LONGITUDINAL EFFECTS OF A SUDDEN CHANGE IN AIRCRAFT NOISE EXPOSURE ON ANNOYANCE AND SLEEP DISTURBANCE AROUND

The opening of a new runway at Amsterdam Airport in February 2003 offered an excellent opportunity to study the longitudinal effects of a significant change in noise exposure on annoyance, sleep disturbance and self reported health status. A panel study was carried out as part of an ongoing monitoring program: the Health Impact Assessment Schiphol Airport. To create contrast, participants were selected based on their expected change in noise exposure (Lden). Once a year, the 640 members of the panel filled out a postal questionnaire in the period 2002-2005, resulting in 4 measurements. An increase in the annual average exposure to aircraft noise resulted in an additional increase in severe annoyance, irrespective of the actual noise level. This ‘overreaction ’ did already occur when noise exposure levels increased by less than 3 dB(A). The effect is driven by changes in noise alone, as adjustment for non-acoustical factors did not diminish the relationship. The ‘overreaction ’ gradually decreases within 2 years, although the results are not conclusive. There was no indication of an overreaction in severe sleep disturbance or self reported health status due to the sudden change in noise exposure