Noise Annoyance in Urban Children: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study

Natacha Grelat, Hélène Houot, Sophie Pujol, Jean-Pierre Levain, Jérôme Defrance, Anne-Sophie Mariet and Frédéric Mauny
Additional contact information
Natacha Grelat: Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Besançon, Centre de Méthodologie Clinique, 2 place Saint Jacques, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France
Hélène Houot: Laboratoire ThéMA, UMR 6049 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR Lettres SHS, 32 rue Mégevand, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France
Sophie Pujol: Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Besançon, Centre de Méthodologie Clinique, 2 place Saint Jacques, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France
Jean-Pierre Levain: Laboratoire de Psychologie EA 3188, 3 rue Mégevand, 25032 Besançon Cedex, France
Jérôme Defrance: Division Acoustique Environnementale et Urbaine, Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB), 24, rue Joseph Fourier, 38400 Saint-Martin-d’Hères, France
Anne-Sophie Mariet: CHRU Dijon, Service de Biostatistique et d’Informatique Médicale (DIM), Université de Bourgogne, F-21000 Dijon, France
Frédéric Mauny: Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Besançon, Centre de Méthodologie Clinique, 2 place Saint Jacques, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-13

Abstract: Acoustical and non-acoustical factors influencing noise annoyance in adults have been well-documented in recent years; however, similar knowledge is lacking in children. The aim of this study was to quantify the annoyance caused by chronic ambient noise at home in children and to assess the relationship between these children?s noise annoyance level and individual and contextual factors in the surrounding urban area. A cross sectional population-based study was conducted including 517 children attending primary school in a European city. Noise annoyance was measured using a self-report questionnaire adapted for children. Six noise exposure level indicators were built at different locations at increasing distances from the child?s bedroom window using a validated strategic noise map. Multilevel logistic models were constructed to investigate factors associated with noise annoyance in children. Noise indicators in front of the child?s bedroom ( p ? 0.01), family residential satisfaction ( p ? 0.03) and socioeconomic characteristics of the individuals and their neighbourhood ( p ? 0.05) remained associated with child annoyance. These findings illustrate the complex relationships between our environment, how we may perceive it, social factors and health. Better understanding of these relationships will undoubtedly allow us to more effectively quantify the actual effect of noise on human health.

Keywords: children; noise annoyance; chronic noise exposure; urban area; social inequality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:11:p:1056-:d:81670

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