Environmental noise and sleep disturbance: Research in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States

Countries from South-East Europe (SEE), Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Newly Independent States (NIS) are in the process of harmonization with European environmental noise legislation. However research work on noise and health was performed in some countries independently of harmonization process of adoption and implementation of legislation for environmental noise. Aim of this review is to summarize available evidence for noise induced sleep disturbance in population of CEE, SEE and NIS countries and to give directions for further research work in this field. After systematic search through accessible electronic databases, conference proceedings, PhD thesis, national reports and scientific journals in English and non-English language, we decided to include six papers and one PhD thesis in this review: one paper from former Yugoslavia, one paper from Slovakia, one paper from Lithuania, two papers from Serbia and one paper, as also one PhD thesis from The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Noise exposure assessment focused on road traffic noise was mainly performed with objective noise measurements, but also with noise mapping in case of Lithuanian study. Sleep disturbance was assessed with questionnaire based surveys and was assumed from dose–effect relationship between Lnight for road traffic noise and sleep disturbance (for Lithuanian study). Although research evidence on noise and sleep disturbance show to be sufficient for establishing dose-response curves for sleep disturbance in countries where studies were performed, further research is needed with particular attention to vulnerable groups, other noise sources, development of laboratory research work and common methodology in assessment of burden of diseases from environmental noise.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin

Final Report of the ENNAH (European Network on Noise and Health) project

The ENNAH project (The European Network on Noise and Health) was funded by the European Union’s 7th Framework Program (FP7‐ENV‐2008‐1, project no.226442) to establish a research network of experts on noise and health in Europe. The network brought together 33 European research centres from 16 countries to establish future research directions and policy needs for noise and health in Europe. ENNAH focused on the study of environmental noise sources, in particular transport noise. This network facilitated high level scientific communication and encouraged productive interdisciplinary discussion and exchange through a series of workshops and reports. An important aspect of the ENNAH Network has been identifying gaps in noise and health research while at the same time assessing, prioritizing and integrating the future research orientation into policy development which would lead to an efficient investment of resources allocated to noise and health research. Noise maps produced under the direction of the Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) are potentially a very useful resource for noise and health research. We have reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of current noise maps and recommended future changes that would make these maps more appropriate for noise and health research. We have also considered possible new methods for acoustic measurement and modelling which will help to develop innovative exposure measurement techniques in future noise and health studies. Primarily, ENNAH focused on outlining new priorities for research on environmental noise and health which will hopefully feed into future calls for funding on environment and health matters from the EU. In some areas this means strengthening the evidence on existing exposure effect relationships and using more robust methods such as longitudinal rather than cross sectional studies. This is particularly relevant to the research on environmental noise and hypertension and coronary heart disease and on studies of noise and children’s learning. Increasingly relevant for policy is new research that tests whether interventions to reduce noise are effective and also whether they have an impact on health. This is of great practical importance because it can suggest what interventions are efficient and cost optimized. Last but not least, a further important area identified is to assess where new investment in noise research should be placed, whether this relates to previously non‐ or poorly studied health outcomes or improvements in the noise and health methodological framework.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin

Environmental noise and cardiovascular disease in adults: Research in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States

The adverse effects of noise on health have been intensely explored in the previous fifty years. However, the scope of research conducted in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South-East Europe (SEE) and Newly Independent States (NIS) is not well-known. The aim of this review is to present studies on cardiovascular effects of environmental noise in adults published since 1965 and to point out the most important issues that need to be addressed in the future. More than 100 papers on noise and health and about 20 papers on cardiovascular effects of environmental noise in adults were identified by literature search. The authors reviewed scientific international and local journals, conference proceedings and local reports published in national languages. The major endpoints were high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease, and myocardial infarction. The target populations were adults. Experimental and exposure assessment studies, field, empirical studies, social surveys and epidemiological studies are presented. The major sources of environmental noise were road and air traffic. The results were presented in tables and the most relevant articles were briefly discussed. The importance of this review is that it refers to some countries that no longer exist in the same political and governmental systems. The fact that this review includes publications that are not mentioned in any other previous systematic reviews maybe considered its strength. Strategies for future noise-related research on national and global level are proposed.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin

Community response to noise: Research in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States

The systems of public complaints on environmental noise were reviewed in seven countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South-East Europe (SEE) and Newly Independent States (NIS). Public complaints remain an important issue due to variability in public sensitivity to noise and due to several cases where a measurement of noise intensity does not give a satisfying solution to the problem. The outstanding problem remains the noise in the residential neighborhoods coming from pubs and restaurants that are open late at night. In our review we compiled information on institutions responsible for implementation of environmental noise legislation and organizations that are responsible for dealing with public complaints. Information on activities for increasing public awareness on hazards rising from environmental noise and the role of civil initiative was explored. In seven countries, among them Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia the responsibilities and duties are shared among different institutions at national and regional levels, depending on noise source. The problem of gathering information on complaints and using that information for improving the wellbeing and health of citizens remains often unsolved.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin

Cardiovascular effects of the combined exposure to noise and outdoor air pollution: a review

The combination of noise with other environmental stressors, particularly traffic-related air pollution, has been of growing interest in recent years. Cardiovascular effects are among the most evidence-based physical health outcomes. Moreover, the European Network on Noise and Health (ENNAH), which helped to establish collaboration between researchers on noise and researchers on air quality, identified gaps in the evidence of noise related health research and concluded that one of the most important topics to focus on was noise and co-exposures. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to summarize current knowledge on the association of noise and air pollutant exposure on related cardiovascular health effects and to look at whether the evidence suggests that noise and air pollution confound or interact with each other. This review comprised a literature search for the period 2005 to 2012. It also aims to identify gaps which could help to shape future research directions. The results suggest that noise and air pollution exert independent effects on cardiovascular health, but the evidence for any interactive effects is still limited and has to be further investigated.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin