Health assessment of populations living close to the airport of Bourgas, Bulgaria.
The aim of this follow-up performed in a period of three years (1997-1999) was to assess the morbidity rate among children (0-17 years) and adults (18 years and above) from housing estates Sarafovo, Izgrev, Zornitsa and party Slaveykov, located close to the airport of Bourgas and compare it to population living at more distance from the airport (town centre). It was found that the prevalence of all diseases in children and the incidence in adults were higher in populations living close to the airport than in matching population living in the town centre. Specific groups of diseases which may be considered more closely associated with the adverse health effects of noise included diseases of the nervous system and of the sense organs, mental disorders, cardiovascular diseases, particularly arterial hypertension, and diseases of the digestive system. It is worth noting, however, that some diseases whose relationship with the effects of aircraft noise was not expected to be that of cause and effect were also found in higher prevalence or incidence rate in exposed populations. This indicates that other factors, which were not sufficiently analysed in this study, deserve full consideration in the evaluation of the results obtained.
Turnovska
Tanya
T
Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. turnovt@yahoo.com
Staykova
Jeni
J
Petkov
Tonko
T
D000328:Adult; D000401:Aircraft; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000009:adverse effects*