked to geocodes at the residential floor height for each of the 4.41 million adult (>30 y) Swiss National Cohort participants. For the follow-up period 2000-2008, we investigated the association between all noise exposure variables [L_den(Road), L_den(Rail), L_den(Air), and IR at night] and various cardiovascular primary causes of death by multipollutant Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounders including NO₂. The most consistent associations were seen for myocardial infarction: adjusted hazard ratios (HR) (95% CI) per 10 dB increase of exposure were 1.038 (1.019-1.058), 1.018 (1.004-1.031), and 1.026 (1.004-1.048) respectively for L_den(Road), L_den(Rail), and L_den(Air). In addition, total IR at night played a role: HRs for CVD were non-significant in the 1st, 2nd and 5th quintiles whereas they were 1.019 (1.002-1.037) and 1.021 (1.003-1.038) for the 3rd and 4th quintiles. Our study demonstrates the impact of all major transportation noise sources on cardiovascular diseases. Mid-range IR levels at night (i.e. between continuous and highly intermittent) are potentially more harmful than continuous noise levels of the same average level.

Noise Annoyance Is Associated with Depression and Anxiety in the General Population- The Contribution of Aircraft Noise

Background

While noise annoyance has become recognized as an important environmental stressor, its association to mental health has hardly been studied. We therefore determined the association of noise annoyance to anxiety and depression and explored the contribution of diverse environmental sources to overall noise annoyance.

Patients and Methods

We investigated cross-sectional data of n = 15.010 participants of the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS), a population-based, prospective, single-center cohort study in Mid-Germany (age 35 to 74 years). Noise annoyance was assessed separately for road traffic, aircraft, railways, industrial, neighborhood indoor and outdoor noise (“during the day”; “in your sleep”) on 5-point scales (“not at all” to “extremely”); depression and anxiety were assessed by the PHQ-9, resp. GAD-2.

Results

Depression and anxiety increased with the degree of overall noise annoyance. Compared to no annoyance, prevalence ratios for depression, respectively anxiety increased from moderate (PR depression 1.20; 95%CI 1.00 to 1.45; PR anxiety 1.42; 95% CI 1.15 to 1.74) to extreme annoyance (PR depression 1.97; 95%CI 1.62 to 2.39; PR anxiety 2.14; 95% CI 1.71 to 2.67). Compared to other sources, aircraft noise annoyance was prominent affecting almost 60% of the population.

Interpretation

Strong noise annoyance was associated with a two-fold higher prevalence of depression and anxiety in the general population. While we could not relate annoyance due to aircraft noise directly to depression and anxiety, we established that it was the major source of annoyance in the sample, exceeding the other sources in those strongly annoyed. Prospective follow-up data will address the issue of causal relationships between annoyance and mental health.

Long-term transportation noise annoyance is associated with subsequent lower levels of physical activity

Noise annoyance (NA) might lead to behavioral patterns not captured by noise levels, which could reduce physical activity (PA) either directly or through impaired sleep and constitute a noise pathway towards cardiometabolic diseases. We investigated the association of long-term transportation NA and its main sources (aircraft, road, and railway) at home with PA levels. We assessed 3842 participants (aged 37-81) that attended the three examinations (SAP 1, 2, and 3 in years 1991, 2001 and 2011, respectively) of the population-based Swiss cohort on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults (SAPALDIA). Participants reported general 24-h transportation NA (in all examinations) and source-specific NA at night (only SAP 3) on an ICBEN-type 11-point scale. We assessed moderate, vigorous, and total PA from a short-questionnaire (SAP 3). The main outcome was moderate PA (active/inactive: cut-off≥150min/week). We used logistic regression including random effects by area and adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and lifestyles (main model) and evaluated potential effect modifiers. We analyzed associations with PA at SAP 3 a) cross-sectionally: for source-specific and transportation NA in the last year (SAP 3), and b) longitudinally: for 10-y transportation NA (mean of SAP 1+2), adjusting for prior PA (SAP 2) and changes in NA (SAP 3-2). Reported NA (score≥5) was 16.4%, 7.5%, 3%, and 1.1% for 1-year transportation, road, aircraft, and railway at SAP 3, respectively. NA was greater in the past, reaching 28.5% for 10-y transportation NA (SAP 1+2). The 10-y transportation NA was associated with a 3.2% (95% CI: 6%-0.2%) decrease in moderate PA per 1-NA rating point and was related to road and aircraft NA at night in cross-sectional analyses. The longitudinal association was stronger for women, reported daytime sleepiness or chronic diseases and it was not explained by objectively modeled levels of road traffic noise at SAP 3. In conclusion, long-term NA (related to psychological noise appraisal) reduced PA and could represent another noise pathway towards cardiometabolic diseases.

Comparison of the Perceived Quality of Life between Medical and Veterinary Students in Tehran

Medical and veterinary professional programs are demanding and may have an impact on a student's quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to compare the perceived QOL of these two groups. In this study, we used the SF-36 questionnaire in which higher scores mean a better perceived QOL. Only the students in the internship phase of their program were selected so that we could compare the two groups in a similar way. In total, 308 valid questionnaires were gathered. Apart from age and body mass index (BMI), the two groups were demographically similar. The scores of five domains (physical activity limitation due to health problems, usual role limitation due to emotional problems, vitality, general mental health, and general health perception) and also the total score were statistically higher in medical students. Only the score of one domain (social activity limitation due to physical or emotional problems) was statistically higher in veterinary students. BMI, physical activity limitation due to health problems, and vitality lost their significance after binomial logistic regression. We found that, in general, veterinary students have lower scores for the perceived QOL with social function being the only exception. It can be assumed that in medical students, interaction with human patients may have a negative impact in the score of this domain. Even though medical students have shown lower perceived QOL than the general population in previous studies, veterinary students appear to have slightly lower perceived QOL than medical students.

Neighbourhood environment, physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in Hong Kong older adults: a protocol for an observational study

INTRODUCTION

The neighbourhood environment can assist the adoption and maintenance of an active lifestyle and affect the physical and mental well-being of older adults. The psychosocial and behavioural mechanisms through which the environment may affect physical and mental well-being are currently poorly understood.

AIM

This observational study aims to examine associations between the physical and social neighbourhood environments, physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in Chinese Hong Kong older adults.

METHODS AND ANALYSES

An observational study of the associations of measures of the physical and social neighbourhood environment, and psychosocial factors, with physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in 900 Hong Kong older adults aged 65+ years is being conducted in 2012-2016. The study involves two assessments taken 6 months apart. Neighbourhood walkability and access to destinations are objectively measured using Geographic Information Systems and environmental audits. Demographics, socioeconomic status, walking for different purposes, perceived neighbourhood and home environments, psychosocial factors, health status, social networks, depressive symptoms and quality of life are being assessed using validated interviewer-administered self-report measures and medical records. Physical functionality is being assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Physical activity and sedentary behaviours are also being objectively measured in approximately 45% of participants using accelerometers over a week. Physical activity, sedentary behaviours, quality of life and depressive symptoms are being assessed twice (6 months apart) to examine seasonality effects on behaviours and their associations with quality of life and depressive symptoms.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study received ethical approval from the University of Hong Kong Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties (EA270211) and the Department of Health (Hong Kong SAR). Data are stored in a password-protected secure database for 10 years, accessible only to the named researchers. Findings will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Critical assessment of day time traffic noise level at curbside open-air microenvironment of Kolkata City, India

BACKGROUND

The objective of the research work is to assess day time traffic noise level at curbside open-air microenvironment of Kolkata city, India under heterogeneous environmental conditions.

RESULTS

Prevailing traffic noise level in terms of A-weighted equivalent noise level (Leq) at the microenvironment was in excess of 12.6 ± 2.1 dB(A) from the day time standard of 65 dB(A) for commercial area recommended by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India. Noise Climate and Traffic Noise Index of the microenvironment were accounted for 13 ± 1.8 dB(A) and 88.8 ± 6.1 dB(A) respectively. A correlation analysis explored that prevailing traffic noise level of the microenvironment had weak negative (-0.21; p < 0.01) and very weak positive (0.19; p < 0.01) correlation with air temperature and relative humidity. A Varimax rotated principal component analysis explored that motorized traffic volume had moderate positive loading with background noise component (L90, L95, L99) and prevailing traffic noise level had very strong positive loading with peak noise component (L1, L5, L10). Background and peak noise component cumulatively explained 80.98 % of variance in the data set.

CONCLUSIONS

Traffic noise level at curbside open-air microenvironment of Kolkata City was higher than the standard recommended by CPCB of India. It was highly annoying also. Air temperature and relative humidity had little influence and the peak noise component had the most significant influence on the prevailing traffic noise level at curbside open-air microenvironment. Therefore, traffic noise level at the microenvironment of the city can be reduced with careful honking and driving.

Development of a quantitative methodology to assess the impacts of urban transport interventions and related noise on well-being

Well-being impact assessments of urban interventions are a difficult challenge, as there is no agreed methodology and scarce evidence on the relationship between environmental conditions and well-being. The European Union (EU) project “Urban Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China and Europe” (URGENCHE) explored a methodological approach to assess traffic noise-related well-being impacts of transport interventions in three European cities (Basel, Rotterdam and Thessaloniki) linking modeled traffic noise reduction effects with survey data indicating noise-well-being associations. Local noise models showed a reduction of high traffic noise levels in all cities as a result of different urban interventions. Survey data indicated that perception of high noise levels was associated with lower probability of well-being. Connecting the local noise exposure profiles with the noise-well-being associations suggests that the urban transport interventions may have a marginal but positive effect on population well-being. This paper also provides insight into the methodological challenges of well-being assessments and highlights the range of limitations arising from the current lack of reliable evidence on environmental conditions and well-being. Due to these limitations, the results should be interpreted with caution.