[Perception of traffic noise emission in Basel City canton in comparison to actually measured noise levels].

The objective of this study was to assess to what extent the subjective annoyance is influenced by the actually measured or calculated street traffic noise and by sociodemographic factors. In the study on air pollution and health in Basle a representative sample of 1033 families with children up to five years were asked how they perceived street traffic noise. The extent of annoyance was assessed with a scale from 0 (no annoyance) to 10 (unbearably annoyed). The actual noise levels were taken from the official noise-register. Nearly 30% of the families were exposed to > 65 dB(A) in daytime. Immigrant families as well as participants with low education more frequently lived in streets with higher noise levels than Swiss families or participants with higher education. 16.4% considered themselves heavily annoyed by traffic noise (scale 8-10). The proportion of heavily annoyed participants was positively correlated with the actual noise levels, the slope was steepest at a noise level between 60-65 dB(A). By means of a multiple regression it could be shown that, adjusting for education level and city district, the actual noise level was the best predictor of subjective annoyance.