Estimating Dose-Response Relationships between Noise Exposure and Human Health in the UK

Across Europe attention is increasingly turning to the detrimental impacts of noise pollution. The rapidly growing literature surrounding noise pollution highlight a wide range of detrimental impacts including annoyance, adverse health impacts, slower learning rates in children, irritation and effects on local ecology.

In August 2008 Defra, on behalf of the IGCB(N), commissioned Dr Bernard Berry and Dr Ian Flindell, renowned experts in this area, to undertake a review of research into the links between noise and health. The four key aims of this research were:

  • Identify a comprehensive list of potential adverse health impacts from noise and review the current state of evidence for each of the impacts;
  • Where a robust evidence base exists, to recommend quantitative links (dose-response functions ) for the impacts of noise on health which could be applied in the UK;
  • Identify any emerging adverse health impacts that should be kept under review for future consideration in evaluation; and
  • Identify any structural challenges to developing and maintaining strong quantitative links between noise and health outcomes.

This research has now been completed and the various reports can be viewed below. The report has been split into two reports with a project report giving some background information and a summary of the findings while the technical report goes into greater detail and is aimed at those with an expert interest in the subject.

Estimating Dose-Response Relationships between Noise Exposure and Human Health in the UK


This research represents the views of the authors and the IGCB will now consider the results and recommendations of this research.

Further information

This report is being published alongside the Health Protection Agency (HPA) Report: Environmental Noise and Health in the UK.

This report can be found on the HPA website.

Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat PDF documents.

See also

Page published: August 29, 2009

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