HEALTH EFFECTS OF AIRCRAFT NOISE FROM URBAN AIRPORTS ON RESIDENTS AND WORKERS: CURRENT HYGIENIC CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR PREVENTIVE RISK MANAGEMENT
Keywords:
aircraft noise; airport; population health; occupational noise; Lden; Lnight; noise mapping; hearing loss; prevention.Abstract
This review summarizes current evidence on health effects of aircraft noise among residents living near urban airports and workers of airside and ground services. WHO and ICAO documents, PubMed/MEDLINE publications, and official legal sources of the Republic of Uzbekistan were analyzed. Rapid growth of tourism and air traffic, airport infrastructure development, and adoption of Law No. O‘RQ-1171 in 2026 increase the public-health relevance of aircraft noise in Uzbekistan. International studies associate aircraft noise with annoyance, sleep disturbance, hypertension, cardiovascular outcomes, and selected cognitive effects in children. Noise-induced hearing loss remains a major occupational hazard for airport workers. Integrated exposure assessment using contemporary acoustic indicators, noise mapping, and clinical-functional monitoring may improve preventive management for both nearby communities and occupational groups.
References
1. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. (2018). Environmental noise guidelines for the European Region. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/9789289053563
2. International Civil Aviation Organization. (n.d.). Aircraft noise: Balanced approach to aircraft noise management. https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/aircraft-noise
3. Republic of Uzbekistan. (2026, September 9). On the protection of the population from the harmful effects of noise (Law No. O'RQ-1171). LexUZ. https://www.lex.uz/uz/docs/-8468638
4. Republic of Uzbekistan. (2015, August 26). On sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population (Law No. О'RQ-393). LexUZ. https://lex.uz/acts/-2732587
5. Republic of Uzbekistan. (1993, May 7). Air Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. LexUZ. https://lex.uz/uz/acts/-55594
6. President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2025, May 15). On measures to increase the role and importance of tourism in the economy by sharply increasing the flow of tourists and rapidly expanding the scope of tourist services in 2025–2026 (Decree No. PF-87). LexUZ. https://lex.uz/uz/docs/-7531559
7. National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2026, January 16). In 2025, 11.7 million tourists visited Uzbekistan. https://stat.uz/uz/matbuot-markazi/qo-mita-yangilkar/66309-2025-jilda-zbekistonga-
8. Government Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2026, June 19). A PPP agreement has been signed for the construction and operation of the new Tashkent International Airport. https://gov.uz/oz/news/view/181103
9. Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2020). Sanitary rules and norms of permissible noise levels in residential areas, public buildings, residential areas and recreation areas (SanQvaM 0008-20). LexUZ. https://lex.uz/docs/-5192581
10. Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2023). Urban planning of the development and construction of territories of settlements (SNHQ 2.07.01-23). LexUZ. https://lex.uz/docs/-7024185
11. Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2026). Sanitary rules, norms and hygiene standards for noise, vibration, infrasound and ultrasound levels in workplaces (SanQvaN 0111-26). LexUZ. https://lex.uz/uz/docs/8163034
12. Gusky, R., Schreckenberg, D., & Schuemer, R. (2017). WHO environmental noise guidelines for the European Region: A systematic review on environmental noise and annoyance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(12), 1539. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14121539
13. Smith, MG, Cordoza, M., & Basner, M. (2022). Environmental noise and effects on sleep: An update to the WHO systematic review and meta-analysis. Environmental Health Perspectives, 130(7), 076001. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10197
14. van Kempen, E., Casas, M., Pershagen, G., & Foraster, M. (2018). WHO environmental noise guidelines for the European Region: A systematic review on environmental noise and cardiovascular and metabolic effects: A summary. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(2), 379. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020379
15. Münzel, T., Sørensen, M., & Daiber, A. (2021). Transportation noise pollution and cardiovascular disease. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 18, 619–636. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-021-00532-5
16. Jarup, L., Babisch, W., Houthuijs, D., et al. (2008). Hypertension and exposure to noise near airports: The HYENA study. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(3), 329–333. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.10775
17. Haralabidis, AS, Dimakopoulou, K., Vigna-Taglianti, F., et al. (2008). Acute effects of night-time noise exposure on blood pressure in populations living near airports. European Heart Journal, 29(5), 658–664. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehn013
18. Eriksson, C., Rosenlund, M., Pershagen, G., Hilding, A., Östenson, C.-G., & Bluhm, G. (2007). Aircraft noise and incidence of hypertension. Epidemiology, 18(6), 716–721. https://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181567e77
19. Hansell, AL, Blangiardo, M., Fortunato, L., et al. (2013). Aircraft noise and cardiovascular disease near Heathrow airport in London: Small area study. BMJ, 347, f5432. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f5432
20. Topriceanu, C.-C., Gong, X., Shah, M., et al. (2025). Higher aircraft noise exposure is linked to worse heart structure and function by cardiovascular MRI. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 85(5), 454–469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.09.1217
21. Stansfeld, SA, Berglund, B., Clark, C., et al. (2005). Aircraft and road traffic noise and children's cognition and health: A cross-national study. The Lancet, 365(9475), 1942–1949. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66660-3
22. Al-Harthy, NA, Abugad, H., Zabeeri, N., Alghamdi, AA, Al Yousif, GF, & Darwish, MA (2022). Noise mapping, prevalence and risk factors of noise-induced hearing loss among workers at Muscat International Airport. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 7952. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137952
23. Smedje, G., Lunden, M., Gärtner, L., Lundgren, H., & Lindgren, T. (2011). Hearing status among aircraft maintenance personnel in a commercial airline company. Noise & Health, 13(54), 364–370. https://doi.org/10.4103/1463-1741.85509
24. Orikpete, OF, Dennis, NM, Kikanme, KN, & Ewim, DRE (2024). Advancing noise management in aviation: Strategic approaches for preventing noise-induced hearing loss. Journal of Environmental Management, 363, 121413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121413
25. International Civil Aviation Organization. (2017/2026). Annex 16 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation: Environmental protection. Volume I—Aircraft noise (8th ed., including Amendment 15). https://store.icao.int/en/annex-16-environmental-protection-volume-i-aircraft-noise