WHO Examines Health Inequalities of Exposure to Environmental Noise

摘要

Low-income populations, especially single-parent families in the core European Union (EU) countries, showed the highest prevalence of complaints about noise from neighbors and street traffic, in a study coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe. Its baseline assessment of the magnitude of environmental health inequality in Europe examined a set of 14 inequality indicators. "The main findings indicate that socioeconomic and demographic inequalities in risk exposure are present in all countries, though they vary from country to country," the report concluded. "The unequal distribution of health and well-being in national populations is a major challenge for public health governance. The report also demonstrates that each country has a specific portfolio of inequalities, documenting the need for country-specific inequality assessments and tailored interventions on the national priorities."