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EFFECTS ON HEALTH
lage newly exposed to aircraft noise, but not in a “control” village where the noise
level remained unchanged. In both studies, there was also an association between the
rate of contact with general practitioners and level of noise exposure. In the
Heathrow study (Watkins, Tarnopolsky and Jenkins, 1981), various health care indicators
were used – use of drugs, particularly psychiatric or self-prescribed, visits to
the GP, attendance at hospital, and contact with various community services – but
none of these showed any clear trend in relation to levels of noise. A recent study
found that the use of sleeping tablets and sedatives was elevated with increasing
night-time noise exposure, especially in the elderly (Passchier-Vermeer et al., 2002).
This has been judged to be “sufficient” evidence of a noise effect (Health Council of
the Netherlands, 2004).
4.8.4 AIRCRAFT NOISE EXPOSURE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN
CHILDREN
Poustka, Eckermann and Schmeck (1992) studied the psychiatric and psychosomatic
health of 1636 children aged 4–16 in two geographical regions that differed
according to the noise made by jet fighters frequently exercising at low altitude.
Psychological and neurological outcomes were not related to noise exposure. They
found that associations between noise exposure and depression and anxiety could be
demonstrated, but only beneath the threshold of clinical significance. These results
are less convincing because the areas differed socioeconomically and the results were
not adjusted for these factors and also because of lack of precision of the measures
of noise exposure. However, in Munich, children living in areas exposed to high aircraft
noise had lower levels of psychological well-being than children living in quieter
environments (Evans, Hygge and Bullinger, 1995). The longitudinal data from
around Munich showed that after the inauguration of the new airport, the newly
noise-exposed communities demonstrated a significant decline in self-reported quality
of life measured on the Kindl scale, after being exposed to the increased aircraft
noise for 18 months (third wave of testing), compared with a control sample (Evans,
Bullinger and Hygge, 1998). Impairment of “quality of life” is a less severe disturbance
than impairment of mental health. Further studies have examined the effects
of noise on child psychiatric disorders.
Chronic aircraft noise exposure was not associated with anxiety and depression
(measured with psychometrically valid scales), after adjustment for socioeconomic
factors, in the Schools Health and Environment Study around Heathrow Airport
(Haines et al., 2001a). In a further larger study of children’s health around Heathrow
Airport – the West London Schools Study (Haines et al., 2001b) – an association was
found between aircraft noise exposure level and increased hyperactivity scores on the
hyperactivity subscale of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman,
1997). These studies suggest that noise influences child mental health in terms of
hyperactivity and that it may affect child stress responses and sense of well-being.
4.8.5 NEIGHBOURHOOD NOISE AND MENTAL HEALTH
Noise from neighbours is the commonest source of noise complaints to local authorities
in the United Kingdom (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, 1999).
Noise which is continuous, apparently indefinite, of uncertain cause or source, emotive
or frightening or apparently due to thoughtlessness or lack of consideration is
most likely to elicit an adverse reaction (Grimwood, 1993). In the 1991 BRE survey,
NIGHT NOISE GUIDELINES FOR EUROPE