Auswirkungen langfristiger Expositionen gegenüber Straßenverkehrsimissionen auf die Entwicklung von Haut- und Atemwegserkrankungen bei Kindern

Effects of Nocturnal Aircraft Noise and Non-Acoustical Factors on Short-Term Annoyance in Primary School Children

Children are considered at higher risk for harmful noise effects due to their sensitive development phase. Here, we investigated the effects of nocturnal aircraft noise exposure on short-term annoyance assessed in the morning in 51 primary school children (8-10 years) living in the surrounding community of Cologne-Bonn Airport. Child-appropriate short-term annoyance assessments and associated non-acoustical variables were surveyed. Nocturnal aircraft noise exposure was recorded inside the children's bedrooms. Exposure-response models were calculated by using random effects logistic regression models. The present data were compared with those from a previous study near Cologne-Bonn Airport in adults using very similar methodology. Short-term annoyance reaction in children was not affected by the nocturnal aircraft noise exposure. Non-acoustical factors (e.g., the attitude that "aircraft are dangerous" or noise sensitivity), however, significantly impacted on children's short-term annoyance. In contrast to children, the probability of moderate to high annoyance in adults increased with the number of aircraft flyovers during the time in bed. It is concluded that short-term annoyance from nocturnal aircraft noise in children is mainly determined by non-acoustical factors. Unlike in adults, acoustical factors did not play a significant role.

[Particle pollution and allergies in children. What relationships are found in epidemiological studies?]

Particles in the air influence mortality and morbidity even in concentrations which were considered harmless. This report examines their role in allergies. Studies on children from areas with different degrees of pollution show that the "classical" type of air pollution with high amounts of coarse particles apparently does not induce allergies. Nearly all studies, which characterized exposure on a smaller spatial scale, found that symptoms of asthma and allergic rhinitis were more common in children exposed to traffic-related pollution. Time series and panel studies demonstrate that particle pollution contributes to asthma aggravation. Whether this applies to eczema or allergic rhinitis has hardly been investigated. Overall the studies suggest a special role for traffic-related particles.