AIRCRAFT NOISE - A POTENTIAL HEALTH-HAZARD

A questionnaire distributed to two groups, one living within the fligh t pattern of a major airport and the other in a nonflight area, sought to determine whether these groups would respond differently to questi ons pertaining to noise, health perception, and quality of life issues . Nearly 70% of the residents living within the flight corridors repor ted themselves bothered by aircraft noise. Aircraft noise, in contrast to other bothersome noises, interfered more frequently with daily act ivities. Subjects who were bothered by aircraft noise were more likely to complain of sleep difficulties and more likely to perceive themsel ves to be in poorer health. The study's finding of a possible relation ship between noise and adverse health effects might encourage policy m akers to enact pending antinoise legislation and to fund further noise research.