Aircraft Noise Levels, Annoyance and General Health of Residents of Communities contiguous to a Major Airport in Lagos State

Download Article

DOI: 10.21522/TIJPH.2013.08.04.Art006

Authors : Iheanyichukwu M. Elechi, Onoja M. Akpa, Godson R.E.E. Ana

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the aircraft noise exposure, annoyance reactions and health status of the residents living within the vicinity of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA) in Lagos state, Nigeria. Aircraft noise monitoring was conducted in five locations within the vicinity (0-5Km) of MMA, and a sixth distant location (14km away). Levels of aircraft noise for all five locations within the vicinity of the airport exceeded the EPA Victoria threshold of 75 dB LAmax for the residential area (outdoor). A survey on annoyance induced by aircraft noise exposure and general health status was conducted on 450 local residents in the study locations using the International Commission on Biological Effect of Noise question and a single question that has been applied in Dutch national health care surveys since 1983 on self-reported general health status respectively. Percentage of residents within the vicinity of MMA that were highly annoyed (%HA) exceeded 15% guideline limit stipulated by Federal Interagency Committee on Urban Noise while 14.5% reported poor health status. There was a significant association between the annoyance reactions and aircraft noise levels in the study locations while the association between self-reported health status and aircraft noise levels was not significant. Taken together, the residents within the vicinity of the airport are exposed to aircraft noise levels above permissible limit which may be associated with high annoyance reaction but may not be associated with poor health rating. Evidence-based aircraft noise related policies by government are advocated.

References:

[1]       Adejobi O. S. (2012), “Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Noise Pollution Levels in Lagos State: Oshodi-Agege Route Experience”, European Journal of Globalization and Development Research 5(1), 267-86.

[2]       Akpan A.O., Obisung E.O. & Asuquo U.E. (2012), “Dose-efect relationship on annoyance and sleep disturbance due to industrial and aircraft noise in Calabar, Cross River State, South-South, Nigeria”, Innovative Systems Design and Engineering 3(11), 29-37.

[3]       Ana G. R. E. E., Shendell, D G., Brown G. E. & Sridhar M. K. C. (2009), “Assessment of noise and associated health impacts at selected secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental and Public Health”, Retrieved 28th January 2019 from https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2009/739502/

[4]       Bullinger, M., Hygge, S., Evans, G.W., Meis, M. & von Mackensen, S. (1999), “The psychological cost of aircraft noise for children”, Zentralblatt für Hygiene und Umweltmedizin 202, 127–138.

[5]       Clark, C. & Stansfeld, S. (2007), “The effect of transportation noise on health and cognitive development: A review of recent evidence”, Int. J. Compar. Psychol. 20, 145–158.

[6]       Debate to Action (2007), “A Millennium Development Goals’ Awareness Creation Project. National Youth Service Corps, British Council and World Bank Collaboration on Development Issues”, Development Knowledge Facilitator course material.

[7]       Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Victoria (2008), “Noise Control Guidelines”. Publication 1254. Retrieved 25 April 2013 from http://www.wpa.vic.gov.au/noise.

[8]       Essandoh P.K. & Armah F. A. (2011), “Determination of Ambient Noise Levels in the Main Commercial Area of Cape Coast, Ghana”, Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences 3(6), 637-644.

[9]       Essandoh P.K., Armah F. A., Afrifa E.K.a. & Pappoe A.N.M. (2011), “Determination of Ambient Noise levels and Perception of Residents in Halls at University of Cape Coast, Ghana”, Environmental and Natural Resources Research 1(1), 181-88.

[10]    Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) (2009), “Integrated/local charter, FAAN service charter”. Retrieved 18th July 2013 from http://www.faannigeria.org/documents/FAAN%20Charter.pdf.

[11]    Fields J.M. et al. (2001), “Standardized General-Purpose Noise Reaction Questions for Community Noise Surveys: Research and a Recommendation”, Journal of Sound and Vibration 242(4), 641- 679.

[12]    Finegold L.S., Harris C.S. & von Gierke H.E. (1994), “Community Annoyance and Sleep Disturbance: Updated Criteria for Assessing the Impacts of General Transportation Noise on People”, Noise Control Eng. J. 42(1),25-30.

[13]    Franssen E.A.M., van Wiechen C.M.A.G., Nagelkerke N.J.D. & Lebret E. (2004), “Aircraft noise around a large international airport and its impact on general health and medication use,” Occup Environ Med. 61, 405- 413.

[14]    Goldschagg P. (2007), “Airport in South Africa-Prediction models and their effect on Land-use planning”. A Dissertation submitted to the University of Stellenbosch.

[15]    Guoqing D., Xiaoyi L., Xiang S., Zhengguang & Qili L. (2012), “Investigation of the relationship between aircraft noise and community annoyance in China”, Noise & Health 14, 52-7.

[16]    Guski, R. (2017), “The increase of aircraft noise annoyance in communities. Causes and consequences”, Paper presented at the ICBEN Congress 2017, Zurich (Switzerland).

[17]    Haines M.M., Stansfeld S.A., Job R.F.S., Berglund B. & Head J. (2001), “Chronic aircraft noise exposure, stress responses, mental health and cognitive performance in school children,” Psychol Med, 31, 265–77.

[18]    Haines M.M., Stansfeld S.A., Head J. & Job R.F.S. (2001), “Multi-level modelling of the effects of aircraft noise on national standardised performance tests in primary schools around Heathrow Airport”, London. J Epidemiol Community Health 56, 139–44.

[19]    Hume K., Kerenge D. & Thomas C. (2008), “The implications of aircraft noise disturbance for the future growth of international Air Transport in Southern African Development Community (SADC)”.

[20]    International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) (1993), “Environmental Protection, volume 1. Aircraft Noise”, Retrieved 18th July 2013 from http://www.bazl.admin.ch.

[21]    Mestre V. (2008), “Effects of Aircraft Noise: Research Update on Selected Topics”. ACRP research programme.

[22]    Newman J. S. & Beattie K. R. (1985), “Aviation Noise Effects”. FAA Report No. FAA-EE-85-2. National Technical Information Service, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington DC.

[23]    NPC. (2007), National Population Commission. Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazzette. No. 24 Volume 94.

[24]    Pillary D., Archary K. & Panday S. (2011), “A Preliminary Study of the effects of aircraft noise on families who reside in close proximity to an airport,” S Afr Fam Pract. 53(4), 361-365.

[25]    Seabi J. (2013), “An Epidemiological Prospective Study of Children’s Health and Annoyance Reactions to Aircraft Noise Exposure in South Africa,” 10, 2760 – 2777.

[26]    Stansfeld, S., & Crombie, R. (2011), “Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise: research in United Kingdom”, Noise Health Journal 13(52), 229-33.

[27]    Stansfeld S. A. & Matheson M. P. (2003), “Noise pollution: non-auditory effects on health”, British Medical Bulletin 68 (1), 243-57.

[28]    van Kempen, E.; van Kamp, I.; Fischer, P.; Davies, H.; Houthuijs, R.; Stellato, R.; Clark, C.; Stansfeld, S. (2006), “Noise exposure and children’s blood pressure and heart rate: The RANCH Project”, Occup. Environ. Med. 63, 632–639.

[29]    World Health Organization WHO. (1999), “Guidelines for Community Noise”. Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH), Geneva.