Environmental Noise Annoyance and Mental Health in Adults: Findings from the Cross-Sectional German Health Update (GEDA) Study 2012

Abstract

The health implications of environmental noise, especially cardiovascular effects, have been studied intensively. Research on associations between noise and mental health, however, has shown contradictory results. The present study examined associations between individual levels of noise annoyance due to noise from various sources in the living environment and mental health of adults in Germany. It evaluated whether these associations persisted after adjusting for potential covariates. Data were obtained from the cross-sectional “German Health Update” study 2012 (GEDA 2012), a national health interview survey among adults in Germany conducted by the Robert Koch Institute (n = 19,294). Noise annoyance questions referred to overall noise and that from road traffic, neighbours, and air traffic. Mental health was measured with the five-item Mental Health Inventory. Bivariate analysis showed associations between high levels of noise annoyance and impaired mental health for all noise sources except air traffic. After adjusting for covariates (sociodemographic factors, chronic disease, and social support), both men and women who reported high overall noise annoyance showed more than doubled odds of impaired mental health compared to those who were not annoyed. The odds of impaired mental health in the highest noise annoyance category from road traffic and neighbours were also significantly increased. These findings indicate that high noise annoyance is associated with impaired mental health and that this association can vary with the source of environmental noise. Further research on covariates of this association is necessary. Particularly, longitudinal data are required to establish the direction of associations and to address questions of causality.

Night noise exposure and risk of death by suicide in adults living in metropolitan areas

“…Recent studies have provided evidence that the degree of noise annoyance induced by exposure to environmental or aircraft noise was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of depression and anxiety in the general population (Beutel et al, 2016;Hammersen, Niemann, & Hoebel, 2016). Schreckenberg, Meis, Kahl, Peschel, and Eikmann (2010) emphasized that determining the physical and mental health of residents exposed to aircraft noise is not simply limited to noise exposure but to noise annoyance .…”

“…Schreckenberg, Meis, Kahl, Peschel, and Eikmann (2010) emphasized that determining the physical and mental health of residents exposed to aircraft noise is not simply limited to noise exposure but to noise annoyance . Recent studies have provided evidence that the degree of noise annoyance induced by exposure to environmental or aircraft noise was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of depression and anxiety in the general population (Beutel et al, 2016;Hammersen, Niemann, & Hoebel, 2016).…”

Beyond the dichotomy: Incarceration dosage and mental health*

“…This cutpoint of 60 is consistent with much psychological research in which the MHI‐5 is used to predict depression (Friedman, Heisel, & Delavan, ; Goral, Lipsitz, Muhsen, & Gross, ; Kelly et al., ; Silveira et al., ). More recently, however, Cuijpers and colleagues () found that the MHI‐5 is a “good screener for mood disorders in the general population,” but they suggest that a score of 54 may be a better and more conservative cutpoint (see also Gillis et al., ; Hammersen, Niemann, & Hoebel, ) . We also take the more conservative path and choose a cutpoint of 54 to measure depression in our sample.…”

Spatial Modeling of Depression and Its Related Factors Using a Spatial Generalized Linear Mixed Model in Mashhad, Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Another reason is the airport noise pollution in this area. Studies have shown that people who live near airports are exposed to a greater extent of various diseases, including mental disorders (33)(34)(35). Mashhad International Airport is the second-high traffic airport in Iran and is located close to the residential areas under the supervision of Health Center No.…”