Measuring Quality of Life in Communities Surrounding Airports (2020)

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81 Existing Quality of Life Resources A P P E N D I X C The research team conducted a comprehensive literature review to provide an understanding of existing QOL frameworks and methodologies. The studies summarized in this appendix provide a small sample of the QOL assessment frameworks that were consulted to develop the guidebook, including QOL studies that are more general and those specific to transportation and aviation. Although there are other QOL studies that examine the link between aviation and QOL, many focus on noise as a primary factor or are specific to one airport. Quality of Life Resources and Measurement Practices High-level categories for grouping indicators varied across reviewed studies. However, the most common high-level categories include economic, health, environmental, and social. In general, the reviewed studies lack consistency in defining QOL indicators, with some sources using the term “indicators” and others using the terms “dimensions,” “categories,” or “measures.” The research team adopted the term “indicator” to describe components of QOL, and all relevant indicators from the existing resources were identified and adapted accordingly to fit the needs of this project. Multiple studies included a mix of both quantitative and qualitative indicators, meaning those that can be objectively measured and those that require some subjective input from participants. Metrics are the specific means of measuring an indicator (e.g., the number of jobs created by a particular project is one metric by which to measure the “employment” indicator). In the reviewed literature, there was significant variation in the metrics examined, and many of the metrics may be too specific for this project to consider. Metrics were considered in order to determine thresholds for the various levels of QOL. This section further details some resources that influenced the research team’s understanding of QOL and QOL measurement practices. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Better Life Initiative The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Better Life Initiative provides an index for comparing well-being across countries. This specific report seeks to answer "How's Life in the United States?" through consideration of the 11 dimensions, or indicators, of "well-being" included in the index. The report compares countrywide "well-being" for the average American to conditions in other OECD countries. It shows relative strengths and weaknesses of each indicator as compared to C.1 C.1.1

82 Measuring Quality of Life in Communities Surrounding Airports environmental quality of life (EQOL). The assessment also includes spirituality components. The methodology utilizes surveys administered through field tests to assess QOL. The WHOQOL-100 is a comprehensive 100-question field survey to measure 24 QOL facets or indicators (such as sleep, transportation, home environment), which are categorized under six domains: physical, psychological, level of independence, social relationships, environment, and spirituality/religion/personal beliefs (SRPB). The WHOQOL-BREF is an abbreviated version of the 100-question survey and only consists of 26 questions (one question from each of the 24 facets identified in the WHOQOL-100 research and two additional questions on Overall QOL and General Health). The WHOQOL-SRPB field test instrument covers Spirituality, Religiousness, and Personal beliefs (SRPB) and is an addition to the WHOQOL-100. It is used to measure QOL related to SRPB. The related document, WHOQOL-SRPB Users Manual: Scoring and Coding for the WHOQOL SRPB Field-Test Instrument, provides instructions and coding procedures. Transportation Related Quality of Life Resources To understand the connections between airports and various aspects of QOL, we found that the existing literature covered a broad range of topics. Some examples of peer-reviewed studies on the impacts of airports examine influences on the local economy through housing (Nelson 2004, Dekkers and van der Straaten 2008), job markets (Sheard 2014), and the local environment through noise and emissions (Van Praag and Baarsma 2005, Lu and Morrell 2006) and impacts on wildlife (Hauptfleisch 2016). The Sustainable Aviation Guidance Alliance (SAGA) database contains more than 1,000 examples of initiatives that airports have used to improve their economic performance, increase operational efficiency, conserve natural resources, and provide positive social impacts. These examples highlight the diversity of both the influences that airports have on local communities and the complex issues that airport managers work to address. While limited in number, the transportation- and airport-related QOL studies are both relevant and recent and provide useful background, which the research team will build off as they move forward with the project. These are summarized below: United Kingdom Airports Commission Quality of Life Assessment The United Kingdom Airports Commission included QOL impacts as part of its Appraisal Framework, covering 16 modules and created to evaluate three possible airport development schemes for London Heathrow. The Quality of Life assessment was Module 11 out of 16. The project sought to determine QOL indicators affected by aviation and leverages existing UK data sets to assess the effect of aviation on QOL (both positive and negative impacts). other OECD countries. It also identifies well-being priorities and how well-being for each dimension has changed over the past decade on a countrywide basis. It includes information on inequalities as related to income, gender, age, and education, in addition to discussion of the well-being of migrants and governance-related well-being. World Health Organization Quality of Life Field Test Instruments The World Health Organization (WHO) takes a holistic approach to assessing QOL, which incorporates both health-related quality of life (HQOL) (i.e., both physical health and mental health) and C.1.2 C.2 C.2.1

Existing Quality of Life Resources 83 associated with all subjective well-being measures” (PricewaterhouseCoopers 2015). The study suggests strategies for airport developers to consider in order to mitigate negative impacts of the airport on QOL and to enhance the positive impacts associated with airport construction and operations. Western Sydney Airport Health Impact Assessment In 2016, the Australian Minister for Urban Infrastructure approved final plans for the development of a new airport in Western Sydney. As part of the overall environmental assessment, the Centre for Health Equity Training, Research, and Evaluation, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity at University of New South Wales, Australia, conducted a health impact assessment for the Western Sydney International Airport community engagement process (Hirono et al. 2017). The project explores how the level of stakeholder engagement and participation in decision making affect health and well-being of community members. The objective of the study was to examine how community engagement in airport planning initiatives affects indicators of community and individual well-being. Findings demonstrate that affected community members are dissatisfied with the level of community engagement associated with the development of the airport. The study reports that the impacts of the current level of engagement are negatively affecting several well-being indicators, including "access to information, feeling of control, participation, and risk perception." The study notes the importance of a thoughtful and considerate approach to community engagement by the airport developer and includes recommended strategies for engagement. Minnesota Department of Transportation Quality of Life Study In 2013, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Minnesota DOT) published a report examining how transportation affects QOL, specifically in the state of Minnesota for Minnesota DOT infrastructure and facilities. The study methodology included focus group interviews and a mailed questionnaire. Researchers Ingrid E. Schneider, Tian Guo, and Sierra Schroeder (2013) identified 11 QOL factors as reported by stakeholders (i.e., focus group and survey participants). The report focused on identifying measures that influence satisfaction with Minnesota DOT services. The study identified seven transportation indicators and found that most participants rated transportation as important to overall QOL. While not specific to aviation, the findings confirm that access to transportation significantly affects people’s ability to fulfill their needs by expanding access to employment, education, and recreational activities, among other effects. The QOL indicators were derived from elements identified in the UK Measuring National Wellbeing Programme. The scope of the project included identifying QOL impacts from airport development, airport operations, connectivity, and infrastructure associated with the airport. The research examined the effect of aviation on QOL using “subjective wellbeing analysis.” The researchers used regression analysis to examine two large existing data sets in order to assess both the effects of living near airports and the effects of being near airports. While the study concluded that living near airports does not have an effect on overall well-being of community members, exposure to certain levels of aircraft noise does have a negative impact: “living within a daytime aircraft noise contour (over 55 dB) is negatively C.2.2 C.2.3

84 Measuring Quality of Life in Communities Surrounding Airports HQOL components, such as health complaints, sleep quality, and individual noise sensitivity. It also captured information concerning the resident’s attitude toward aircraft and the airport in general. Aircraft, road traffic, and railway noise exposure for each resident was determined based on each participant’s address. The participants’ gender, age, and socioeconomic status were also captured. The study analyzes the relation of noise impacts on health variables. Results of the study indicate that equivalent sound level is the strongest aircraft noise exposure metric for capturing the aircraft noise exposure–annoyance relationship. The study found that HQOL indicators are impacted by both aircraft noise annoyance, as well as individual noise sensitivity. It also shows that stress related to aircraft noise decreases satisfaction with residential areas and decreases perceived EQOL. The study concludes that future research should include longitudinal studies to better determine if a causal noise–health relationship exists. Berlin Airport Noise Quality of Life Study This technical report focused on examining the effects of aircraft noise on a sample of elderly residents in Berlin through cross-sectional analyses of data derived from the Berlin Aging Study II, which focuses on the determinants of successful aging. The data is not representative of the Berlin population with regard to geographical distribution or age demographics. However, the research team was able to analyze effects of aircraft noise on subjective well-being and health of participants because the study includes questions about whether participants live in an area affected by noise and—more specifically— if they are disturbed by aircraft noise. The research team compared respondents who self-reported as either being affected or non-affected by aircraft noise by comparing how they rated their satisfaction with various factors of quality of life, such as sleep satisfaction, healthy eating, and depression. The report addresses the methodological challenges of analyzing the impacts of aircraft noise on residential areas. It addresses researchers’ need to make certain assumptions while analyzing the data and statistically controlling for various demographic data points, such as marital status, employment status, and education. The report also addresses the limitations of cross-sectional analyses and the inability to determine causal findings as a result of them. As a result, the researchers determined that aircraft noise was associated with reduced well-being and impaired health for affected residents. They stress that these conclusions can only be made for the non-representative, primarily elderly, residents of Berlin that responded to the original study survey. Frankfurt Airport Noise and Quality of Life Study A roundtable of stakeholders was formed in response to future development and expansion at Frankfurt Airport in Germany, specifically concerning construction of a new runway. The roundtable commissioned a field study to assess residents’ reaction to aircraft noise. The study sought to assess aircraft noise annoyance and disturbances due to aircraft noise in order to determine whether aircraft noise had any effect on EQOL and HQOL in a regional context. The study included in-person interviews with 2,312 residents who live within 40-kilometers of Frankfurt Airport and who represent 66 communities. Survey questions addressed each resident's satisfaction with their residence, self-assessment of aircraft noise annoyance and disturbance, and other EQOL and C.2.4 C.2.5

Existing Quality of Life Resources 85 With guidance from case studies and literature on mixed-methods, multicriteria approaches, the methodology described in Chapter 3 and in Appendix D is an indicator-based approach that uses a combination of detailed quantitative data sets—when available—and qualitative data collected via survey from community members. This mixed-methods approach will introduce more possibilities for analysis and interpretation than a strictly quantitative analysis. Most importantly, little data is available on some of the most important aspects of QOL, particularly in the social relationship category, and an assessment based exclusively on quantitative data would not be robust. Other QualiC.3 ty of Life–Related Studies The literature review also identified several sources that address airports and their impact on health- related QOL indicators, though several of these were quite specific and only examined one indicator. These include studies researching the impact of aviation noise on cardiovascular hospitalizations (Correia et al. 2013) and the health impacts of air pollution associated with aviation (Levy et al. 2015), for example. There are also examples of peer-reviewed studies on the impacts of airports on the local economy through housing (Nelson 2004, Dekkers and van der Straaten 2008), job markets (Sheard 2014) and the local environment through noise and emissions (Van Praag and Baarsma 2005, Lu and Morrell 2006), and impacts on wildlife (Hauptfleisch 2016).