| 1. |
- Axelsson, Gösta, 1950, et al.
(author)
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Annoyance and worry in a petrochemical industrial area - prevalence, time trends and risk indicators
- 2013
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In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1660-4601. ; 10:4, s. 1418-1438
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abstract: In 1992, 1998, and 2006, questionnaires were sent to stratified samples of residents aged 18–75 years living near petrochemical industries (n = 600–800 people on each occasion) and in a control area (n = 200–1,000). The aims were to estimate the long-term prevalence and change over time of annoyance caused by industrial odour, industrial noise, and worries about possible health effects, and to identify risk indicators. In 2006, 20% were annoyed by industrial odour, 27% by industrial noise (1–4% in the control area), and 40–50% were worried about health effects or industrial accidents (10–20% in the control area). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed significantly lower prevalence of odour annoyance in 1998 and 2006 than in 1992, while industrial noise annoyance increased significantly over time. The prevalence of worry remained constant. Risk of odour annoyance increased with female sex, worry of health effects, annoyance by motor vehicle exhausts and industrial noise. Industrial noise annoyance was associated with traffic noise annoyance and worry of health effects of traffic. Health-risk worry due to industrial air pollution was associated with female sex, having children, annoyance due to dust/soot in the air, and worry of traffic air pollution.
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| 2. |
- Berglund, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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SBS descriptor profile groups of occupants and their association with psychological factors
- 1999
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In: Proceedings of Indoor Air '99, Edinburgh, Scotland, August 8-13, 1999. London: Construction Research Communications Ltd. ; 1, s. 870-872
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study is to identify groups of occupants with distinct descriptor profiles of sensory reactions in the eyes, upper airways and facial skin and to study the potential association between classes of such descriptor profiles and psychological factors. Occupants with similar descriptor profiles were grouped with the aid of cluster analysis. Five different distinct group profiles were found for each of the three target organs, however, a sensation of dryness characterized a major part of them (11 out of 15 descriptor group profiles). The psychological factors depression, anxiety, and somatization were found to be associated with the descriptor profile groups dominated by adverse descriptors in all target organs.
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| 3. |
- Clark, Charlotte, et al.
(author)
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Psychological restoration, coping strategies and children’s cognitive performance in the RANCH study
- 2006
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In: Proceedings of Inter-Noise 2006, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 3-6 December, 2006, Paper no in06_090 (Available on CD). ; :Paper no in06_090
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The RANCH study found a linear exposure effect association between chronic aircraft noise exposure at primary school and the impairment of children’s reading comprehension, in the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. This paper presents multilevel modelling analyses, exploring psychological mechanisms, which may moderate the effect of aircraft noise on children’s cognition. Psychological restoration – the process whereby places which afford tranquility and relaxation are utilized to reduce stress and promote well being – has been shown to reduce the adverse effect of noise on children’s annoyance responses. This paper examines whether having places for psychological restoration at home, moderates the adverse effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure at school on children’s cognition. In addition, the effectiveness of coping strategies in relation to noise exposure at school are examined – are specific coping strategies associated with less impairment of cognition? Multi-level models examining the role of psychological restoration and coping strategies, as part of a broader model of environmental risk and protective factors for children’s cognition are presented. The implication of the findings for interventions for children attending noise exposed schools are discussed.
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| 4. |
- Croy, Ilona, et al.
(author)
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Optimal questions for sleep in epidemiological studies: Comparisons of subjective and objective measures in laboratory and field studies
- 2017
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In: Behavioural Sleep Medicine. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1540-2002 .- 1540-2010. ; 15:6, s. 466-482
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Epidemiological studies on sleep often use questionnaires, and measurement of validity provides necessary guidance in selection of valid single sleep questions. Twenty-five items assessing different aspects of sleep, including overall sleep quality, specific sleep parameters, nocturnal restoration, and exposure-related questions, were tested. This involved coherence with objective polysomnographic (PSG) laboratory measurements of sleep in 47 participants and application of selected items under field conditions in over 3,000 participants. Items on overall sleep quality correlated significantly with PSG data. For specific sleep parameter questions, tiredness in the morning, time to fall asleep, difficulties to sleep and estimated number of awakenings were correlated to PSG data. Questions asking specifically about the effect of potential sleep disturbances correlated poorly with PSG data, but showed highest effects between environmental exposure (noise and vibration) and control nights in the laboratory and highest correlation with the dose of exposure in the field. In conclusion, healthy participants seem to be able to access their sleep reliably; and sleep questions asking about specific sleep parameters can be recommended for the assessment of sleep.
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| 5. |
- de Kluizenaar, Yvonne, et al.
(author)
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Annoyance and disturbed sleep due to road traffic noise: The importance of the least exposed side - QSIDE
- 2013
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In: The 42nd International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering Inter-Noise 2013, 15-18 September, Innsbruck, Austria.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Introduction: In urban areas, road traffic noise is a dominant source of environmental noise and a major cause of noise annoyance and disturbed sleep. It has been hypothesized that respondents highly exposed to noise at multiple sides of their dwelling, may be expected to be worse off than respondents with the same exposure at the most exposed side, but also having a quiet side to their dwelling. Previous studies provide support for this hypothesis, however to date only a limited number of studies have investigated this hypothesis. There is a need for strengthening existing evidence, and for further quantification of the effects. Methods: Within the EU project QSIDE, the effect of the least exposed facade on annoyance and sleep response is studied in different EU cities in Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands, including Gothenburg, Stockholm, Antwerp, Gent and Amsterdam. Results: In this paper we discuss the general picture arising from the outcome of these studies. We discuss what the implications may be for new situations (urban planning) and existing high exposure situations (noise abatement measures). Conclusion: The noise environment may be improved by taking into account the exposure levels, and promoting quietness, at the least exposed façade.
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| 6. |
- Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, Anita, 1957, et al.
(author)
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A full-scale intervention example of the quiet-side concept in a residential area exposed to road traffic noise: Effects on the perceived sound environment and general annoyance
- 2010
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In: 39th International Congress on Noise Control Engineering 2010, INTER-NOISE 2010; Lisbon; Portugal; 13 June 2010 through 16 June 2010. - 9781617823961 ; 3, s. 2468-2477
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The “quiet side concept” was tested in a full-scale intervention project in a residential area exposed to high sound levels from road traffic. Through new buildings that fill in gaps between buildings facing the highway, a considerable rebuilding of the dwellings and erection of a noise barrier, less noise-exposed courtyards and sides of the dwellings were created, although the definition for a “quiet side” (LAeq,24h <45 dB, free field value) was not reached. A longitudinal questionnaire study was conducted before (2004) and after (2009) the interventions. The results in the after-study 2009 show that noise levels, in general, were reduced with 5-10 dB at the most traffic exposed side and with 4-10 dB at the less noise exposed side (courtyards), general noise annoyance was decreased substantially, and the perceived sound environment indoors and outdoors was improved for three out of five investigated building sites. Although the implemented extensive interventions and the significantly lower noise levels, there were still a majority of the respondents in the residential area that perceived the outdoor environment as dominated by sounds from road traffic.
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| 7. |
- Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, Anita, 1957, et al.
(author)
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Attractive "quiet" courtyards: A potential modifier of urban residents' responses to road traffic noise?
- 2010
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In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - 1660-4601. ; 7:9, s. 3359-3375
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The present paper explores the influence of the physical environmental qualities of “quiet” courtyards (degree of naturalness and utilization) on residents’ noise responses. A questionnaire study was conducted in urban residential areas with road-traffic noise exposure between LAeq,24h 58 to 68 dB at the most exposed façade. The dwellings had “quiet” indoor section/s and faced a “quiet” outdoor courtyard (LAeq,24h < 48 dB façade reflex included). Data were collected from 385 residents and four groups were formed based on sound-level categories (58–62 and 63–68 dB) and classification of the “quiet” courtyards into groups with low and high physical environmental quality. At both sound-level categories, the results indicate that access to high-quality “quiet” courtyards is associated with less noise annoyance and noise-disturbed outdoor activities among the residents. Compared to low-quality “quiet” courtyards, high-quality courtyards can function as an attractive restorative environment providing residents with a positive soundscape, opportunities for rest, relaxation and play as well as social relations that potentially reduce the adverse effects of noise. However, access to quietness and a high-quality courtyard can only compensate partly for high sound levels at façades facing the streets, thus, 16% and 29% were still noise annoyed at 58–62 and 63–68 dB, respectively. Implications of the “quiet”-side concept are discussed.
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| 8. |
- Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, Anita, 1957, et al.
(author)
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Comparative studies on railway and road traffic noise annoyances and the importance of number of trains
- 2011
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In: 11th International Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem (ICBEN), 24-28 July, 2011, London, UK.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Railway noise is perceived as less annoying than road traffic noise, both in terms of general annoyance and sleep disturbances according to dose-response relationships from meta-analyses. However, findings in recent years from Japanese studies show, unlike most European studies, that railway noise is perceived as more annoying than road traffic noise at sound levels >LAeq,24h 55 dB. This applies particularly to the Japanese Shinkansen express trains as well as conventional trains. Several of the Japanese studies have been done in areas with a very large number of trains (about 500-800 trains/day). In the present study, the following research questions were asked: How does a large number of trains affect noise annoyance and can the differences between Japanese studies (railway noise more annoying than road traffic noise) and European studies (railway noise less annoying than road traffic noise) in part be due to major differences in the number of trains? Socio-acoustic surveys (n=1689) were conducted in residential areas exposed to railway noise with different number of trains (124 trains/day vs. 481 trains/day) and road traffic noise (LAeq,24h 45-65 dB in all areas) The findings show that the number of trains/day, and not only the equivalent sound levels influence how railway noise is perceived. When the number of trains is very large, (481 trains/day), the proportion who are annoyed and report disturbed activities is significantly higher than in a situation with fewer trains (124 trains/day) at equal sound levels and in comparison to road traffic noise >LAeq,24h 55 dB.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, Anita, 1957, et al.
(author)
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Good sound environment in green areas modify road-traffic noise annoyance at home
- 2009
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In: Proceedings of the 8th European Conference on Noise Control 2009 (EURONOISE 2009). - uo : Curran Associates, Inc.. ; , s. 1579-1587
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Conference paper (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- There has been a growing recognition among noise researchers that natural elements and natural areas of the built environment have potentials to reduce annoyance due to traffic noise. It has been suggested that presence of vegetation (e.g., trees, bushes, grass, flowers) contributes to an aesthetically pleasing environment, which influence overall residential satisfaction and people?s perception of the noise. Other expected benefits of natural elements/areas are prevention or modification of adverse effects of work-, personal-, or environmental stress (e.g., noise) through restoration processes. Within the large TVANE-project, the present study examined the effect of green areas (park or similar at walking distance) on noise responses in residential settings (n=468) exposed to road traffic noise (LAeq,24h 45 to 65 dB). A binary multiple logistic regression analysis, with sound exposure as the prime variable assumed to predict general noise annoyance at home, indicated that presence of green areas, a closer distance to it from the subject?s home, and perceived green-area characteristics (good sound environment, high attractiveness and potentials for recreational activities) significantly lowered noise annoyance. The results suggest that the exposure-response relationship between noise and annoyance is influenced by access to nearby green areas provided that they have good environmental quality, particularly regarding the perceived sound environment
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