Attitudes to Noise Inside Dwellings in Three Megacities: Seoul, London, and São Paulo.

Pyoung Jik Lee,Rafaella Penedo,Carl Hopkins

doi:10.3390/ijerph17166005

Pyoung Jik Lee, Rafaella Penedo + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17166005

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Abstract

This study investigated people’s attitudes towards noise inside their homes. Online questionnaire surveys were conducted in Seoul, London, and São Paulo. The questionnaire was designed to assess annoyance caused by noise from neighbours and environmental noise (transportation). Information was also collected on situational, personal, and socio-demographic variables. Respondents that were more annoyed by outdoor noise inside their dwelling reported higher neighbour noise annoyance. In Seoul, neighbour noise was found to be more annoying than outdoor noise, and those with higher noise sensitivity reported higher annoyance towards neighbour noise. However, neighbour noise and outdoor noise was found to be equally annoying in London and São Paulo. For neighbour noise, the average percentage of respondents hearing structure-borne sources compared to airborne sources differed in each city. Most neighbour noise sources in São Paulo gave rise to higher annoyance ratings than Seoul and London. Education and income levels had a limited effect on annoyance and coping strategy. Annoyance with indoor noise from neighbours was found to have stronger relationships with cognitive and behavioural coping strategies than outdoor noise annoyance.

Highlights

More than half of the world’s population currently lives in urban areas and by 2050 it is expected that 68% of the world’s population will live in cities [1]
This paper investigates annoyance towards neighbour noise and environmental noise when people are inside their homes
This study investigated the annoyance of indoor and outdoor noise people feel inside their homes using questionnaire surveys from respondents in Seoul, London, and São Paulo

Summary

Introduction

More than half of the world’s population currently lives in urban areas and by 2050 it is expected that 68% of the world’s population will live in cities [1]. Environmental pollution associated with urbanisation has become a social issue in many countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), traffic noise (e.g., road, rail, and air) has the second largest public health impact in Western Europe, behind only air pollution [2]. Have examined the annoyance caused by traffic noise primarily in association with the noise level. Occupants are exposed to environmental noise that is transmitted through the façade, as well as noise from activities in neighbouring flats and communal areas that is transmitted through the walls, floors, and doors. Noise from neighbouring flats has been reported as the second most frequent noise source of annoyance in eight European cities, behind traffic noise [10]

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