Effects of Nocturnal Aircraft Noise and Non-Acoustical Factors on Short-Term Annoyance in Primary School Children

Julia Quehl, Susanne Bartels, Rolf Fimmers and Daniel Aeschbach
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Julia Quehl: Department of Sleep and Human Factors Research, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
Susanne Bartels: Department of Sleep and Human Factors Research, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
Rolf Fimmers: Department of Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology (IMBIE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
Daniel Aeschbach: Department of Sleep and Human Factors Research, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-17

Abstract: Children are considered at higher risk for harmful noise effects due to their sensitive development phase. Here, we investigated the effects of nocturnal aircraft noise exposure on short-term annoyance assessed in the morning in 51 primary school children (8–10 years) living in the surrounding community of Cologne-Bonn Airport. Child-appropriate short-term annoyance assessments and associated non-acoustical variables were surveyed. Nocturnal aircraft noise exposure was recorded inside the children’s bedrooms. Exposure–response models were calculated by using random effects logistic regression models. The present data were compared with those from a previous study near Cologne-Bonn Airport in adults using very similar methodology. Short-term annoyance reaction in children was not affected by the nocturnal aircraft noise exposure. Non-acoustical factors (e.g., the attitude that “aircraft are dangerous” or noise sensitivity), however, significantly impacted on children’s short-term annoyance. In contrast to children, the probability of moderate to high annoyance in adults increased with the number of aircraft flyovers during the time in bed. It is concluded that short-term annoyance from nocturnal aircraft noise in children is mainly determined by non-acoustical factors. Unlike in adults, acoustical factors did not play a significant role.

Keywords: nocturnal aircraft noise; children; vulnerable groups; annoyance; exposure–response models; non-acoustical factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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