Traffic noise may reduce life expectancy: Study
Long-time exposure to traffic noise may decrease life expectancy and increase the risk of stroke, a new study says.
In an article published in the European Heart Journal on Tuesday, the findings of a research led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in partnership with Imperial College London and King's College London reveal that death was four percent more common among adults and the elderly living in areas where daytime traffic noise was more than 60 decibels than those living in quieter areas where traffic noise was less than 55 decibels.
According to the article, the extra deaths were caused mostly by heart or blood vessel disease, which in turn, could be linked to high blood pressure, lack of sleep and stress caused by traffic noise.
In this research, some 8.6 million people aged 25 to 75 and over, living across London between 2003 and 2010, were checked for death and hospital admission in each area.
“Road traffic noise has previously been associated with sleep problems and increased blood pressure, but our study is the first in the UK [United Kingdom] to show a link with deaths and strokes. This is the largest study of its kind to date, looking at everyone living inside the M25 over a seven-year period. Our findings contribute to the body of evidence suggesting reductions in traffic noise could be beneficial to our health,” said Lead author Dr. Jaana Halonen from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in a university news release.
Co-author Dr. Anna Hansell, from the MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health at Imperial College London also noted that their “study does raise important questions about the potential health effects of noise in… cities that need further investigation.”
Researchers concluded that their findings are consistent with an increasing body of evidence that health benefits could be obtained from noise reduction.
The World Health Organization defines the noise level of 55 decibels as the threshold of community noise, beyond which is potentially harmful.
RS/MHB/AS
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