Road traffic noise exposure, sleep quality and mental health

摘要

Background Noise is the environmental factor affecting the largest proportion of the Norwegian population and road traffic is the main source of noise annoyance. There is some evidence that environmental noise may be associated with milder psychological conditions, and some, but diverging evidence of an association with anxiety and depression. Further, there is a well acknowledged interrelationship between sleep quality and mental health. Although poor sleep quality has been defined as a component of mental disorders, some studies indicate that sleep disturbances may be an independent risk factor for reduced mental health. Sleep disturbances may also occur due to environmental noise. Thus, sleep quality may be a mediating factor in the relationship between environmental noise and mental health. As far as we know, no studies have examined the role of sleep quality in the association between traffic noise and mental health. Aims The aim of the study was to examine the relationships between road traffic noise, sleep quality and psychological distress among inhabitants in Oslo. Methods The study was based on a survey on noise and health outcomes conducted in 2000 (n=2459). The road traffic noise exposure (day-evening-night level, Lden) of the subjects was calculated at the most exposed facade of the home address. Mental distress (Hopkins Symptom Checklist) was measured along with somatic health, sleep quality, noise sensitivity and socio-economic variables. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted, adjusted for other risk factors and stratified by sleep quality. Results We found a higher percentage of people with poor sleep quality in the highest noise category compared to the least exposed. A relationship between road traffic and reduced mental health was found only among subjects with poor sleep quality. Conclusions An association between noise exposure, sleep quality and mental health was found. However, further studies are needed to disentangle causal mechanisms.