title: International scale implementation of the CNOSSOS-EU road traffic noise prediction model for epidemiological studies.
abstract: The EU-FP7-funded BioSHaRE project is using individual-level data pooled from several national cohort studies in Europe to investigate the relationship of road traffic noise and health. The detailed input data (land cover and traffic characteristics) required for noise exposure modelling are not always available over whole countries while data that are comparable in spatial resolution between different countries is needed for harmonised exposure assessment. Here, we assess the feasibility using the CNOSSOS-EU road traffic noise prediction model with coarser input data in terms of model performance. Starting with a model using the highest resolution datasets, we progressively introduced lower resolution data over five further model runs and compared noise level estimates to measurements. We conclude that a low resolution noise model should provide adequate performance for exposure ranking (Spearman's rank = 0.75; p < 0.001), but with relatively large errors in predicted noise levels (RMSE = 4.46 dB(A)).
authors.affiliation: The UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, London, UK. Electronic address: d.morley@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Morley
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: de Hoogh
authors.affiliation: The UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, London, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fecht
authors.affiliation: The UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, London, UK.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, UK.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.affiliation: The UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, London, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: The UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hodgson
authors.affiliation: The UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, London, UK; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hansell
authors.affiliation: The UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), MRC-PHE Centre for Environment & Health, Imperial College London, W2 1PG, London, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gulliver
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: CNOSSOS-EU; Exposure assessment; GIS; L(Aeq); Noise pollution; Road traffic