Noise in the City: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of the Actual and Perceived Noise Levels in a Medium-Sized Urban Center
Despite substantial systematic studies on noise pollution, studies relating actual noise levels to perceived noise pollution in the context of rapidly urbanizing medium-sized cities of the Global South are scarce. This study examined the perceived impact of noise pollution on the health of residents...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Istanbul University Press
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Coğrafya Dergisi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/84107F6B66F2467F9B9F2D1779A24A22 |
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| author | Kayode Julius Samuel Samuel Yakubu Olufemi Sunday Durowoju |
| author_facet | Kayode Julius Samuel Samuel Yakubu Olufemi Sunday Durowoju |
| author_sort | Kayode Julius Samuel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite substantial systematic studies on noise pollution, studies relating actual noise levels to perceived noise pollution in the context of rapidly urbanizing medium-sized cities of the Global South are scarce. This study examined the perceived impact of noise pollution on the health of residents of Osogbo, Southwest Nigeria. It used a cross-sectional research design that included direct field observation to obtain noise levels and a questionnaire survey to assess residents’ perceptions of acoustic disturbance in the study area’s residential, commercial, and mixed land uses. Ambient noise levels were significantly higher during the day and night in residential, commercial, and mixed land uses than the WHO-prescribed maximums. Significant variations between different land uses were observed. More than 80% of the respondents perceived their neighborhoods as noisy, indicating a convergence between actual and perceived noise levels. Respondents scored power generators (22.1%), transportation (21.7%), worship places (20.3%), and markets and clubs (14.7%) as important sources of ambient noise pollution. Sleep loss (72.3%), hearing impairment (64.3%), and aggravation of hypertensive ailments (54%) were the acute effects of noise pollution. Few respondents claimed to be aware of the efforts of the government (34%) and neighborhood associations (28%) to stem the escalating rate of noise pollution. Enforcing environmental laws on noise reduction and advocacy that provokes noise-abating behavioral changes among residents could help curb noise pollution in the city. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3d15401028b34be7b75af232adffb8b5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1305-2128 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Istanbul University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Coğrafya Dergisi |
| spelling | doaj-art-3d15401028b34be7b75af232adffb8b52025-08-20T03:52:16ZengIstanbul University PressCoğrafya Dergisi1305-21282023-12-014711310.26650/JGEOG2023-1189396123456Noise in the City: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of the Actual and Perceived Noise Levels in a Medium-Sized Urban CenterKayode Julius Samuel0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0958-1089Samuel Yakubu1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9083-8565Olufemi Sunday Durowoju2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5480-1773Osun State University, Osogbo, NigeriaOsun State University, Osogbo, NigeriaUniversity of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South-AfricaDespite substantial systematic studies on noise pollution, studies relating actual noise levels to perceived noise pollution in the context of rapidly urbanizing medium-sized cities of the Global South are scarce. This study examined the perceived impact of noise pollution on the health of residents of Osogbo, Southwest Nigeria. It used a cross-sectional research design that included direct field observation to obtain noise levels and a questionnaire survey to assess residents’ perceptions of acoustic disturbance in the study area’s residential, commercial, and mixed land uses. Ambient noise levels were significantly higher during the day and night in residential, commercial, and mixed land uses than the WHO-prescribed maximums. Significant variations between different land uses were observed. More than 80% of the respondents perceived their neighborhoods as noisy, indicating a convergence between actual and perceived noise levels. Respondents scored power generators (22.1%), transportation (21.7%), worship places (20.3%), and markets and clubs (14.7%) as important sources of ambient noise pollution. Sleep loss (72.3%), hearing impairment (64.3%), and aggravation of hypertensive ailments (54%) were the acute effects of noise pollution. Few respondents claimed to be aware of the efforts of the government (34%) and neighborhood associations (28%) to stem the escalating rate of noise pollution. Enforcing environmental laws on noise reduction and advocacy that provokes noise-abating behavioral changes among residents could help curb noise pollution in the city.https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/84107F6B66F2467F9B9F2D1779A24A22medium-sized urban centersnoisescapenoise abatementcity’s livabilityambient noise levels |
| spellingShingle | Kayode Julius Samuel Samuel Yakubu Olufemi Sunday Durowoju Noise in the City: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of the Actual and Perceived Noise Levels in a Medium-Sized Urban Center Coğrafya Dergisi medium-sized urban centers noisescape noise abatement city’s livability ambient noise levels |
| title | Noise in the City: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of the Actual and Perceived Noise Levels in a Medium-Sized Urban Center |
| title_full | Noise in the City: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of the Actual and Perceived Noise Levels in a Medium-Sized Urban Center |
| title_fullStr | Noise in the City: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of the Actual and Perceived Noise Levels in a Medium-Sized Urban Center |
| title_full_unstemmed | Noise in the City: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of the Actual and Perceived Noise Levels in a Medium-Sized Urban Center |
| title_short | Noise in the City: A Socio-Spatial Analysis of the Actual and Perceived Noise Levels in a Medium-Sized Urban Center |
| title_sort | noise in the city a socio spatial analysis of the actual and perceived noise levels in a medium sized urban center |
| topic | medium-sized urban centers noisescape noise abatement city’s livability ambient noise levels |
| url | https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/84107F6B66F2467F9B9F2D1779A24A22 |
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