title: Road traffic noise, sleep and mental health.
abstract: This study examines the relationship between road traffic noise, self-reported sleep quality and mental health. The study is cross-sectional and based on data from a survey conducted in Oslo, Norway, in 2000. Psychological distress (Hopkins Symptom Checklist, HSCL-25) was measured along with self-reported somatic health, sleep quality, noise sensitivity and socioeconomic variables. Questionnaire data were combined with modeled estimates of noise exposure. The total study sample consisted of 2898 respondents. After adjustment for potential confounders and stratifying for sleep quality, we found a positive, but not statistically significant association between noise exposure and symptoms of psychological distress among participants with poor sleep quality (slope=0.06, 95% CI: -0.02 to 0.13, per 10 dB increase in noise exposure). In the same sleep quality group, we found a borderline statistically significant association between noise exposure and a symptom level indicating a probable mental disorder (HSCL≥1.55) (odds ratio=1.47, 95% CI: 0.99-1.98, per 10 dB increase in noise exposure). We found no association between road traffic noise and mental health among subjects reporting good and medium sleep quality. The results suggest that road traffic noise may be associated with poorer mental health among subjects with poor sleep. Individuals with poor sleep quality may be more vulnerable to effects of road traffic noise on mental health than individuals with better sleep quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway; Department of Mathematical Sciences and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Aas, Norway.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sygna
authors.affiliation: Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Gunn Marit
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Aasvang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Sciences and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Aas, Norway; Department of Chronic Diseases, Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Geir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aamodt
authors.affiliation: Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oftedal
authors.affiliation: Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: NorunHjertager.Krog@fhi.no.
authors.forename: Norun Hjertager
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Krog
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012890:Sleep; D014186:Transportation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hopkins Symptom Checklist; Mental disorder; Psychological distress; Road traffic noise; Sleep quality