| 1. |
- Bartels, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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The impact of nocturnal road traffic noise, bedroom window orientation, and work-related stress on subjective sleep quality: results of a cross-sectional study among working women.
- 2021
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Ingår i: International archives of occupational and environmental health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-1246 .- 0340-0131. ; 94, s. 1523-1536
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To examine the effect of work-related stress and road noise exposure on self-rated sleep and potential additive interaction effects.Sleep and predictor variables were surveyed within two subsamples with 2191 and 1764 working women in a cross-sectional study. Sleep was assessed using a single question on general sleep quality and four questions on specific sleep problems and subsequently dichotomized (poor sleep vs. no poor sleep). Work-related stress was operationalized by job strain and effort-reward imbalance. Nocturnal exposure to road traffic noise was assessed as (a) the orientation of the bedroom window to a quiet façade vs. a low-, medium- or high-trafficked street and (b) energy-equivalent sound pressure levels for night-time modelled at the most exposed façade (Lnight). We distinguished between low (<45dB(A)), medium (45-50dB(A)) and high exposure (>50dB(A)).Poor sleep was associated with job strain and effort-reward imbalance. The prevalence of poor sleep did not increase with increasing Lnight, but bedroom window orientation showed a non-significant trend. A quiet façade had a protective effect on sleep in each Lnight category. We found a non-significant trend for an additive interaction between bedroom window orientation and job strain.Noise levels modelled for the most exposed façade likely overestimate the actual exposure and thus may not be a precise predictor of poor sleep. Bedroom window orientation seems more relevant. Potential additive interaction effects between bedroom window orientation and job strain should be considered when interpreting epidemiological study results on noise-induced sleep disturbances.
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| 2. |
- Dzhambov, A. M., et al.
(författare)
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Protective effect of restorative possibilities on cognitive function and mental health in children and adolescents: A scoping review including the role of physical activity
- 2023
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Ingår i: Environmental Research. - 0013-9351 .- 1096-0953. ; 233
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- 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 expo some 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.
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| 3. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Hearing-related symptoms and occupational noise exposure among women: An intervention study in preschool and obstetrics care
- 2020
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Ingår i: 13th ICBEN Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem, Stockholm.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent cross-sectional studies have showed that preschool teachers and obstetrics personnel risk developing hearing-related symptoms associated with noise exposure. An ongoing cohort follow-up and intervention study will provide causal interpretations and evaluation of preventive factors. This presentation will include an overview of the project with focus on the intervention study, assessing effects on self-reported noise exposure and hearing-related symptoms. The intervention was performed at one preschool and one obstetrics care unit with two control workplaces each. A participatory approach was used, involving personnel, managers and health and safety representatives. The process followed a common structure in identifying, selecting, implementing and evaluating the interventions, whereas the interventions were tailored to each workplace. Survey data was collected at baseline and two follow-ups, and analysed using generalised estimating equation (GEE). We did not find significant positive effects of the intervention. Factors such as limited resources for implementation and other work environment deteriorations probably explain some of the negative results. Meanwhile, qualitative data indicated positive experiences of the interventions. Thus, we suggest further studies with control of implementation and other changes in the workplace.
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| 4. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Occupational noise exposure, noise annoyance, hearing-related symptoms, and emotional exhaustion - a participatory-based intervention study in preschool and obstetrics care
- 2023
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Ingår i: Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1933-8244 .- 2154-4700. ; 78:7-8, s. 423-434
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A participatory-based intervention was performed in Sweden, aimed at improving the sound environment in one preschool (n=20) and one obstetric ward (n=50), with two controls each (n=28, n=66). Measured sound levels, and surveys of noise annoyance, hearing-related symptoms and emotional exhaustion were collected before, and three and nine months after the interventions, comparing intervention and control groups over time. The results of this first implementation in a limited number of workplaces showed significantly worsening of hyperacusis, sound-induced auditory fatigue, emotional exhaustion and increased sound levels in the preschool, and worsening of noise annoyance in both intervention groups. Increased risk awareness, limited implementation support and lack of psychosocial interventions may explain the worsening in outcomes, as might the worse baseline in the intervention groups. The complexity of the demands in human-service workplaces calls for further intervention studies.
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| 5. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Qualitative studies on the experience of noise in communication-intense workplaces before and after a participatory intervention
- 2023
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Ingår i: 14th ICBEN Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem, 18-22 June, Belgrade Serbia.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Personnel in communication-intense workplaces are exposed to noise, occasionally so high they risk hearing-related disorders. Still, intervention studies are few, with ambiguous results. To increase the impact and sustainability of the interventions, we used a participatory method in which personnel and managers at one preschool and one obstetrics ward were actively involved in the intervention process. To identify work environment problems to target in the intervention, we performed qualitative focus group interviews prior to the intervention among 16 personnel and managers. Four main themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis: a challenging and harmful sound environment, the sound environment causing hearing-related symptoms and health effects, a good sound environment not being prioritised, and resourceful and motivated personnel. As the participatory intervention entailed implementation of several changes, we also performed interviews post-intervention among nine personnel and managers from the preschool and the obstetrics ward where interventions had been implemented. Five main themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis: increased awareness of the sound environment and risks to hearing and health, increased control over the sound environment, influence of the building and interior design, other factors influencing the intervention process (concurrent work environment issues such as stress, and limited resources), and motivation to maintain the positive changes. We conclude that the personnel perceive a risk to their hearing and health and that sound environment improvements should be prioritised in communication-intense workplaces. A participatory approach may facilitate motivation and empowerment to change, but resources and support are needed for comprehensive and effective implementation.
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| 6. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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The Impact of Occupational Noise Exposure on Hyperacusis: a Longitudinal Population Study of Female Workers in Sweden.
- 2021
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Ingår i: Ear and Hearing. - 1538-4667. ; 43:4, s. 1366-1377
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim was to assess the risk of hyperacusis in relation to occupational noise exposure among female workers in general, and among women working in preschool specifically.A retrospective longitudinal study was performed. Survey data were collected in 2013 and 2014 from two cohorts: randomly selected women from the population in region Västra Götaland, Sweden, and women selected based on having received a preschool teacher degree from universities in the same region. The final study sample included n = 8328 women born between 1948 and 1989. Occupational noise exposure was objectively assigned to all time periods from the first to the last reported occupation throughout working life, using the Swedish Job-Exposure Matrix (JEM) with three exposure intervals: <75 dB(A), 75 to 85 dB(A), and >85 dB(A). The JEM assigns preschool teachers to the 75 to 85 dB(A) exposure interval. The outcome hyperacusis was assessed by self-report using one question addressing discomfort or pain from everyday sounds. In the main analysis, a hyperacusis event was defined by the reported year of onset, if reported to occur at least a few times each week. Additional sensitivity analyses were performed using more strict definitions: (a) at least several times each week and (b) every day. The risk (hazard ratio, HR) of hyperacusis was analyzed in relation to years of occupational noise exposure, using survival analysis with frailty regression modeling accounting for individual variation in survival times which reflect, for example, noise exposure during years prior to onset. Occupational noise exposure was defined by the occupation held at year of hyperacusis onset, or the occupation held at the survey year if no event occurred. Models were adjusted for confounders including age, education, income, family history of hearing loss, and change of jobs due to noise.In total, n = 1966 hyperacusis events between 1960 and 2014 were analyzed in the main analysis. A significantly increased risk of hyperacusis was found among women working in any occupation assigned to the 75 to 85 dB(A) noise exposure group [HR: 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.4-2.9], compared with the reference group <75 dB(A). The risk was tripled among preschool teachers specifically (HR: 3.4, 95% CI: 3.0-3.7), with the crude Kaplan-Meier curve showing a higher rate of onset early in the working life in preschool teachers compared with all the other exposure groups. The risk was increased, but not statistically significant in the main analysis, for the highest exposure group >85 dB(A), where only six hyperacusis events were identified (HR: 1.4, 95% CI: 0.6-3.1). In the sensitivity analysis, where hyperacusis was defined as occurring every day, the HR was significant also in the highest exposure group (HR: 3.8, 95% CI: 1.4-10.3), and generally slightly higher in the other exposure groups compared to the main analysis.This study indicates increased risk of hyperacusis already below the permissible occupational noise exposure limit in Sweden (85 dB LAeq,8h) among female workers in general, and in particular among preschool teachers. Prospective studies and less wide exposure intervals could confirm causal effects and assess dose-response relationships, respectively, although this study at present suggest a need for risk assessment, improved hearing prevention measures, and noise abatement measures in occupations with noise levels from 75 dB(A). The results could also have implications for management of occupational disability claims.
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| 7. |
- Gyllensten, Kristina, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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Nurses’ and preschool teachers’ experiences of taking part in a participatory intervention project in communication-intense working environments
- 2022
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Ingår i: WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation. - : IOS Press. - 1051-9815 .- 1875-9270. ; 73:3, s. 857-869
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract BACKGROUND: Noise is a common workplace problem that can affect health and performance. High sound levels have been found in sectors that largely has been overlooked in noise research such as health care and education. In these communication-intense environments the work requires speech communication, thus making it difficult to wear hearing protection. OBJECTIVE: To explore nurses’ and preschool teachers’ experiences of taking part in a participatory intervention project aiming to improve the sound environment and the psychosocial work environment. METHODS: One preschool and one obstetrics ward took part in the study, and a qualitative design was used to evaluate the experience of the participatory intervention approach. RESULTS: Five main themes were found in the analysis: Awareness; Taking control of the sound environment; Influence of the building and interior design; Circumstances influencing the intervention process; and Motivation to maintain change. CONCLUSIONS: Despite demanding working situations and lack of financial resources, preschool and obstetrics staff described being creative in planning and implementing several different solutions to improve the sound environment at their workplaces, while interventions specifically improving the psychosocial work environment were fewer. Hence, our study suggest that a participatory intervention approach may facilitate participation and motivation, but resources and support are needed for a comprehensive and effective implementation.
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| 8. |
- Gyllensten, Kristina, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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The experience of noise in communication-intense workplaces : a qualitative study
- 2023
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : PLOS. - 1932-6203. ; 18:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The aim of the study was to explore and describe how workers in communication-intenseworkplaces in health care and preschools experience the sound environment. The depen-dence on vocal communication and social interaction poses a challenge using hearing pro-tection in these working environments.Method: A qualitative method was used, more specifically inductive thematic analysis was used, asthis approach was deemed suitable to explore the staff’s experiences of the sound environ-ment. Data were collected by interviews and to increase trustworthiness, several researcherswere involved in the data collection and analysis.Study sample: Workers from two preschools, one obstetrics ward and one intensive care unit took part inthe study.Results: Four main themes emerged from the thematic analysis: A challenging and harmful soundenvironment; Health-related effects of a challenging and harmful sound environment; Agood sound environment is not prioritised; and Resourceful and motivated staff.Conclusions: Workers in communication-intense workplaces in preschools, obstetrics care and intensivecare reported that there was a relationship between the sound environment and negativehealth effects. In addition, the results suggests that the high motivation for change amongstaff should be utilised together with an increased prioritization from the management toreach innovative context specific improvements to the sound environment in communicationintense working environments.
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| 9. |
- Loh, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Toward Child-Appropriate Acoustic Measurement Methods in Primary Schools and Daycare Centers
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Built Environment. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2297-3362. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Children spend a considerable amount of time in educational institutions, where they are constantly exposed to noisy sound environments, which has detrimental effects on children’s health and cognitive development. Extensive room acoustics measurements and long-term in-situ measurements in such institutions are scarce and are generally conducted using omnidirectional microphones. This study provides preliminary results of room acoustics in unoccupied conditions and in-situ noise measurements during occupancy, in classrooms and playrooms in Germany using an omnidirectional microphone, an adult HATS (head and torso simulator), and a child HATS. The results indicate that room acoustics of most of the sampled rooms need improvement (mid-frequency reverberation time, T30 (s) = 0.6 (0.3–1.1) and clarity index, C50 (dB) = 6.1 (1.6–10.4); speech transmission index (STI) = 0.7 (0.6–0.8); mean values and range); the sound pressure level (SPL) during activities was around 66dB (A-weighted equivalent level SPL) in both classrooms and playrooms using omnidirectional measurements, which is somewhat lower than similar measurements in other countries that varied in measurement periods; psychoacoustics parameters relating to sound fluctuation (fluctuation strength and roughness) show variation with increasing room volumes; and that there may be some benefit in considering child HATS for in-situ noise measurements. While the validity of these results in relation to children’s perceptual evaluation (using questionnaires, etc.) is subject to future investigations, the results highlight some of the nuances in the choice of transducers in measurements with children and potential benefits of psychoacoustic parameters in complementing the SPL-based parameters in more comprehensively characterizing the noise environments in educational institutions.
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| 10. |
- Persson Waye, Kerstin, 1959, et al.
(författare)
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Adopting a child perspective for exposome research on mental health and cognitive development - Conceptualisation and opportunities.
- 2023
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Ingår i: Environmental research. - 0013-9351 .- 1096-0953. ; 239:Pt 1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mental disorders among children and adolescents pose a significant global challenge. The exposome framework covering the totality of internal, social and physical exposures over a lifetime provides opportunities to better understand the causes of and processes related to mental health, and cognitive functioning. The paper presents a conceptual framework on exposome, mental health, and cognitive development in children and adolescents, with potential mediating pathways, providing a possibility for interventions along the life course. The paper underscores the significance of adopting a child perspective to the exposome, acknowledging children's specific vulnerability, including differential exposures, susceptibility of effects and capacity to respond; their susceptibility during development and growth, highlighting neurodevelopmental processes from conception to young adulthood that are highly sensitive to external exposures. Further, critical periods when exposures may have significant effects on a child's development and future health are addressed. The paper stresses that children's behaviour, physiology, activity pattern and place for activities make them differently vulnerable to environmental pollutants, and calls for child-specific assessment methods, currently lacking within today's health frameworks. The importance of understanding the interplay between structure and agency is emphasized, where agency is guided by social structures and practices and vice-versa. An intersectional approach that acknowledges the interplay of social and physical exposures as well as a global and rural perspective on exposome is further pointed out. To advance the exposome field, interdisciplinary efforts that involve multiple scientific disciplines are crucial. By adopting a child perspective and incorporating an exposome approach, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of how exposures impact children's mental health and cognitive development leading to better outcomes.
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| 11. |
- Persson Waye, Kerstin, 1959, et al.
(författare)
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Sound Quality Characteristics of Importance for Preschool Children's Perception and Wellbeing After an Acoustic Intervention
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Built Environment. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2297-3362. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Sweden preschool-age children spend most of their waking hours at preschool. At this age children undergo substantial physical and mental development and their hearing sensations may not be comparable to those of an adult. The preschool sound environment is loud and highly intermittent, and the acoustic may not be supportive for young children's hearing, and wellbeing. This article describes an acoustic intervention among seven preschools, and comparisons with three reference preschools. The intervention included changing floor mats to plastic mats designed to reduce impact sounds, adding damping cushions under chairs, change of ceiling absorbers and, in some rooms, addition of wall absorbers. The effect of the intervention was studied using a previously developed interview protocol, "Inventory of Noise and Children's Health," in combination with sound level and room acoustic measurements. A total of 61 children aged 4-6 years were interviewed before the intervention, and 56 after. A reduction of the sound levels in a range of LAeq 1.2-3.8 dB for meal/craft rooms and play rooms were found for the intervention preschools using stationary noise level meters, while this was not found for the reference preschools. The reverberation time (T20) decreased slightly after the interventions. The average room frequency response for the two room types tended to be more flat after the interventions. Further investigations are needed to see its importance for the perceived acoustic quality. The results linking children's perception and response to the measured reduction in sound levels, confirmed an association between reduced sound levels after the acoustic intervention and a 30% reduction in stomach ache, as well as in children's perceptions of scraping, screeching sounds. Children's perceptions of these sounds were further associated with important oral communication outcomes. Children's bodily sensations of sounds were also associated with psychoacoustic symptoms and wellbeing. Despite the seemingly modest reduction in sound level, the acoustic intervention was indeed perceived and reported on by the children. Future studies should pay more attention to how a supportive preschool acoustic environment should be optimised and acoustically described to take preschool-age hearing and perception into account.
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| 12. |
- Smith, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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A field investigation on associations between environmental noise and adolescent physiological sleep: An Equal-Life study
- 2023
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Ingår i: 14th ICBEN Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is a need for field studies incorporating objective measures of both noise and sleep. Within the EU project Equal-Life we performed an in-depth field study to investigate associations between nocturnal noise exposure and physiological sleep. Participants (n=109; 68 female) were adolescents/young adults (18-19 years) recruited from within the longitudinal birth cohort STARS, around Gothenburg, Sweden. The noise exposure and sleep of each subject was investigated for four consecutive nights, from Tuesday night to Saturday morning. Outdoor noise was measured with sound level meters mounted outside bedroom windows. Indoor noise measurements and audio recordings were made in the bedrooms. Sleep was measured with a headband (DREEM3) incorporating dry EEG electrodes. Questionnaires were administered every evening and morning, and included items on daytime activities, sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), sleep quality, sleep disturbance by noise, and the bedroom environment. Outdoor noise measurements were obtained for 465 days and nights. Nighttime levels ranged from 35.8 to 73.7 dB Lnight (mean±SD 47.6±5.5 dB Lnight). Twenty-four hour levels ranged from 39.5 to 69.1 dB LAEq,24h (mean±SD 51.3±5.4 dB LAEq,24h). Data analysis is ongoing, and results will be presented at the congress. We will determine associations between average noise levels (Lnight, and LAEq during the EEG-derived sleep period) and sleep structure. We will also determine acute effects of discrete noise events on sleep fragmentation including noise-induced awakenings and changes of sleep stage.
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| 13. |
- Smith, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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A laboratory study on the effects of wind turbine noise on sleep: Results of the polysomnographic WiTNES study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Sleep. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1550-9109 .- 0161-8105. ; 43:9, s. 1-14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Study Objectives: Assess the physiologic and self-reported effects of wind turbine noise (WTN) on sleep. Methods: Laboratory sleep study (n = 50 participants: n = 24 living close to wind turbines and n = 26 as a reference group) using polysomnography, electrocardiography, salivary cortisol, and questionnaire endpoints. Three consecutive nights (23:00-07:00): one habituation followed by a randomized quiet Control and an intervention night with synthesized 32 dB LAEq WTN. Noise in WTN nights simulated closed and ajar windows and low and high amplitude modulation depth. Results: There was a longer rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency (+16.8 min) and lower amount of REM sleep (-11.1 min, -2.2%) in WTN nights. Other measures of objective sleep did not differ significantly between nights, including key indicators of sleep disturbance (sleep efficiency: Control 86.6%, WTN 84.2%; wakefulness after sleep onset: Control 45.2 min, WTN 52.3 min; awakenings: Control n = 11.4, WTN n = 11.5) or the cortisol awakening response. Self-reported sleep was consistently rated as worse following WTN nights, and individuals living close to wind turbines had worse self-reported sleep in both the Control and WTN nights than the reference group. Conclusions: Amplitude-modulated continuous WTN may impact on self-assessed and some aspects of physiologic sleep. Future studies are needed to generalize these findings outside of the laboratory and should include more exposure nights and further examine possible habituation or sensitization.
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| 14. |
- van Kamp, Irene, et al.
(författare)
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Early environmental quality and life-course mental health effects: The Equal-Life project
- 2022
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Ingår i: Environmental Epidemiology. - 2474-7882. ; 6:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There is increasing evidence that a complex interplay of factors within environments in which children grows up, contributes to children's suboptimal mental health and cognitive development. The concept of the life-course exposome helps to study the impact of the physical and social environment, including social inequities, on cognitive development and mental health over time. Methods: Equal-Life develops and tests combined exposures and their effects on children's mental health and cognitive development. Data from eight birth-cohorts and three school studies (N = 240.000) linked to exposure data, will provide insights and policy guidance into aspects of physical and social exposures hitherto untapped, at different scale levels and timeframes, while accounting for social inequities. Reasoning from the outcome point of view, relevant stakeholders participate in the formulation and validation of research questions, and in the formulation of environmental hazards. Exposure assessment combines GIS-based environmental indicators with omics approaches and new data sources, forming the early-life exposome. Statistical tools integrate data at different spatial and temporal granularity and combine exploratory machine learning models with hypothesis-driven causal modeling. Conclusions: Equal-Life contributes to the development and utilization of the exposome concept by (1) integrating the internal, physical and social exposomes, (2) studying a distinct set of life-course effects on a child's development and mental health (3) characterizing the child's environment at different developmental stages and in different activity spaces, (4) looking at supportive environments for child development, rather than merely pollutants, and (5) combining physical, social indicators with novel effect markers and using new data sources describing child activity patterns and environments.
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Vincens, Natalia, et al.
(författare)
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Occupational and environmental noise exposure during pregnancy and rare health outcomes of offspring: A scoping review focusing on congenital anomalies and perinatal mortality
- 2023
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Ingår i: Reviews on Environmental Health. - : Walter de Gruyter GmbH. - 0048-7554 .- 2191-0308. ; 38:3, s. 423-438
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As environmental and occupational noise can be health hazards, recent studies have investigated the effects of noise exposure during pregnancy. Despite biological plausibility and animal studies supporting an association, studies focusing on congenital anomalies and perinatal mortality as outcomes of noise exposure are still scarce. We performed a scoping review to collect, summarise, and discuss the existing scientific research about the relationships between noise exposure during pregnancy and congenital anomalies and/or perinatal mortality. We searched electronic databases for papers published between 1970 and March 2021. We included 16 studies (seven on congenital anomalies, three on perinatal mortality, and two on both congenital anomalies and perinatal mortality). We assessed four studies on congenital hearing dysfunction as the definition of congenital anomalies includes functional anomalies. We found few studies on this topic and no studies on the combined effects of occupational and environmental noise exposures. Evidence suggests a small increase in the risk of congenital anomalies in relation to occupational and to a lesser extent environmental noise exposure. In addition, few studies investigated perinatal mortality and the ones that did, used different outcome definitions, so no conclusions could be made. However, a recent big cross-sectional study demonstrated an association between road traffic noise and stillbirth. A few studies suggest a possible association between congenital hearing dysfunction and occupational noise exposure during pregnancy. Future studies with larger samples, better exposure assessments, and better statistical modelling strategies are needed to investigate these relationships further.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Vincens, Natalia, et al.
(författare)
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Railway noise and diabetes among residents living close to the railways in Västra Götaland, Sweden: Cross-sectional mediation analysis on obesity indicators.
- 2022
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Ingår i: Environmental research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1096-0953 .- 0013-9351. ; 212
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Railway noise is expected to increase in Europe and Sweden as well, following recommendations for a more sustainable transportation mode. This forecasted increase might lead to higher level of noise exposure, higher population exposure and potentially increased night-time exposure. Evidence supports an effect of transportation noise on several health outcomes, including metabolic conditions such as diabetes. However, few studies were directed to railway noise; present studies on railway noise and diabetes so far show ambiguous results while some studies report an association between railway noise and obesity. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between railway noise and diabetes prevalence and to assess whether obesity might be a mediator in this association. The study population (N=5381) was randomly selected from residents living within 1km of a trafficked railway in Västra Götaland, Sweden. Survey data was combined with modelled exposures and health register data (ICD10 codes for diabetes). The study uses a cross sectional design, logistic regression analysis and a counterfactual mediation analysis. We found an increase in the prevalence of diabetes associated with the exposure to railway noise: OR=1.33 per 10dB increase Lden (95% CI 1.09-1.63) accounting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. BMI and waist circumference partially mediate the association between railway noise and diabetes. This is the first study to report an association between railway noise and diabetes in Sweden. BMI and waist circumference seem to be a potential mediators in this association. Still, future studies should further explore the mechanisms from noise to diabetes, considering different pathways in relation to obesity but also exploring other potential mediators.
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| 19. |
- Winroth, Julia, et al.
(författare)
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Child-Centred Room Acoustic Parameters of Public Preschools in Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: Buildings. - 2075-5309. ; 13:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Preschool should promote children’s well-being and development, but the indoor sound environment is commonly problematic. The aim of our research project Supportive Preschool ACoustic Environment (SPACE) is to identify acoustic quality factors resulting in a supportive sound environment for children. This paper presents the first phase of the project where acoustic conditions were measured in unoccupied preschool rooms and analysed in terms of reverberation time, early decay time, sound strength, speech clarity, unoccupied sound pressure levels, and several room features. The results were compared with current target values, building year, and socioeconomic status of the preschool. A child perspective on room acoustics was, in addition, applied and it was revealed that children may be exposed to a lower sound strength than adults, and that adults may have better speech intelligibility conditions than children. Rooms in newer buildings had a longer reverberation time in the 125 Hz band, lower unoccupied levels, and lower sound strength. These differences could be explained by the trend towards larger rooms and porous acoustic ceilings in newer buildings. We found no significant correlations with the socioeconomic status. Ongoing work will facilitate an analysis of the correlation between the room acoustic parameters, the sound environment and children’s perception.
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| 20. |
- Ögren, Mikael, 1972, et al.
(författare)
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Ground and Building Vibration Estimation for Health Impact Research
- 2021
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Ingår i: Notes on Numerical Fluid Mechanics and Multidisciplinary Design. - Cham : Springer Nature. - 1612-2909 .- 1860-0824. ; , s. 487-495
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Building vibration from railway traffic is relatively common in Sweden. The vibration causes annoyance and interferes with sleep. Less is known about long term health effects of living in dwellings exposed to vibration, which is why a research project named EpiVib has been started where more than 6000 persons living close to railways have been recruited into a health cohort. Therefore we need to estimate the vibration exposure. However, the number of dwellings makes it difficult to use measurements for all, and limits how much data on geology can be collected. Instead, a semi-empirical model was developed based on 829 measurements in the area and geology data from official maps. The resulting method divides all soil types in the area into three classes and then estimates the vibration for different distances to the railway, and different main layer depths.
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