Exploring the relationships between soundscape quality and public health using a systems thinking approach
Urban soundscapes significantly influence public health, with sound quality affecting well-being and social value. While traditional noise control has emphasized harm reduction, soundscape studies propose that managing sound environments can promote health benefits. This study explores the complex relationships between soundscape quality and public health using a systems thinking approach. In a participatory workshop with 21 experts from fields such as urban planning, environmental psychology, and acoustics, a causal loop diagram (CLD) was developed to illustrate the interactions between soundscape quality and public health variables. The CLD revealed key feedback loops and intervention points, organized around themes of socio-economic impact, environmental justice, biodiversity, and soundscape design. Findings highlight that while soundscape quality can enhance community well-being, increased economic value may drive gentrification, altering the social structure and reducing sound source diversity. Additionally, the role of soundscape quality in biodiversity suggests both co-benefits and ecological risks. This study demonstrates the potential of systems thinking to guide interdisciplinary approaches in soundscape management, identifying strategic pathways to inform future research and policy development for equitable and health-promoting urban environments.
Authors
- Francesco Aletta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0351-3189)
- Jian Kang
- Cynthia Tarlao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9591-3002)
- Maarten Hornikx (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8343-6613)
- Tin Oberman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0014-0383)
- Irene Pluchinotta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1883-8675)
- Sarah R. Payne (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3894-3608)
- Marcel Cobussen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3677-7076)
- Arnaud Can (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9975-4245)
- Simone Torresin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2935-0288)
- Bhan Lam (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5193-6560)
- Catherine Lavandier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6049-5613)
- Marion Burgess (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2429-5400)
- Ke Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8270-3417)
- Eleanor Ratcliffe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0545-1583)
- Brigitte Schulte‐Fortkamp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1047-6355)
- Gunnar Cerwén (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6024-7919)
- Hui Ma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8699-2896)
- Andrew D. Mitchell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8399-8563)
- Catherine Guastavino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5750-2015)
- Laudan Nooshin
- Ruth Bernatek
Institutions
- Leiden University (NL)
- Tianjin University (CN)
- St George's, University of London (GB)
- Nanyang Technological University (SG)
- University of Trento (IT)
- Charing Cross Hospital (GB)
- University of Surrey (GB)
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE)
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- Ghent University (BE)
- University of Warwick (GB)
- Engineering Acoustics (United States) (US)
- CY Cergy Paris Université (FR)
- Université Gustave Eiffel (FR)
- Unité Mixte de Recherche en Acoustique Environnementale
- University College London (GB)
- Technische Universität Berlin (DE)
- McGill University (CA)
- Eindhoven University of Technology (NL)
- University of the Arts London (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Acoustics
- Published
- 2025-02-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44384-025-00003-y
- Citations
- 8
- Primary Topic
- Noise Effects and Management
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 24.94
Funders
- Arts and Humanities Research Council