title: Medication use in relation to noise from aircraft and road traffic in six European countries: results of the HYENA study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies on the health effects of aircraft and road traffic noise exposure suggest excess risks of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and the use of sedatives and hypnotics. Our aim was to assess the use of medication in relation to noise from aircraft and road traffic.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study measured the use of prescribed antihypertensives, antacids, anxiolytics, hypnotics, antidepressants and antasthmatics in 4,861 persons living near seven airports in six European countries (UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, and Greece). Exposure was assessed using models with 1 dB resolution (5 dB for UK road traffic noise) and spatial resolution of 250×250 m for aircraft and 10×10 m for road traffic noise. Data were analysed using multilevel logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found marked differences between countries in the effect of aircraft noise on antihypertensive use; for night-time aircraft noise, a 10 dB increase in exposure was associated with ORs of 1.34 (95% CI 1.14 to 1.57) for the UK and 1.19 (1.02 to 1.38) for the Netherlands but no significant associations were found for other countries. For day-time aircraft noise, excess risks were found for the UK (OR 1.35; CI: 1.13 to 1.60) but a risk deficit for Italy (OR 0.82; CI: 0.71 to 0.96). There was an excess risk of taking anxiolytic medication in relation to aircraft noise (OR 1.28; CI: 1.04 to 1.57 for daytime and OR 1.27; CI: 1.01 to 1.59 for night-time) which held across countries. We also found an association between exposure to 24hr road traffic noise and the use of antacids by men (OR 1.39; CI 1.11 to 1.74).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest an effect of aircraft noise on the use of antihypertensive medication, but this effect did not hold for all countries. Results were more consistent across countries for the increased use of anxiolytics in relation to aircraft noise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W21PG, UK. s.floud07@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Floud
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vigna-Taglianti
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hansell
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blangiardo
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Houthuijs
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Breugelmans
authors.forename: Ennio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cadum
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Babisch
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Selander
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pershagen
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Antoniotti
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Konstantina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dimakopoulou
authors.forename: Alexandros S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Haralabidis
authors.forename: Venetia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Velonakis
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jarup
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000401:Aircraft; D059028:Airports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012111:Residence Characteristics
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents