| ARTICLES |
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| Year : 2002 | Volume
: 5
| Issue : 17 | Page : 23--34 |
Aircraft noise exposure from schiphol airport : A relation with complainants
Carla MAG van Wiechen1, Ellis AM Franssen1, Ronald G de Jong2, Erik Lebret1
1 National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Laboratory of Exposure Assessment and Environmental Epidemiology, Bilthoven, Netherlands
2 Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Inro Department Environment and Health, Delft, Netherlands
Correspondence Address:
Carla MAG van Wiechen
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Laboratory of Exposure, Assessment and Environmental Epidemiology, P.O.Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven
Netherlands
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
PMID: 12537832 
The possible relation between aircraft noise exposure and the prevalence of complainants around Schiphol airport was studied. The home address of people who complain about aircraft noise at the Environment Advisory Committee Schiphol was combined with annual average noise levels, using a Geographic Information System. The prevalence of complainants in areas with different noise exposure was calculated. In addition, data from a questionnaire survey was used to gain insight into the influence of sound insulation, personal characteristics, and aspects of health on complaint behaviour. The prevalence of complainants increases from < 1% at 50 dB(A) (L den ) to about 7% at 62 dB(A). Above this level the prevalence drops back to < 3%. An increase in the percentage of sound insulated houses with increasing noise levels is observed, rising markedly above 60 dB(A) (from 24% to almost 90%). When comparing people who complain with those who do not complain about aircraft noise, complainants report more noise annoyance (OR=10.2, 95% CI=8.54-12.3), sleep disturbance (OR=9.87, 95% CI=8.19-11.9), concern about health (OR=8.02, 95% CI=6.75-9.53), and fear for an aircraft crash (OR=3.64, 95% CI=3.07-4.31). Results indicate a relation between aircraft noise exposure and the prevalence of complainants, possibly influenced by sound insulation. Important determinants of complaint behaviour apart from noise level are noise annoyance, sleep disturbance, concern about health, and fear for an aircraft crash. Although complainants do not seem to be representative for the total population, and do not reflect the full extent of noise annoyance, their prevalence does reflect the regional distribution of aircraft noise annoyance in a noise polluted area.
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