ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The effect of acute noise on cognitive function has long been a topic of study, yet these effects remain a serious problem for learning performance in school children. METHODS: From November 15, 2010 to December 8, 2010, we enrolled 268 students from three elementary schools (135 boys and 133 girls, 10-12 years old) in Ulsan, Korea. The study subjects were divided into two groups according to their test conditions (background versus additional noise), and tests were conducted using psychological examination tools. Chi-square tests and general linear models were used to assess the differences of impacts on cognition between the two groups. RESULTS: After adjusting for socio-demographic covariates, the noise significantly affected the results of full-scale IQ, verbal IQ, Continuous Performance Test scores, and Children's Color Trails Test and Stroop test scores. The groups at high risk of learning difficulties were more affected by noise than low-risk groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that noise is hazardous to the attention and performance of elementary school students, particularly for groups at greater risk for poor academic achievement. Additional studies are needed to identify subject-specific levels of noise that can affect attention and cognitive function.
ABSTRACT
Environmental noise is known to cause noise annoyance. Since noise annoyance is a subjective indicator, other mediators-such as noise sensitivity-may influence its perception. However, few studies have thus far been conducted on noise annoyance in South Korea that consider noise sensitivity and noise level simultaneously. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations between noise sensitivity or noise level and noise annoyance on a large scale in South Korea. This study estimated the level of noise exposure based on a noise map created in 2014; identified and surveyed 1836 subjects using a questionnaire; and assessed the impact of transportation noise and noise sensitivity on noise annoyance. The result showed that noise exposure level and noise sensitivity simultaneously affect noise annoyance, and noise sensitivity has a relatively larger impact on noise annoyance. In conclusion, when study subjects were exposed to a similar level of noise, the level of noise annoyance differed depending on the noise sensitivity of the individual.
