Residential exposure to traffic noise and incidence of depression and anxiety from childhood through adulthood: a Finnish register study

Background: Long-term traffic noise exposure contributes to the burden of cardiovascular diseases, with more recent evidence also showing associations with mental disorders. However, the quality of available research evidence remains low. We conducted a register study to investigate the association between traffic noise exposure and the risk of incident depression and anxiety. Methods: A total of 120,975 individuals born in Finland in 1987–1998 and residing in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area in 2007 were identified in the register database and followed until 2016. The analysis included 114,353 eligible individuals (mean age at the baseline 14.3 years; 50.7 % female; mean follow-up 8.7 years). Annual average road and railway traffic noise was modeled at residential addresses. Incident cases of depression and anxiety were identified from the healthcare register. Cox proportional hazard models were applied, adjusting for individual and area-level covariates. Results: Each 10 dB increase in road traffic noise at the most exposed façade (Lden_max) was associated with a higher risk of depression (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.05, 95 % CI: 1.02–1.09) and anxiety (HR: 1.04, 95 % CI: 1.01–1.07). However, the associations with anxiety were more pronounced in males and those without parental mental disorders. Noise at the least exposed façade (Lden_min) had a J-shaped association with anxiety, with increased hazards after 53–55 dB. Combined road and railway traffic noise (Lden_max) and nighttime road traffic noise (Ln_max) yielded similar results. Conclusion: Exposure to continuously measured residential traffic noise above 53 dB was associated with higher risks of depression and anxiety among adolescents and young adults.