Rail traffic noise-induced nocturnal awakenings might lead to depression and anxiety disorder – Results of the Leipzig LIFE cohort study

Abstract

Background and Aim Recent studies found elevated depression risks for people exposed to traffic noise. In the LIFE cohort-study, we analysed the relationship between "awakenings” induced by maximum railway-traffic noise levels and affective disorders. Methods Based on the 5-year-follow-up of the Leipzig LIFE cohort study (n=5679 participants), we examined the relationship between address-specific rail traffic noise-induced "awakenings” and depression (incidence of 5.3% applying the CES-D scale) as well as anxiety disorder risks (incidence of 4.9% applying the GAD-7 scale). We converted maximum noise pressure levels induced by railroad noise into awakening probabilities according to Möhler et al. (2018), and we summed up the individual awakening probabilities to get the total number of nocturnal awakenings. Thus, for example, if the awakening probability for the passage of a freight train is 5.7%, then approximately 18 train passages would result arithmetically in 1 awakening. Results An increase in depression risk for ≥3 nocturnal awakenings was found (incidence rate ratio IRR=1.86; 95% 0.63-5.52, adjusted for gender, age and socioeconomic status) for rail traffic noise. The risk of depression reached statistical significance if people with missing values for depression at baseline were included. The risk of an incident anxiety disorder was increased due to an exposure of ≥3 awakenings due to rail traffic noise (IRR=2.56; 95% CI 1.02-6.43). Conclusions Increased risks for anxiety disorders (and less pronounced for depression) were found for ≥3 nocturnal awakenings due to rail traffic noise. Noise protection measures should take into account the reduction of maximum rail traffic noise levels to in turn reduce nocturnal awakenings. Keywords: rail traffic noise, maximum noise levels, nocturnal awakenings, depression, anxiety disorder, cohort study Acknowledgments: This study was supported by German Environment Agency (UBA). References Möhler U, Schreckenberg D, Müller U et al. Maximalpegelkriterien für die Beurteilung von Schienenverkehrslärm in der Nacht. Larmbekämpfung 2018;13:15-22.