Transportation Noise and Risk of Tinnitus: A Nationwide Cohort Study from Denmark

Abstract

Background: There is a growing body of evidence linking residential exposure to transportation noise with several nonauditory health outcomes. However, auditory outcomes, such as tinnitus, are virtually unexplored. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the association between residential transportation noise and risk of incident tinnitus. Methods: We conducted a nationwide cohort study including all residents in Denmark age , of whom 40,692 were diagnosed with tinnitus. We modeled road traffic and railway noise at the most ( ) and least ( ) exposed façades of all Danish addresses from 1990 until 2017. For all participants, we calculated 1-, 5-, and 10-y time-weighted mean noise exposure and retrieved detailed information on individual- and area-level socioeconomic covariates. We conducted analyses using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: We found positive associations between exposure to road traffic noise and risk of tinnitus, with hazard ratios of 1.06 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.08] and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.03) per 10-dB increase in 10-y and , respectively. Highest risk estimates were found for women, people without a hearing loss, people with high education and income, and people who had never been in a blue-collar job. The association with road followed a positive, monotonic exposure–response relationship. We found no association between railway noise and tinnitus. Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that residential exposure to road traffic noise may increase risk of tinnitus, suggesting noise may negatively affect the auditory system. If confirmed, this finding adds to the growing evidence of road traffic noise as a harmful pollutant with a substantial health burden. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11248

Health position paper and redox perspectives - Disease burden by transportation noise

“…The general understanding is that noise exposure below 80 dB(A) cannot harm hearing. However, a recent nationwide study from Denmark found that exposure to road traffic noise was associated with higher risk of tinnitus with adjusted HR of 1.06 (95 % CI: 1.04; 1.08) and 1.02 (95 % CI: 1.01; 1.03) per 10-dB increase in 10-year exposure to L den Min and L den Max, respectively [ 11 ]. The highest HRs were found among people without hearing loss and among those who had never been in a blue-collar job.…”

“…Tinnitus symptoms are likely enhanced in stressful periods, where stress hormones can affect the limbic, reticular, and auditory systems, as negative thoughts towards tinnitus affect the ability to habituate to the symptoms [ 164 , 165 ]. Cantuaria et al demonstrated the highest HRs for L den Min, a potential proxy for nighttime noise exposure [ 11 , 166 ]. Stress and tinnitus may form a vicious circle as sleep deprivation increases stress, which has negative impact on tinnitus [ 167 ].…”

“…Since 2015, available evidence has increased substantially, particularly from studies investigating the effects of road traffic noise on incident stroke and type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular mortality [ [3] , [4] , [5] , [6] , [7] ]. Also, newer studies have suggested that environmental noise may be a risk factor for diseases not evaluated by the WHO expert panel, such as heart failure, breast cancer, and tinnitus [ [8] , [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] ].…”

“…For road L den Min, a threshold at around 50 dB was indicated in the exposure-response relation. Cantuaria et al, 2023 [ 11 ] Tinnitus In a nationwide cohort based in Denmark of people older than 30 years, 40,692 persons were diagnosed with tinnitus. Exposure to 10-year mean road traffic noise at the least exposed façade was associated with a HR of 1.06 (1.04, 1.08), whereas for L den Max the corresponding HR was 1.02 (1.01; 1.03).…”

Assessing Traffic Noise and Its Impact on High-Rise Apartment Buildings Adjacent to an Urban Expressway: A Case Study in Chengdu, China

“…Several research reports have linked long-term exposure to traffic noise with various health issues, including hearing loss [7,8], cardiovascular disease [9,10], sleep disturbances [11][12][13], and impaired cognitive function [14]. Moreover, traffic noise can result in annoyance [15], stress [16], and tinnitus [17]. Overall, it is clear that traffic noise can significantly reduce the overall quality of life for residents.…”