Survey Results of a Pilot Sleep Study Near Atlanta International Airport

Sarah Rocha, Michael G. Smith, Maryam Witte and Mathias Basner
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Sarah Rocha: Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Michael G. Smith: Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Maryam Witte: Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Mathias Basner: Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 22, 1-15

Abstract: Aircraft noise can disturb the sleep of residents living near airports. To investigate potential effects of aircraft noise on sleep, recruitment surveys for a pilot field study were mailed to households around Atlanta International Airport. Survey items included questions about sleep quality, sleep disturbance by noise, noise annoyance, coping behaviors, and health. Of 3159 deliverable surveys, 319 were returned (10.1%). Calculated outdoor nighttime aircraft noise ( L night ) was significantly associated with lower sleep quality (poor or fair; odds ratio (OR) = 1.04/decibel (dB); p < 0.05), trouble falling asleep within 30 min ≥1/week (OR = 1.06/dB; p < 0.01), and trouble sleeping due to awakenings ≥1/week (OR = 1.04/dB; p < 0.05). L night was also associated with increased prevalence of being highly sleep disturbed (OR = 1.15/dB; p < 0.0001) and highly annoyed (OR = 1.17/dB; p < 0.0001) by aircraft noise. Furthermore L night was associated with several coping behaviors. Residents were more likely to report often or always closing their windows (OR = 1.05/dB; p < 0.01), consuming alcohol (OR = 1.10/dB; p < 0.05), using television (OR = 1.05/dB; p < 0.05) and using music (OR = 1.07/dB; p < 0.05) as sleep aids. There was no significant relationship between L night and self-reported general health or likelihood of self-reported diagnosis of sleep disorders, heart disease, hypertension or diabetes. Evidence of self-reported adverse effects of aircraft noise on sleep found in this pilot study warrant further investigation in larger, more representative subject cohorts.

Keywords: sleep disturbance; pilot field study; aircraft noise; annoyance; postal questionnaire (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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