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Biomedical subjects

S Fidell

Publications and source records attributed to S Fidell.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Effects on sleep disturbance of changes in aircraft noise near three airports.

Field measurements were conducted of potential sleep disturbance associated with changes in nighttime aircraft noise exposure near three airports. One study was conducted near Stapleton International Airport (DEN) and Denver International Airport (DIA) in anticipation of the closure of the former and opening of the latter. Sleep behavior was monitored in 57 homes located near runway ends at the two airports. A second study was conducted in the vicinity of DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK), a large general aviation airport that expected increased nighttime flight operations due to the Olympic Games in July and August of 1996. Similar methods of measuring nighttime noise levels and sleep disturbance in the two studies were maintained over the course of 2717 and 686 subject-nights of observations, respectively. No major differences in noise-induced sleep disturbance were observed as a function of changes in nighttime aircraft noise exposure.

Aircraft↗

Effects of aircraft overflights on wilderness recreationists.

On-site and telephone opinion surveys were conducted to assess outdoor recreationists' annoyance with aircraft overflights of wilderness areas. Although current technology for measuring noise exposure does not yet permit accurate and cost-effective estimates of dosage-response relationships in outdoor recreational settings, it was nonetheless possible to construct a rough relationship between estimated aircraft noise exposure and annoyance from the data of the on-site study. In the second survey, telephone interviews were administered to another sample of outdoor recreationists within 2 weeks of their return from visits to 12 wilderness areas. The prevalence of aircraft noise-induced annoyance (in any degree) among respondents in all wilderness areas ranged from 5% to 32%. The prevalence of a consequential degree of aircraft noise-induced annoyance among respondents was less than 5% in all wilderness areas combined. Noise-induced annoyance proved to be a more direct measure of the effects of aircraft overflights on recreationists than more global measures such as visit satisfaction or intent to revisit.

Acoustics↗

Aircraft noise annoyance at three joint air carrier and general aviation airports.

The results of social surveys conducted near three airports that support both general aviation and scheduled air carrier operations are presented and discussed. Inferences supported by these data include: The nature of noise exposure and community reaction at smaller airports may differ from that at larger airports; survey techniques are capable of identifying changes in annoyance associated with numerically small changes in noise exposure; changes in the prevalence of annoyance are causally produced by changes in noise exposure; and changes in annoyance associated with changes in exposure vary with time.

Adult↗

Effective masking bandwidths at low frequencies.

Masking of low-frequency sinusoids of varying durations by Gaussian noise of varying spectral shape was measured in three different studies. Common solutions to technical problems associated with control and specification of low-frequency signals were used in the three studies. If interpreted in terms of Fletcher's critical ratio assumptions, data from the first study lead to the inference that the masking bandwidth is inversely related to signal frequency below about 200 Hz. Data from the second study rule out the likelihood that the apparent increase in masking bandwidth is attributable to changes in auditory integration times at low frequencies. The data of the third study suggest that the apparent increase in auditory filter bandwidth at low frequencies is more adequately explained by a decrease in observers' detection efficiency than by broadening of the filter bandpass.

Auditory Perception↗

Community response to blasting.

Annoyance due to chronic exposure to blast noise and vibration was assessed in residential areas near two surface mines and a quarry. It was found possible to base useful prediction of the prevalence of high annoyance on a metric of outdoor ground vibration related to high centiles of the long term distribution of exposure levels.

Adult↗

Nationwide urban noise survey.

Most current knowledge about community response to noise exposure is derived from studies of high-level transportation sources. A nationwide urban noise survey was undertaken to study effects associated with more moderate but far more common sorts of noise exposure. Over 2000 respondents at 24 sites in seven cities of varying noise exposure and population density were interviewed by telephone and in person about their reactions to everyday noises. A brief but comprehensive structured questionnaire was based on direct questioning about annoyance and related effects. Among the major findings of the survey were widespread annoyance and speech interference from exposure to urban noise and strong relationships between the extent of annoyance and exposure level, speech interference, and population density.

Affect↗