Social inequities regarding annoyance to noise and road traffic intensity

Abstract

To study the associations of annoyance to noise and exposure to residential traffic with sociodemographic, socioeconomic and regional characteristics as well as housing conditions, a population-based sample of 7,988 adults 18–79 years of age was studied in the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1). Annoyance to noise and exposure to residential traffic were assessed by self-administered questionnaires. A total of 6.3% of the participants reported a high to very high exposure to residential traffic noise, 3.7% to neighbourhood noise and 2.1% to aircraft noise. An excessive exposure to residential traffic was reported by 21.3% of the participants. A high annoyance to traffic and neighborhood noise was associated with a lower equivalised disposable income and poor housing conditions. Additionally annoyance to neighborhood noise was associated with low socioeconomic and occupational status. A high annoyance to aircraft noise was only associated with a low equivalised disposable income and living in apartment blocks. Exposure to residential traffic was associated with all investigated indicators. At present in Germany environmental exposures are social unequally distributed and may lead to negative health consequences in social disadvantaged groups.