Effects of aircraft noise exposure on reading and quality of life on primary school children in Germany: Results from the NORAH-study

Prior research has shown that chronic exposure to aircraft noise is associated with lower reading performance and decreasing quality of life in children. In the NORAH-study, the effects of aircraft noise on children's reading, well-being at school, and health-related quality of life were investigated in 1,243 second-graders from 29 schools around Frankfurt/Main Airport in Germany. Exposure levels at school and at the children´s homes for the time period of 12 months before data acquisition were assessed on the basis of radar data from the Flight Track and Aircraft Noise Monitoring System (FANOMOS), provided by German Air Traffic Services. Although exposure levels at schools were below 60 dB and thus considerably lower than in previous studies, multilevel analyses revealed that, after full adjustment for potential confounders on individual and class level, increasing aircraft noise exposure was linearly associated with less positive ratings of quality of life and decreasing reading performance. A 20 dB increase in aircraft noise was associated with a decrease in reading scores of one-fifth of a SD, corresponding to a reading delay of about two months. Teachers' reports indicate that severe disruptions of classroom instruction due to aircraft noise may contribute to the effect on reading.