HEALTH EFFECTS OF AIRCRAFT NOISE AROUND STOCKHOLM ARLANDA AIRPORT WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HYPERTENSION

Abstract

The number of people living in the vicinity of large airports is steadily increasing and the number of aircraft movements is continuously growing. Strong public health consequences of environmental pollution due to aircraft noise is thus to be expected. Beside general annoyance and sleep problems, serious psychosocial consequences cannot be excluded. Cardiovascular effects, such as development of high blood pressure has also been reported although the epidemiological evidence is still limited in this respect. Our objective is to study cardiovascular effects, such as elevation of blood pressure in relation to exposure to aircraft noise. Life quality changes expressed as general annoyance and sleep problems will also be taken into account. The study will be based on a selected sample of about 8.000 subject, 3.100 men and 4.800 women in the age span 42–65 years living in 5 municipalities outside Stockholm City. All study subjects have previously answered a questionnaire, men in 1992–94, and women in 1996–98 respectively. At the same time a baseline health examination and assessment of blood pressure and oral glucose tolerance test was performed as well as height and weight measurements. The questionnaire provided information on lifestyle factors, such as smoking, cost preferences and habits of physical activity. Advice was given regarding healthy lifestyles intended to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. A ten-year follow-up of the study subjects with a similar questionnaire and a new health examination is now commencing. The preventive efforts will be evaluated and the importance of environmental noise pollution on blood pressure and life quality will be assessed through questions about annoyance due to noise and blood pressure measurements. Information of residential settings from 1992 and onwards will be collected and all addresses are given geographical coordinates. About 10 percent of the study population are living in the vicinity of Stockholm Arlanda airport. Using available noise dispersion models from the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration, time weighted equal energy and maximum aircraft noise levels will be assigned to the addresses of the study subjects from 1992 to 2002. Differences in blood pressure levels, prevalence of coronary heart disease and use of medication for cardiovascular diseases will be analysed in relation to aircraft noise exposure. In the analysis, exposure to road-and rail traffic noise as well as occupational noise exposure will be taken into account. Potential confounding factors for hypertension collected via the questionnaire is also to be controlled for. Interim evaluation is planned and each time 1.000 study subjects shall be examined.