Road-Traffic Noise

Annoyance, Risk Perception, and Noise Sensitivity in the Finnish Adult Population

Bibliographic Data

ID15475679
AuthorsEnembe Okokon (0000-0002-5799-5542, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, corresponding author), Anu W Turunen (0000-0002-4958-3599, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Anu Turunen (Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Neulaniementie 4, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland), Sari Ung‐Lanki (0000-0002-2596-2690, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Sari Ung-Lanki (Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Neulaniementie 4, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland), Anna‐Kaisa Vartiainen (0000-0001-9009-2989, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Anna-Kaisa Vartiainen (Department of Health Protection, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Neulaniementie 4, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland), Pekka Tiittanen (0000-0001-8604-0190, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Timo Lanki (0000-0002-3380-9717, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)
Year2015
Volume12
Issue6
Pages5712-5734
Publication date2015-05-26
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph120605712
PMID26016432
PMCIDPMC4483667
OpenAlexW2125446963
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited44

Exposure to road-traffic noise commonly engenders annoyance, the extent of which is determined by factors not fully understood. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence and determinants of road-traffic noise annoyance and noise sensitivity in the Finnish adult population, while comparing the perceptions of road-traffic noise to exhausts as environmental health problems. Using a questionnaire that yielded responses from 1112 randomly selected adult Finnish respondents, we estimated road-traffic noise- and exhausts-related perceived exposures, health-risk perceptions, and self-reported annoyance on five-point scales, while noise sensitivity estimates were based on four questions. Determinants of noise annoyance and sensitivity were investigated using multivariate binary logistic regression and linear regression models, respectively. High or extreme noise annoyance was reported by 17% of respondents. Noise sensitivity scores approximated a Gaussian distribution. Road-traffic noise and exhausts were, respectively, considered high or extreme population-health risks by 22% and 27% of respondents. Knowledge of health risks from traffic noise, OR: 2.04 (1.09-3.82) and noise sensitivity, OR: 1.07 (1.00-1.14) were positively associated with annoyance. Knowledge of health risks (p<0.045) and positive environmental attitudes (p<000) were associated with higher noise sensitivity. Age and sex were associated with annoyance and sensitivity only in bivariate models. A considerable proportion of Finnish adults are highly annoyed by road-traffic noise, and perceive it to be a significant health risk, almost comparable to traffic exhausts. There is no distinct noise-sensitive population subgroup. Knowledge of health risks of road-traffic noise, and attitudinal variables are associated with noise annoyance and sensitivity

Annoyance · Audiology · Environmental health · Injury prevention · Logistic regression · Noise (video · Poison control · Population · Road traffic · Statistics · Traffic noise · Transport engineering · Acoustic Wave Phenomena Research · Computer Science · Demography · Engineering · Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation · Mathematics · Medicine · Noise Effects and Management · Psychology

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