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Impact of road traffic noise annoyance on health-related quality of life: results from a population-based study

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Abstract

Purpose

To estimate the impact of traffic-related noise annoyance on health-related quality of life (HrQoL) in a population-based study and potential effect modification by gender.

Methods

The study included 5,021 participants of the Swiss Cohort Study of Air Pollution and Lung Disease in Adults second survey. The association between traffic-related noise annoyance, measured on an 11-point scale, and HrQoL, based on SF-36 scores, was investigated by multivariate regression analysis. Effect sizes were calculated, and interactions by gender and chronic disease status examined.

Results

Thirteen percentage of the study population reported high annoyance due to traffic. Women were more likely to report high noise annoyance (adjOR 1.23; 95%CI 1.01–1.48). Except for general health, all SF-36 scores showed a significant negative association with noise annoyance. The respective effect sizes ranged between 0.13 and 0.54. Significant effect modification by gender and chronic disease status was present in specific SF-36 domains.

Conclusion

This paper presents first evidence of an inverse relationship of noise annoyance and HrQoL in a general population. Although the estimated effects are small to moderate for individuals, they may add up to a relevant public health impact.

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Abbreviations

adjOR:

Adjusted Odds ratio

BMI:

Body mass index

HrQoL:

Health-related Quality of life

lrtest:

Likelihood ratio test

SAPALDIA:

Swiss cohort study on air pollution and lung diseases in adults

SF-36:

36-Item short-form health survey

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Acknowledgments

Source of financial support: The study was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grants no 4026-28099, 3347CO-108796, 3247BO-104283, 3247BO-104288, 3247BO-104284, 32-65896.01, 32-59302.99, 32-52720.97, 32-4253.94); the Federal Office for Forest, Environment and Landscape; the Federal Office of Public Health; the Federal Office of Roads and Transport; the Cantonal Governments of Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Geneva, Lucerne, Ticino, Zurich; the Swiss Lung League; the cantonal Lung Leagues of Basel-Stadt/Basel-Landschaft, Geneva, Ticino and Zurich. Additional contributions: We are indebted to the study participants, the SAPALDIA directorate and scientific team, and the technical and administrative support, medical personal and field workers at the local study sites. This work could not have been done without their commitment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at Swiss Tropical Institute, Associated Institute of the University of Basel, Steinengraben 49, 4051, Basel, Switzerland

    Julia Dratva, Elisabeth Zemp, Denise Felber Dietrich & Christian Schindler

  2. Division of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital of Geneva, 24 rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland

    Pierre-Olivier Bridevaux, Thierry Rochat & Margaret W. Gerbase

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  1. Julia Dratva
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  2. Elisabeth Zemp
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  4. Pierre-Olivier Bridevaux
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  7. Margaret W. Gerbase
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Correspondence to Julia Dratva.

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Dratva, J., Zemp, E., Dietrich, D.F. et al. Impact of road traffic noise annoyance on health-related quality of life: results from a population-based study. Qual Life Res 19, 37–46 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9571-2

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