San Francisco public health officials have presented a study called to attention in The San Francisco Chronicle on October 21, 2008 that intended to ascertain the effect of noise on the residents of the City.
The study, a joint venture between U.C. Berkley and the San Francisco Department of Public Health researchers, was released in The Internal Journal of Health Geographics on June 21, 2007.
The results are alarming. One out of every six residents of the city is affected by the surrounding noises. Which brings up the question: Are people in the bay area suffering from various noise-related diseases?
What People are Saying About the Health Effects of Noise
Tom Rivard, a senior environmental health specialist for the Department of Public Health in San Francisco said, “There are real health impacts.” According to Rivard, noise produced from traffic congestion is one of the most important sources of noise pollution in the city.
Other disturbing sources include trains, sirens and exhaust fans. They equally contribute to the noise pollution and the related health hazards.
According to the survey, the level of noise is most intense in the South of Market area of city, but as very few people actually reside there, the health hazards are less. The most noise-affected areas of the city are the densely populated areas of China Town, Civic Center and Tenderloin.
Noise can be Dangerous to Your Health
Rivard and other environmentalists of the Public Health Department, who were associated with the survey, also note that the noises during the nights are more dangerous than those in the daytime. They can keep a person awake and thus can change that person’s biological cycle altogether.
A constant and persistent loss of sleep may lead to lifestyle disorders related to the heart and may also cause depression as well as hypertension.
Victoria Sanchez, a 60 year old lady living at Cayuga Avenue in San Francisco’s Mission Terrace District, is sandwiched between Interstate 280 and Alemany Boulevard. She has developed cardiac disorders and hearing problems. She’s also forced to shut all her doors and windows—even in the summers—to keep out the noise.
The Public Health Department is planning specific traffic regulations to minimize the effects of noise on the health of the residents.
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References:
The San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Department of Public Health
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