Psychosocial effects of community noise: cross sectional study of school children in urban center of Skopje, Macedonia.

Aim: To assess noise exposure in school children in urban center in different residential areas and to examine psychosocial effects of chronic noise exposure in school children, taking into account their socioeconomic status.

Methods: We measured community noise on specific measurement points in residential-administrative-market area and suburban residential area. We determined the average energy-equivalent sound level for 8 hours (LAeq, 8 h) or 16 hours (LAeq, 16 h) and compared measured noise levels with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Psychological effects were examined in two groups of children: children exposed to noise level LAeq, 8 h >55 dBA (n=266) and children exposed to noise level LAeq, 8 h <55 dBA (n=263). The examinees were schoolchildren of 10-11 years of age. We used a self-reported questionnaire for each child - Anxiety test (General Anxiety Scale) and Attention Deficit Disorder Questionnaire intended for teachers to rate children's behavior. We used Mann Whitney U test and multiple regression for identifying the significance of differences between the two study groups.

Results: School children who lived and studied in the residential-administrative-market area were exposed to noise levels above WHO guidelines (55 dBA), and school children who lived and studied in the suburban residential area were exposed to noise levels below WHO guidelines. Children exposed to LAeq, 8 h >55 dBA had significantly decreased attention (Z=-2.16; p=0.031), decreased social adaptability (Z =-2.16; p=0.029), and increased opposing behavior in their relations to other people (Z=-3; p=0.001). We did not find any correlation between socioeconomic characteristics and development of psychosocial effects.

Conclusion: School children exposed to elevated noise level had significantly decreased attention, and social adaptability, and increased opposing behavior in comparison with school children who were not exposed to elevated noise levels. Chronic noise exposure is associated with psychosocial effects in school children and should be taken as an important factor in assessing the psychological welfare of the children.