The effect of aircraft noise on sleep disturbance among the residents near a civilian airport: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Aircraft noise is a major environmental noise problem. This study was conducted in order to investigate the relationship between sleep disturbance and exposure to aircraft noise on the residents who are living near an airport.


METHODS
There were 3308 residents (1403 in the high exposure group, 1428 in the low exposure group, and 477 in the non-exposure group) selected as the subjects for this study. The Insomnia severity Index (ISI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) questionnaires were used to evaluate sleep disturbance.


RESULTS
The mean ISI and ESS scores were 6.9 ± 6.4 and 5.5 ± 3.7, respectively, and the average scores were significantly greater in the aircraft noise exposure group, as compared to the non-exposure group. The percentage of the abnormal subjects, which were classified according to the results of the ISI and ESS, was also significantly greater in the noise exposure group, as compared to the control group. The odd ratios for insomnia and daytime hypersomnia were approximately 3 times higher in the noise exposure group, as compared to the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of insomnia and daytime hypersomnia was higher in the aircraft noise exposure group, as compared to the control group. Further study is deemed necessary in order to clarify the causal relationship.
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, South Korea ; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Kyeong Min
KM
Kwak
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, South Korea.
Young-Su
YS
Ju
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, South Korea.
Young-Jun
YJ
Kwon
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, South Korea.
Yun Kyung
YK
Chung
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, South Korea ; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Bong Kyu
BK
Kim
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Hyunjoo
H
Kim
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Wonjin Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health Green Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Kanwoo
K
Youn
Aircraft; Daytime hypersomnia; Insomnia; Noise; Sleep disturbance