title: Exposure to wind turbine noise: Perceptual responses and reported health effects.
abstract: Health Canada, in collaboration with Statistics Canada, and other external experts, conducted the Community Noise and Health Study to better understand the impacts of wind turbine noise (WTN) on health and well-being. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out between May and September 2013 in southwestern Ontario and Prince Edward Island on 1238 randomly selected participants (606 males, 632 females) aged 18-79 years, living between 0.25 and 11.22 km from operational wind turbines. Calculated outdoor WTN levels at the dwelling reached 46 dBA. Response rate was 78.9% and did not significantly differ across sample strata. Self-reported health effects (e.g., migraines, tinnitus, dizziness, etc.), sleep disturbance, sleep disorders, quality of life, and perceived stress were not related to WTN levels. Visual and auditory perception of wind turbines as reported by respondents increased significantly with increasing WTN levels as did high annoyance toward several wind turbine features, including the following: noise, blinking lights, shadow flicker, visual impacts, and vibrations. Concern for physical safety and closing bedroom windows to reduce WTN during sleep also increased with increasing WTN levels. Other sample characteristics are discussed in relation to WTN levels. Beyond annoyance, results do not support an association between exposure to WTN up to 46 dBA and the evaluated health-related endpoints.
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1C1, Canada.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Michaud
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1C1, Canada.
authors.forename: Katya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Feder
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1C1, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1C1, Canada.
authors.forename: Sonia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Voicescu
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Population Studies Division, Biostatistics Section, 200 Eglantine Driveway, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Leonora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marro
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Population Studies Division, Biostatistics Section, 200 Eglantine Driveway, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Than
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Population Studies Division, Biostatistics Section, 200 Eglantine Driveway, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Mireille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guay
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Environmental Health Program, Health Programs Branch, Regions and Programs Bureau, 1505 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Denning
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Office of Science Policy, Liaison and Coordination, 269 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: D'Arcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Office of Science Policy, Liaison and Coordination, 269 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.affiliation: Health Canada, Air Health Science Division, 269 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lavigne
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Shelly K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: The Amsterdam Public Health Service (GGD Amsterdam), Environmental Health Department, Nieuwe Achtergracht 100, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frits
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van den Berg