Increased prevalence of hypertension in a population exposed to aircraft noise.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether there is a relation between residential exposure to aircraft noise and hypertension.


METHODS
The study population comprised two random samples of subjects aged 19-80 years, one including 266 residents in the vicinity of Stockholm Arlanda airport, and another comprising 2693 inhabitants in other parts of Stockholm county. The subjects were classified according to the time weighted equal energy and maximum aircraft noise levels at their residence. A questionnaire provided information on individual characteristics including history of hypertension.


RESULTS
The prevalence odds ratio for hypertension adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and education was 1.6 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.0 to 2.5) among those with energy averaged aircraft noise levels exceeding 55 dBA, and 1.8 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.8) among those with maximum aircraft noise levels exceeding 72 dBA. An exposure-response relation was suggested for both exposure measures. The exposure to aircraft noise seemed particularly important for older subjects and for those not reporting impaired hearing ability.


CONCLUSIONS
Community exposure to aircraft noise may be associated with hypertension.
Rosenlund
M
M
Department of Environmental Health, Stockholm County Council, Sweden. mats.rosenlund@smd.sll.se
Berglind
N
N
Pershagen
G
G
Järup
L
L
Bluhm
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000401:Aircraft; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology