LATEBREAKER
Environment/Climate Change
Environmental Justice Considerations on The Association between Socioeconomic Factors and Environmental Noise in Rhode Island Parks Ugoji Nwanaji-Enwerem* Ugoji Nwanaji-Enwerem Diana Grigsby-Toussaint Erica Walker
Introduction: In Rhode Island (RI) there are over 6.7 million annual visits to parks. Urbanization has resulted in an increase in noise pollution, including within parks. Studies show that noise exposure is associated with adverse health effects on physiological stress, cardiovascular disease risk, and mental health. Research also suggests disproportionate noise exposure in areas with lower socioeconomic status and high sociodemographic diversity. This research aims to explore associations between socioeconomic/demographic factors and sound levels in RI parks.
Methods: Thirteen parks in Providence, RI were studied during daytime hours in October-November 2023. Sound measurements were collected for five-minute periods at each park’s center. Socioeconomic/demographic data were sourced from the US Census Bureau and American Community Survey. Pearson correlation and multilinear regression analyses assessed sound levels and median household income, percent population below the poverty level, and race/ethnicity.
Results: Positive correlations were found between A-weighted sound levels (LAeq) and percent Hispanic population (r=0.02, p=0.94). C-weighted sound levels (LCeq) correlated positively with percent Black population and percent below the poverty level (r=0.14, 0.13; p=0.7, 0.7). Negative correlations existed for LCeq with median household income (r=0.3, p=0.4) and LAeq with percent white population (r=-0.1, p=0.9). T-tests comparing Southside to West End parks showed differences greater than 3dBA and mean peak sound levels above 64dB (p=0.08). Multilinear regression revealed an inverse association between maximum A-weighted sound levels and median household income (β= -0.00165, p=0.886) and a positive association with percent Hispanic population (β= 0.05, p=0.7).
Conclusion: Although results were non-significant, trends suggest important environmental justice implications. Higher median household income was associated with lower sound levels, while higher percent Hispanic and Black populations correlate with higher LAeq and LCeq, respectively. This highlights environmental disparities, emphasizing the need for interventions to address disproportionate sound exposure, ensuring improved population-level health through both environmental and policy initiatives.