[The effect of intensive traffic noise on well-being and self-assessed health status of urban population].

In the study health situation of inhabitants and their subjective reaction to different acoustic conditions in their place of living were analysed. Comparison of residents who spend most of the time in rooms at a street side with the residents who lived in rooms at a yard side revealed significant differences between the groups in mental state and self assessed health status. People, who live in worse acoustic conditions more often complain about difficulties and disturbances in different daily activities. They also more often reported different ailments, of which the most important are problems connected with cardiovascular system, feeling tiredness after night sleep, frequent nervousness and irritation. This group of people more often takes pain killers and tranquillisers. However, there was no difference between the groups in reporting diseases that could be associated with noise and were confirmed by physician. Observed differences in reporting negative symptoms and reactions mentioned above were not related to socio-economic and behavioral factors such as: gender, age, economical conditions or smoking which have similar distribution in both the groups.