impact of traffic congestion on vietnamese peoples health

ABSTRACT The goal of this study is to find out traffic congestion definition and transportation situation in Vietnam, investigate the impact of congestion and delays on physical healths

FOREIGN TRADE UNIVERSITY -*** -

RESEARCH PROPOSAL:

“IMPACT OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON VIETNAMESE PEOPLE’S HEALTH”

Hanoi, April 2023

ABSTRACT

The goal of this study is to find out traffic congestion definition and transportation situation

in Vietnam, investigate the impact of congestion and delays on physical healths of commuters and dwellers as well as the harmful effect on mental wellbeing Traffic congestion is a growing problem in Vietnam's major cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City It has become a norm for many Vietnamese citizens to spend hours stuck in traffic on a daily basis As a result of traffic congestion, road users are exposed to increased levels of air pollution and noise pollution, which can have detrimental impacts on their physical and mental well-being This study seeks to explore the potential negative health outcomes associated with exposure to traffic congestion, including respiratory and cardiovascular problems, sleep disturbances, and mental health issues This study's comprehensive analysis of the impact of traffic congestion on the health of road users is significant in light of the growing concerns about the health hazards posed by urban traffic

TABLE OF CONTENT

1 Introduction 4

2 Literature Review 5

2.1 The definition of Traffic Congestion 5

2.2 Transportation situation in Vietnam 5

2.3 The impact on physical health 6

2.4 Impact on Mental Health 8

3 Methodology 10

3.1 Research method 10

3.2 Research Process 11

3.3 Research Design 12

3.4 Sample and Sampling method 14

3.5 Data analyzing method 15

3.6 Research ethics 15

4 Implication and Contribution 15

5 Limitation 16

6 Reference 17

7 Research Schedule 19

1 Introduction

Traffic congestion is a growing problem in many urban centers around the world, with levels of congestion reaching record highs in recent years This has led to numerous concerns about its impact on the health and well-being of individuals who are regularly exposed to it In recent years, researchers have focused on investigating the effects of traffic congestion on mental and physical health, and their findings have revealed that the problem

is more significant than previously thought Especially in Vietnam, a developing countries with poor infrastructure, increasing numbers of vehicle with high participation of motorbike and three-wheeled vehicle

Exposure to traffic congestion in Vietnam is associated with elevated levels of air and noise pollution, which can cause a range of negative health outcomes These include respiratory and cardiovascular issues, hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep disturbances, and mental health problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression Moreover, Vietnamese cities are often characterized by high population densities, poor air quality, and limited green spaces, which can exacerbate the negative health impacts of traffic congestion

Traffic congestion also affects citizens' mental health Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to traffic noise can cause chronic stress, leading to anxiety and depression Prolonged sitting in the car, also known as "sitting disease," can lead to obesity and heart disease In Vietnam, where the culture of physical activity is not yet ingrained, sitting disease is a growing health concern Additionally, traffic congestion contributes to social isolation as people become disconnected from their communities, leading to decreased social interaction, and increasing the rate at which people feel lonely

Despite the growing recognition of traffic congestion as a public health issue in Vietnam, little research has been conducted to date to examine its impact on public health The few studies that have been conducted suggest that traffic congestion may be an important contributor to the burden of disease in Vietnam, particularly in urban areas Through a combination of data analysis and qualitative research methods, we aim to identify the key health outcomes associated with exposure to traffic congestion in Vietnamese urban areas Our research will contribute to the broader efforts aimed at promoting health equity and sustainable urban development, with a particular focus on reducing the negative health impacts of traffic congestion in Vietnam By qualitative method, we will measure the perception of Vietnamese people on issues related to congestion, as well as enhance their recognition about adverse effect which have dangerous consequence to people’s health

2 Literature Review

2.1 The definition of Traffic Congestion

There are several descriptions that have been put out to characterize traffic congestion on metropolitan roads Several research literature have put out their own definition of congestion Rothenberg (1985) defined traffic congestion as a condition in which the number of vehicles attempting to use a roadway at any time exceeds the ability of the roadway to carry the load at generally acceptable service levels Ian Thomson and Alberto Bull (2002) state that the basic cause of congestion is friction among vehicles in the traffic flow Up to a certain level of traffic, vehicles can move fairly freely at a speed constrained only by speed limits, the frequency of junctions, etc When volumes are higher, however, each additional vehicle hinders the movement of the rest, meaning that congestion begins A possible objective definition in this situation would be: “Congestion is the situation that arises when the entry of one vehicle into a traffic flow increases the journey time of the rest.” According to Robert B Kiunsi (2013) there is no single broadly agreed definition of traffic congestion due to the fact that it is both a physical and a relative phenomenon As a physical phenomenon traffic congestion can be defined as situation where demand for road space exceeds supply and is reflected by slower speed, longer trip times and increased motor vehicular queuing (Institute of Transport Engineers, 1989) As a relative phenomenon it can be defined as a difference between road performance and road user’s expectations VTPI (2005) said traffic congestion refers to the incremental costs resulting from interference among road users Three general categories may be drawn from these definitions: (i) demand capacity related, (ii) delay-travel time related, and (iii) cost related

2.2 Transportation situation in Vietnam

The nation's major economic and industrial hubs are connected by Vietnam's extensive transportation network, which is an essential part of the country's economy The flow of products and people would be significantly interrupted in the absence of a functioning transportation system This would impede the country's overall economic growth and result in a decline in commerce, foreign investment, and tourism Thankfully, Vietnam has advanced much in recent years in developing its transportation system In order

to increase the effectiveness and dependability of transportation, the Vietnamese government has made significant investments in the construction of roads, railroads, airports, and seaports Unfortunately, this development has also brought about a considerable rise in urban traffic, which causes terrible congestion during rush hours The

main causes of traffic congestion in Vietnam's major cities include heavy traffic demands, high rates of personal transportation, and fast urbanization

According to statistics, A typical Vietnamese adult spends a significant amount of time everyday commuting to work or school In 2022, the average travel time to work in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is 28-31 minutes corresponding to the average distance of about 7-9 km

Another record shows that there were 1,379 traffic jams that lasted more than an hour countrywide from 2008 to the present Of these, 336 happened in Hanoi, making up 24.4%

of the total; Ho Chi Minh City had 227 occurrences, making up 16.5% The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) estimates that the economic losses resulting from traffic congestion in Vietnam's largest cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, can be

in the range of 2% to 3% of GDP Thus, it is a crucial and urgent subject to research and provide solutions that can help reduce traffic in Vietnam's major cities

2.3 The impact on physical health

Vietnamese individuals' health and wellbeing have been negatively impacted by this increase in traffic congestion As of November 2022, the total number of means of transport

in Hanoi is 7,784,657 vehicles, including: 1,056,423 cars, 6,545,317 motorcycles, 182,917 electric motorcycles, not to mention about 1.2 million vehicles from provinces and cities participating in traffic in the Capital As a result, the average annual growth rate for autos is between 4% and 5% In addition, there are 154 routes in the city's public bus network (132 subsidized bus routes, 8 non-subsidized bus routes, 12 adjacent bus routes and 2 City Tour routes) The bus network covers all 30 towns and districts with 17.8% of people using public transportation The Hanoi Department of Transport assessed that with the rapid increase in traffic, congestion in the city is inevitable and this is the main cause of air pollution

Previous research has shown that exposure to traffic congestion is associated with adverse health effects, including respiratory, cardiovascular, and mental health problems High levels of air pollution and noise pollution are two of the major contributors to the negative effects of traffic congestion on human health According to a study by Janet Currie and Reed Walker, motor vehicles are responsible for up to 10% of fine particulate matter emissions, 34% of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), over 29% of hydrocarbon emissions, and over 50% of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions Air pollution is the main cause of mortality due

to the environment, according to the 2014 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Yearbook In 2012, an estimated 7 million premature deaths were linked to air pollution worldwide, of which 3.7 million were brought on by outdoor air pollution A significant share of the negative effects on health is caused by pollution in the transportation sector Another study by Munzel, T et al (2014) has shown that community noise exposure can lead to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases According to the World Health Organization (2017), ambient air pollution is a global threat to human health that increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infections Fossil fuel emissions and a great deal of sound and loudness are produced by traffic congestion (Ali M, Ahsan GU, Hossain A, 2020) In addition to its negative effects on the environment and the economy, it is harming commuters' emotional and physical health Environmental researchers discovered that prolonged exposure to noise and air pollution can result in anxiety and despair Maclachlan et al., (2017) and Karayannis et al., (2018) observed that anxiety and depression could exacerbate lower back pain and knee muscle discomfort Satya Ranjan Samal, Malaya Mohanty, and S Moses Santhakumar have gathered data in the field and at workplaces to investigate the impact of congestion on health-related issues There are several ways to categorize the signs of suffering, including breathing difficulties, headaches, mental stress, hearing issues, unexpected perspiration, exhaustion, suffocation, dust allergies, vision problems, digestion issues, dehydration, etc

The specific impact of traffic congestion on the physical health of individuals in Vietnam is poorly understood However, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, air pollution caused by transportation is one of the major causes of respiratory diseases such

as asthma and bronchitis Consequently, it is crucial to investigate the relationship between traffic congestion and physical health problems among Vietnamese individuals Some research has been conducted on the effects of traffic congestion on air pollution levels and the resulting health impacts But, more comprehensive research is needed that explores the unique environmental and cultural factors that could impact how traffic congestion may affect the physical health of people in Vietnam

Further research in this area could help to shed light on the specific physical health risks associated with traffic congestion in Vietnam It could potentially inform policy decisions aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving public health outcomes in the country

2.4 Impact on Mental Health

Traffic congestion is a significant contribution to a person’s psychological health Sullman (2015) found that anger resulting from driving is related to losing control of the vehicle, loss of concentration, getting frustrated over insignificant things etc This link between commuting and stress has serious implications, as experiencing stress for a prolonged amount of time can lead to aggression and physical issues According to clinical psychologists, being caught in a traffic blockage can bring about road rage This leads to frustration, stress, anxiety among drivers, which further causes aggression, which is the main factor of road rage incidents (Miller, 1941 & Berkowitz, 1989) A small relationship has also been found between extended exposure to traffic noise and symptoms of mental health Evidence suggests that, though not extremely detrimental, loud traffic noise can cause psychological symptoms, insomnia, and increased stress levels

Another factor that influences the deterioration of mental health is the noise from traffic The World Health Organization (WHO) considers noise to be an environmental contributor to poor health It is estimated that 1.5 million inhabitants living in Norway (33%) are exposed to sound levels above 55dB outside of their houses This is alarming because an exposure to that level is the highest recommended average noise level Traffic is the most notable cause for noise annoyance in Norway (Englien, 2004) As a result of this, approximately 3-6% of the Norway population experience considerable noise annoyance, and about 2% are highly sleep-disturbed due to exposure to noise coming from traffic

In addition, noise can also influence sleep by lengthening time trying to fall asleep, causing midnight awakenings and altering sleep stages (Aasvang 2011, Basner 2008, Brink

2011, Griefahn 2006, Öhrström 1988) This is especially important because results show that poor sleep quality is a big contributor to a deteriorating mental health (Breslau1996, Ford and Kamerow, 1989, Neckelmann 2007, Peterson and Benca, 2006, Sloan, 2011, Tsuno 2005)

In Vietnam, traffic noise has become an exponentially serious problem in big cities such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam is a mainly motorbike-dominant country In Hanoi, motorbikes serve up to 85% of the total means of travel, which directly causes the chaotic traffic flow and constant honking throughout the entire day Sheldon Cohen and Neil Weinstein found out that prolonged negative feelings towards noise is likely to elevate

risk of psychological problems (1981) Despite these findings, Vietnam has not yet issued a suitable policy to handle the situation Annoyance and sleep depravity are the most noticeable effects of environmental noise To add to this, people who spend prolonged time

in a traffic gridlock have been shown to show higher probability of morning tiredness, headaches and milder psychological conditions Furthermore, it is possible that the relation between mental health issues and transportation noise may be limited to certain vulnerable and noise sensitive groups such as people with pre-existing diseases These individuals are

at a larger risk to experience severe mental-associating effects by sound from traffic (Dratva 2011) A study conducted by Kishikawa et al reported that there is a positive association between road traffic noise and “anxiety and insomnia”, but among only noise sensitive subjects (2009)

Driving is a highly complex process that requires the driver to constantly receive, process, and respond to information derived from a perpetual altering environment Li, Wang and Zhou (2017) conducted a research on anger from traffic They concluded that if a person behind the wheel is exhausted or not mentally satisfied, the risk of rash driving rises considerably, which results in major traffic accidents The elevated amount of traffic jams everyday worsen our quality of life, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for drivers to enjoy their journey Georg Gottholmseder estimated that an increase in commuting time of 1 minute leads to a decrease of the probability of feeling relaxed by 0.1% Higher exposure to congestion is related to higher stress among commuters, and the more congestion they encounter, the larger the negative emotion is reported

Traffic congestion and long commutes have been proven to worsen the commuters’ state of mind As people are exposed to continuous honking, overspeeding, and traffic gridlock, their mental health worsen over time Consequently, they are prone to experiencing higher levels of stress The definition of stress is very broad with multiple dimensions In psychological terms, stress is the main cause for anxiety, lack of control, frustration, or difficulty in controlling emotions In cognitive terms, it is a sense of helplessness and poor tolerance for annoyance, lack of motivation In physical terms, one may experience high blood pressure, fluctuating body temperature, shortness of breath, exhaustion etc (Lalithashree Ganesh, 2019) After a tiring day at work, one may carry this stress home and misdirect their anger towards their significant other and children

Furthermore, traffic congestion also limits the time people spend on social interactions and self-improvements As the time spent on commuting increases, people consequently have to give up social activities such as volunteering, hitting the gym, playing sports, or spending time with close friends or family members These activities have been shown to relieve stress as well as improve social life and skills According to a survey by

Anphabe, a leading human resource consultancy in Vietnam, approximately 42% of Vietnamese workers often or very often experience stress Evidently, Vietnam is among the most sedentary countries in the world The lack of social participation will further damage a person’s mental health

Conclusion

The evidence from the literature suggests that traffic congestion can harm people's health in a number of ways, including by raising their chance of developing respiratory, cardiovascular diseases and by having an adverse influence on their mental wellbeing It is clear that lowering traffic congestion can significantly boost public health, while additional research is required to fully understand the effects of congestion on general health

3 Methodology

3.1 Research method

Quanlitative method:

Our group has utilized the quanlitive research method to collect data and information in the form of numerical values in conjunction with a variety of survey questions to construct a suitable question pack for the research topic

- Reasoning:

Noticing a scarcity of research paper and data regarding this topic in Vietnam, our group chose the research method to measure Vietnamese citizen awareness on this issue in order to compare the result with previous surveys and theoríes as well as to gather the people attention on the matter at hand

- Aim:

To procure data in order to construct theories as well as analyze the information and then give out a statement based on those information

- Methods: