Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Releases Recommendations On Curbing Environmental Noise, Which Is Linked To Stress And Heart Disease
Sshh, turn down the volume. The World Health Organization wants to make the planet a quieter place and says taking out those earbuds is a good place to start. For the first time, the WHO has released guidelines on how noise from leisure activities, especially listening to music through earbuds, can be harmful to health. (Sugden, 10/9)
Environmental noise is among the "top environmental risks to health," according to the WHO report. More than 100 million Europeans are affected by road traffic noise alone each year. "Noise continues to be a concern," noted Dr. Dorota Jarosińska, program manager for living and working environments at the WHO regional office for Europe. Is air pollution tied to higher dementia risk? The new guidelines are "an important update," given the evidence and links to health problems, said Stephen Stansfeld, professor at Barts and Queen Mary University of London and chair of the Guideline Development Group, an independent organization that advised WHO on the guidelines. (Avramova, 10/9)
