How much does environmental noise affect our health? WHO updates methods to assess health risks

A new WHO-coordinated study has derived 82 new and updated parameters to better assess the health risks of environmental noise. These so called "disability weights" represent the severity of the health loss associated with environmental noise, including cardiovascular and mental health outcomes, as well as annoyance and sleep disturbance. The methods and results of the study are a resource for national and local authorities responsible for noise action planning, academic institutions and others involved in estimating the burden of disease from environmental noise.

New and updated weights based on input from the general public

The report "Disability weights for noise-related health states in the WHO European Region" presents the study's methodology and results - 82 new and updated weights based on judgments of members of the public.

Using a recommended methodological approach, all weights are based on perceptions of members of the public as people potentially affected by different noise-related health outcomes, rather than on input from medical experts, whose judgements might be biased by clinical considerations, as it was in the past. Many weights, relating to a range of cardiovascular and mental health outcomes that have been associated with noise, such as stroke, depression, dementia and cognitive impairment, were updated, and some were enhanced - including those which previously relied solely on input from medical experts.

In addition, the report features new weights for annoyance and sleep disturbance, and for different levels of severity (e.g. moderate and severe annoyance). These weights are empirically derived using robust methods for the first time.

Environmental noise in the European context

Environmental noise refers to noise from various forms of traffic or industry and to amplified music in the framework of leisure activities. It does not include noise pollution in workplaces. Environmental noise is one of the leading environmental risks for physical and mental health and well-being, contributing significantly to the burden of disease in the WHO European Region. The main sources of environmental noise include transportation (aircraft, trains and motor vehicles), industry, wind turbines and leisure activities. Estimates for the European Union indicate that approximately 1 in 5 people, or 100 million citizens, are exposed to unhealthy levels of road traffic noise.

The Declaration of the Seventh Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health and its accompanying roadmap recognize the importance of quantifying the health impacts of environmental pollution, including environmental noise, in shaping effective policies, and outline a comprehensive strategy to protect and improve health. This strategy comprises the development and implementation of measures to reduce exposure to environmental noise and promotes the use of the WHO "Environmental noise guidelines for the European Region", to accelerate progress.

The new set of disability weights provides a valuable resource for future health risk assessments of environmental noise in the European Region as well as in broader contexts. These weights allow more accurate evaluations of the health impact of environmental noise, thereby supporting the implementation of the Environmental noise guidelines for the Region through the development of informed policies and interventions to mitigate the risks.