The association between traffic noise and human behaviour and well-being

Student thesis: Doctoral ThesisDoctor of Philosophy

Abstract

Previous studies have concluded that traffic noise exposure can cause impairment of cognitive functions, annoyance, hypertension, sleep disturbances and the ability for self-control, among others. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the impact of traffic noise on human behaviour and well-being by investigating evidence from England. Using strategic noise mapping data, the first chapter employed a Poisson regression to analyse the correlation between traffic noise and violent crime, and a difference-in-difference design to examine the effect of a policy dedicated to reducing traffic noise in some targeted areas in England on violent crimes. Using the same noise mapping data, and the survey data obtained from Understanding Society, the second chapter evaluated the impact of traffic noise on adults’ subjective well-being, following Ordered Probit and GLM regression approaches. The final chapter focused on the detrimental effect of traffic noise on children’s mental and behavioural well-being using a Probit approach. The overall results show that traffic noise has a significantly negative impact on human behaviour and health. The first chapter shows that traffic noise level is positively correlated with violent crime and that reduced traffic noise exposure leads to a significantly lower level of violent crime in targeted areas compared to those un-targeted regions in England. Chapter 2 demonstrates that all-day and night-time traffic noise level is associated with a lower level of life satisfaction and Caseness scores. The last chapter shows that children who are exposed to a higher level of traffic noise are more likely to report lower levels of mental and behaviour well-being as well as poorer emotional health. The growing demand for transportation in England poses significant challenges for the population exposed to high noise levels. Policies towards reducing traffic noise can be beneficial for residents and can have positive spillover effects on health, directly by reducing mental distress and indirectly by reducing fear of crime and crime-related injuries.
Date of Award1 Feb 2020
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • King's College London
SupervisorSotiris Vandoros (Supervisor) & Augustin De Coulon (Supervisor)

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