Aircraft Noise and the Quality of Life of Community Residents Around Port Harcourt International Airport, South- South Nigeria

Abstract

Studies of aircraft noise and quality of life of residents living around Port-Harcourt international airport, South-South Nigeria have been carried out. 1552 out of 1800 questionnaires representing 86 percent of the total which bordered on aircraft noise annoyance and disturbances were received, collated and analysed. There was a very high correlation between noise annoyance and the daily disturbances from the aircraft noise on people which included fatigue, lack of concentration, headache, night sleep, relaxation and communication disturbances. The number of highly annoyed people which cut across the youth, middle age and adults increased as the day- night sound levels of the aircraft noise increased. These findings show clearly that the quality of life of people living around Port Harcourt International airport has greatly been impaired by noise from aircraft.

Keywords: Aircraft noise, annoyance, disturbance, quality of life, community residents.