Annoyance and Worry in a Petrochemical Industrial Area—Prevalence, Time Trends and Risk Indicators

In 1992, 1998, and 2006, questionnaires were sent to stratified samples of residents aged 18-75 years living near petrochemical industries (n = 600-800 people on each occasion) and in a control area (n = 200-1,000). The aims were to estimate the long-term prevalence and change over time of annoyance caused by industrial odour, industrial noise, and worries about possible health effects, and to identify risk indicators. In 2006, 20% were annoyed by industrial odour, 27% by industrial noise (1-4% in the control area), and 40-50% were worried about health effects or industrial accidents (10-20% in the control area). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed significantly lower prevalence of odour annoyance in 1998 and 2006 than in 1992, while industrial noise annoyance increased significantly over time. The prevalence of worry remained constant. Risk of odour annoyance increased with female sex, worry of health effects, annoyance by motor vehicle exhausts and industrial noise. Industrial noise annoyance was associated with traffic noise annoyance and worry of health effects of traffic. Health-risk worry due to industrial air pollution was associated with female sex, having children, annoyance due to dust/soot in the air, and worry of traffic air pollution.