K2.10 Noisy environment

Proportion of persons reporting noise in their living environment

Environmental noise is a disturbing sound that can have several negative effects on human health. Noise affects people's health and well-being in various ways. The effects depend on the noise level and other characteristics of the sound, on our well-being and the activities we are engaged in at the time the noise disturbs us, and on the importance of the information the sound conveys to us. The effects also depend on our attitude towards the source of the noise.

The most common consequences include sleep disturbances, agitation, reduced ability to concentrate, disturbances in conversation, reduced efficiency at work or study, and psychophysiological effects. In the case of long-term exposure, the effects on the functioning of the cardiovascular system are also important. Particularly vulnerable groups are the elderly, children, people with hearing impairment, more sensitive individuals, and people with mental disorders.

The indicator shows self-reported noise in the living environment regardless of the source. Sources of noise include traffic (road, rail, air, water), industry, neighbors or restaurants, appliances in the apartment or house (for example, heat pump, air conditioner, leaf blower) and other sources of noise.

Everyone has the right to a healthy living environment, the right to peace and rest, both at night and during the day. The local community can contribute in various ways to reducing noise in its environment and thus improving the quality of life of its residents.

The "Noisy environment" indicator shows the proportion of people aged 25-74 who report that their living environment is noisy, regardless of the source of the noise. The people included in the indicator include everyone who cites traffic (road, rail, air, water), industry, neighbours or restaurants, appliances in the apartment or house or another source of noise as the most annoying source of noise. The indicator excludes people who answer that they do not find the environment in which they live noisy.

Percent (%).

The indicator " Noisy environment " shows the ratio between the number of people who, in the Health-Related Behavioral Style Survey, answered the question "Is the environment you live noisy and which sources of noise are most disturbing to you?", and the number of all people who answered this survey question, multiplied by 100.

Noisy environment

$=\frac{The number of persons reporting noise in their environment}{The number of all persons, who responded to the survey questionnaire}x100$

The indicator for the municipality is calculated based on a model that takes into account the prevalence of people reporting noise in the living environment at the administrative unit level and the demographic data of the municipality.

Health-Related Behavioral Style (CINDI) Survey, National Institute of Public Health.

Data is collected periodically. Due to a change in the survey question, comparable data for this indicator are available from 2024 onwards.

Year 2026.

1. Guidelines of the World Health Organization on environmental noise, WHO 2018 http://nijz.si/sl/smernice-svetovne-zdravstvene-organizazije-o-okoljskem-hrupu
2. NIJZ Hrup https://nijz.si/moje-okolje/hrup/
3. NIJZ: Raziskava Z zdravjem povezan vedenjski slog 2024 https://nijz.si/podatki/podatkovne-zbirke-in-raziskave/raziskava-z-zdravjem-povezan-vedenjski-slog-2024/

• The survey includes people aged 25-74.
• The survey does not cover the population residing in the institution at the time of the survey.
• The answers are based on a subjective assessment of the noise level of the living environment.
• Due to the changed survey question, the data are not directly comparable to data from releases prior to 2024.