Objective exposure to road traffic noise,noise annoyance and self-rated poor health – framing the relationship between noise and health as a matter of multiple stressors and resources in urban neighbourhoods

Borrowing from concepts of socio-environmental epidemiology and psychology, we conceived self-rated health as a function of multiple physical and psychosocial stressors and resources at the residential neighbourhood and individual level. In this model of multiple stressors, objective exposure to road traffic noise was specified as a physical stressor whose effect on health may be mediated and modified by residents’ subjective response to noise (serious noise annoyance). Self-reported hearing disability, recreational coping in green areas and residential neighbourhood satisfaction were examined as additional psychosocial stressors or resources, independently of socio-demographic and -economic factors. Results from our empirical analysis based on two studies and multivariable logistic regressions might support the idea that environmental planning should overcome sectoral boundaries and adopt an integrative approach including objective exposures, residents’ subjective responses, and perceived resources.     

The relation between objective and subjective exposure to traffic noise around two suburban highway viaducts in Ghent: lessons for urban environmental policy

A growing empirical evidence base identifies environmental noise exposure as an important health problem. While the health effects depend for a great part on personal noise sensitivity and contextual factors, in environmental policy, generic noise standards and procedures based on objective sound levels are used. In this article, the relation between objective and subjective noise exposure variables is further explored by carrying out a residents’ survey in a highly noise polluted area along two highways south of the city centre of Ghent, Belgium. The survey results show only a weak correlation between objective and subjective exposure variables, with both variables demonstrating different associations with the respondents’ background characteristics. While lower-educated and lower-income people are generally higher exposed according to the models, they do not report a higher subjective exposure. People who have been living longer in the area are not necessarily higher exposed according to the models but do report a higher subjective exposure. Most strikingly, owners of a comfortable detached house report a higher subjective exposure than renters of an apartment or small house, while the latter group is significantly higher exposed according to the models. The results support a plea for the joint evaluation of both objective and subjective noise exposure variables in environmental policy and environmental assessments. In addition, the results argue for specific attention for noise exposure of socio-economically vulnerable people and the establishment of a shared knowledge base on noise exposure with both objective and subjective information.     

大庆油田道路交通噪声的相关分析

根据大庆油田主要交通干线噪声的监测结果与机动车流量、重车率、机动车运行速度及道路宽度等因素进行相关分析，找出了影响交通噪声的主要因素。回归分析表明：交通噪声与上述４个参数均呈正相关，其中机动车流量、道路宽度对交通噪声的影响较小，机动车运行速度对交通噪声的影响较大，对交通噪声影响最大的是重车率。根据分析结果，提出了交通噪声预测模式及控制交通噪声的建议。     

Resistance of Villages to Elevated-Road Traffic Noise

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the methods of reducing elevated-road traffic-noise levels in rural residential areas by controlling the relative locations and morphological parameters and to investigate the effect of noise barriers on noise attenuation along elevated roads and building facades in villages. This study selected six morphological parameters and used noise-mapping techniques to estimate the noise attenuation in 60 village sites. The results indicate that ‘quiet areas’ increase by approximately 10% for each additional 100 m increase in the distance between the elevated road and the village. The best strategy for noise reduction is keeping the elevated road 1,000 m away from the village and raising the road height to 20 m. The building façade conditions only affect the traffic noise level attenuation when the buildings are within 100 m of the elevated road. It was found that the cost-effective length of the road noise barrier is 600 m on both sides of the village parallel to the road. The results highlight the importance of using morphology to improve the traffic noise resistance of villages. The landscape shape indices of buildings and roads are the most important parameters that affect the traffic noise attenuation of elevated roads.     

Policy, personal dispositions and the evaluation of aircraft noise

In this paper, we hypothesize and test the ideas that (1) people’s subjectivity in relation to aircraft noise is shaped by the policy discourse, (2) this results in a limited number of frames towards aircraft noise, (3) the frames inform people how to think and feel about aircraft noise and (4) the distribution of the frames in the population is dependent on structural variables related to the individual. To reveal subjects’ frames of aircraft noise a latent class model is estimated based on survey data gathered among a sample of 250 residents living near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, a major international airport in the Netherlands. In line with expectations, the results show that there are four evaluative frames of aircraft noise, three of which are strongly linked to the policy discourse. The frames are associated with fitting levels of annoyance response. In turn, frame membership is influenced by two structural variables, namely aircraft noise exposure and noise sensitivity. The results indicate that social factors operate discursively in the explanation of subjective reaction to noise, while psychological factors operate within a traditional cause-and-effect model. The paper concludes with several policy implications.     

Noise annoyance responses of middle school pupils and teachers

The present survey study had three aims: (1) to compare pupils’ and teachers’ annoyance responses to classroom noise, (2) to compare females and males responses and (3) to test annoyance models that fitted both pupils and teachers. The study included 207 pupils, aged 13–14 years, and 166 teachers, aged 21–65 years. Both pupils and teachers rated chatter as the most disturbing noise source in the classroom. In line with predictions, the teachers experienced themselves as more sensitive to noise, had poorer hearing status, and reported more intense stress symptoms than the pupils. Contrary to expectations, the teachers were more annoyed and they perceived the noise to be more unpredictable than the pupils did. The control items showed a mixed pattern. There were no overall differences between females and males annoyance responses, but females reported having more stress symptoms than males. A conceptual model was tested with structural equation models, where noise sensitivity mediated the relationship between hearing status and annoyance, which in turn affected stress symptoms. Control and predictability were tested as moderators of the relations between stress symptoms and annoyance. The data fit the conceptual model reasonable well when both samples were included in the same test.     

基于BP模型对城市交通噪声的数据处理和预测

城市交通噪声的预测和评价技术是城市交通可持续发展的重要研究内容，直接为城市交通规划中环境容量分析和环境影响评价服务。本文通过实测的大量数据，运用神经网络中的BP模型及其算法建立车辆数、道路宽度和交通噪声之间的关系，对城市道路交通噪声数据进行处理和预测。     

The impact of visual factors on noise annoyance among people living in the vicinity of wind turbines

Wind turbines are highly visible objects and the response to wind turbine noise is possibly influenced by visual factors. In this study, visibility of the noise source, visual attitude and vertical visual angle (VVA) in different landscapes were explored. Data from two cross-sectional field studies carried out among people living near wind turbines (n=1095) were used for structural equation modelling. A proposed model of the influence of visual attitude on noise annoyance, also comprising the influence of noise level and general attitude, was tested among respondents who could see vs. respondents who could not see wind turbines from their homes, living in flat vs. hilly/rocky terrain, and living in built-up vs. rural areas. Visual attitude towards the noise source was associated with noise annoyance to different degrees in different situations. A negative visual attitude, more than multi-modal effects between auditory and visual stimulation, enhanced the risk for noise annoyance and possibly also prevented psychophysiological restoration possibilities. Aesthetic evaluations of the noise source should be taken into account when exploring response to environmental noise.     

杭州快速路、主次干道植物群落降噪功能比较研究

城市绿地是城市生态系统的重要组成部分,在改善城市生态系统方面有重要作用。现今交通是城市环境中的主要噪声来源,城市道路绿地是交通噪声治理的有效方式之一。本文选取杭州市西湖区不同等级的三条道路(紫金港路、天目山路和丰潭路)作为研究对象,利用手持噪声测量仪测量实时噪声对不同道路等级和距离的绿地降噪效果进行分析。研究发现,杭州市三条道路存在以下问题:(1)噪声距离道路越远越低,且噪声平均衰减率表明绿地降噪效果为主干道次干道快速路;(2)配置模式为乔木+灌木+地被的绿地植物群落的降噪效果最佳,且乔木和灌木交错的种植形式在降噪效果上优于灌木在前、乔木在后的排列式种植;(3)当道路绿地宽达到15m时,植物群落降噪效果会有大幅度提升,且快速路与次干道在距离为15m处,植物群落降噪能力最佳。     

新乡市声环境质量现状及其改善对策研究

以中原城市群强市-新乡市为例,介绍城市环境噪声的声源构成主要以工业噪声和社会生活噪声为主。随着城镇化规模的扩大,近年来的噪声监测值总体呈下降趋势,但道路交通噪声和社会生活噪声有增高趋势。结合声环境质量现状,提出了合理规划功能区布局、加强声环境管理、利用城市绿地降低噪声、提高单体建筑规划设计水平等改善对策措施。     

伊宁市市区道路交通噪声污染状况调查及防治对策

根据伊宁市市区道路交通噪声的污染状况的调查,分析了产生交通噪声污染的原因,提出防治交通噪声污染的对策。     

唐山市环境噪声状况及防治对策

以唐山市2003—2008年的噪声监测数据及调查资料为依据,通过对环境噪声现状、变化趋势的分析,发现唐山市环境噪声源主要为社会生活噪声、工业噪声、交通噪声和建筑施工噪声等,提出了相关防治对策,主要有加大宣传教育力度,提高环境法制意识;严格执行环保审批制度;加强交通噪声的管理;做好合理的规划。     

油田区域交通噪声污染现状分析

通过对油田中心区域主要交通干线昼间交通噪声及环境噪声的监测分析,找出噪声的污染现状,及对人们生活、学习产生的影响,为改善中心区域的交通噪声污染,提高人们的生活质量提供了监测依据。     

公路交通噪声防治措施探讨

本文针对公路交通建设项目的特点，探讨了公路交通建设项目环境影响评价中的噪声防治措施，包括合理规划、路面降噪、交通管理、敏感建筑物保护等措施。     

机场内部噪声现状多指标评价与防治研究

为分析飞机噪声对机场内部人员的影响，在某军用机场场区内选取九个主要建筑物作为研究对象，对其进行现场噪声测量，在实测数据的基础上，采用多项指标进行机场内部噪声环境评价和分析。结果表明：机场工作人员一直暴露在高噪声环境中，而且各类噪声事件均对其工作和身体健康产生影响，内场营区的声环境质量比外场工作区稍好，但离标准声环境仍有较大距离。最后结合军用机场的特点提出一些有针对性的防治措施。     

秦皇岛市环境噪声变化趋势分析与防治对策

以秦皇岛市2001-2010年的噪声监测资料为依据,通过对环境噪声变化趋势的分析,发现秦皇岛市环境噪声源主要为社会生活噪声、交通噪声、工业噪声,并提出了相关防治对策。     

Environmental Equity and the Role of Public Policy: Experiences in the Rijnmond Region

This Φ Ψ study of environmental equity uses secondary quantitative data to analyze socioeconomic disparities in environmental conditions in the Rijnmond region of the Netherlands. The disparities of selected environmental indicators—exposure to traffic noise (road, rail, and air), NO₂, external safety risks, and the availability of public green space—are analyzed both separately and in combination. Not only exposures to environmental burdens (“bads”) were investigated, but also access to environmental benefits (“goods”). Additionally, we held interviews and reviewed documents to grasp the mechanisms underlying the environmental equity situation, with an emphasis on the role of public policy. Environmental equity is not a priority in public policy for the greater Rotterdam region known as the Rijnmond region, yet environmental standards have been established to provide a minimum environmental quality to all local residents. In general, environmental quality has improved in this region, and the accumulation of negative environmental outcomes (“bads”) has been limited. However, environmental standards for road traffic noise and NO₂ are being exceeded, probably because of the pressure on space and the traffic intensity. We found an association of environmental “bads” with income for rail traffic noise and availability of public green space. In the absence of regulation, positive environmental outcomes (“goods”) are mainly left up to market forces. Consequently, higher-income groups generally have more access to environmental “goods” than lower-income groups.     

Determinants of noise annoyance in teachers from schools with different classroom reverberation times

A high proportion of school teachers report that they are disturbed by noise during teaching. The aim of the study was therefore to identify determinants of self-reported noise exposure and disturbance attributed to noise among secondary school teachers (n = 419) in 10 schools in Copenhagen, Denmark. The schools were selected to show contrasts in classroom reverberation times (RT), and were classified as “Short RT” (3 schools, mean RT 0.41–0.45 s), “Medium RT” (3 schools, mean RT 0.51–0.55 s) and “Long RT” (4 schools, mean RT 0.62–0.73 s). Significant determinants of self-reported noise exposure were a high number of children in the class, young age of the children, and low teacher seniority. “Long RT” classification was of borderline significance. Significant determinants of disturbance attributed to noise from children in the class were teacher seniority and “Long RT” acoustic classification of the school. The associations between work characteristics and noise disturbance measures were attenuated by low self-rated work capacity, suggesting that the consequences of noise and poor acoustics may not be limited to disturbance attributed to noise, but may have a wide negative impact on the perceived working environment.     

ANNOYANCE AND COMMUNITY NOISE: PSYCHOPHYSICAL MODEL OF DOSE – RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS

There is a paucity of theory pertaining to social surveys of annoyance and community noise. A new psychophysical model addresses data concerning resident annoyance in sites exposed to various maximum noise levels and different numbers of noise events. The best fits of this model point to the relevance of response variance for understanding the results obtained with category response scales. The argument identifies a number of psychological and physical variables that may influence annoyance reactions to community noise. Most importantly, the model suggests that the truncation inherent in category scales biases the responses, and that response variability may be critical in determining the detailed shape of the dose–response function. Regulatory decisions concerning annoyance and community noise should be more valid when based on a deeper understanding of the theoretical basis of the empirical data.     

对环境影响评价中常用的几种公路交通噪声预测模式的适用性研究

道路交通噪声预测是公路建设环境影响评价中一个重要的环节，它对我们判断、分析公路交通噪声对沿线保护目标的影响程度，以及针对影响采取何种有效措施有积极的作用；本文重点就目前环评中常用的几种公路噪声预测模型对省内已建成的不同等级公路进行噪声预测，并与其实际监测结果进行对比分析，据此，论述在相同争件下各种预测模式计算结果产生误差的原因，得出各种噪声预测模式的适用性结论。