Environmental Noise and Annoyance in Adult Population of Skopje: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to identify noise exposure indicators during day and night in the city of Skopje and to see if there is an association between these noise exposure indicators and annoyance. We have performed noise measurements and interviewed 510 adult subjects, using a questionnaire, prepared according to the ISO/TS-15666 standard. Average noise level over the day (L_day) was (62±6.45) dB(A) and over night (L_night) (56±6.52) dB(A). Thirteen percent of subjects reported a high level, and 33.5% moderate level of annoyance. The most annoying noise sources were construction activities (34% of the subjects), road traffic (24%), and leisure/entertainment activities (18%). We found a significant association between exposure to L_day in the range 61 dB(A) to 65 dB(A) and annoyance in the exposed population (chi-square = 86.14; p<0.001; Spearman's R=0.45; p<0.05). During the night time annoyance was reported with exposure to L_night above 46 dB(A). Levels of annoyance in Macedonia are similar to levels in developed European countries. Differences are in the source of noise. This study has shown that environmental noise is a significant hazard in urban environments, and assessment of annoyance may prove a useful tool for town planners and public health policy makers.