Abstract
As a part of the joint study program with Muroran Institute of Technology,
Japan, and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, social surveys of
community responses were performed in residential areas heavily exposed
to road traffic noise in three cities in Hokkaido, Japan. Personal
interviews with a standard questionnaire were made with 146 persons
randomly selected from official registers. After the interviews,
24-hour noise measurements were made at the area reference points
in the three cities. Noise exposures at all respondents' houses were
estimated by measuring relative noise levels to the respective area
reference points. Regression analyses were performed on annoyance
due to road traffic noise and noise exposure defined by Equivalent
Noise Level (LAeq), Day-Night Average Sound Level (LDN) and Maximum
Noise Level (MNL). The regression models could not explain a large
part of the variation in the annoyance responses. A path analysis
was performed to explain the annoyance responses by nine exogenous
and two endogenous variables obtained via the personal interviews.
The path model explained about half of the variation in the annoyance
responses. The model confirmed the strong effect of sleep disturbance
to road traffic annoyance. It also showed important effects of hearing
disturbance, satisfaction with the area, employment status and the
self-reported sensitivity to annoyance due to road traffic noise.
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