Disease risks of traffic noise - a large case-control study based on secondary data

Background: Several studies point to an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease induced by traffic noise. To-date evidence is limited with respect to depressive disorders and breast cancer.Objective: To examine the association between aircraft noise, road traffic and railway traffic noise with cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure/hypertensive heart disease), depressive episodes and breast cancer in a large case-control study.Methods: The classification of cases (diagnosed 2006-2010) and control subjects was based on insurance claims and prescription data provided by three large statutory health insurance funds in the Rhine-Main area (administrative region Darmstadt, Rhine Hesse). For all insured individuals (1,026,670 people aged 40 years or more), address-specific exposure to aircraft, road and railway traffic noise in 2005 was estimated. Odds Ratios (OR) were calculated using logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, local proportion of persons receiving unemployment benefits, and (when available) individual socioeconomic status. Results: Overall, results of our case-control study suggest a relationship between traffic noise exposure and the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure and unipolar depression.