Aircraft noise exposure assessment for a case-crossover study in Switzerland

Abstract

TPS 781: Health effects of noise, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 27, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background: The long-term effects of transportation noise on sleep quality, annoyance and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are being increasingly recognized. However, little is known about the triggering effects of noise on CVDs. To investigate the acute effects of aircraft noise on CVD mortality by means of a case-crossover study, a reliable and detailed noise exposure assessment is required. Methods: Individual aircraft noise exposures were assessed for a selected population from the Swiss National Cohort (SNC) residing around Zürich Airport in Switzerland. Outdoor noise was estimated at participants’ home addresses for case and control events, combining modeled aircraft noise with all registered flight movements between 2000 and 2016. Different noise metrics including equivalent continuous sound pressure level (LAeq), maximum sound pressure level (LAmax) or number above threshold 55 dB (NAT55) were used to quantify and characterize the noise impact during different night-time exposure windows. Results: Aircraft noise levels were generally highest during the evening time window (19 to 23) and lowest during the core night (23:30 to 06). Average LAeq were 46, 38, 21, 38 and 33 dB for the different time windows (19-23, 23-23:30, 23:30-06, 06-07 and 23-07 respectively). Average LAmax were 65, 53, 46, 53 and 58 dB and average NAT55 19, 1, 0, 2 and 4 for the same intervals. Average LAeq, LAmax and NAT55 during the two hours preceding night-time deaths for all case and control events were 34 dB, 52 dB and 3, respectively. Conclusion: This study is the first to provide individual aircraft noise exposures with high temporal resolution, using a list of movements and previously calculated aircraft noise footprints for different aircraft types and air routes at various times. The choice of the exposure events is flexible and precise, making this approach attractive for conducting a case-crossover study investigating short-term effects of noise on health.