Epidemiological study (observational study)

Prevalence of subjective poor health symptoms associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields among university students epidem.

By: Mortazavi SM, Ahmadi J, Shariati M

Published in: Bioelectromagnetics 2007; 28 (4): 326-330

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The association between mobile phone use and self-reported subjective symptoms was investigated in a cross-sectional study in Iran.

Further details

Non-users of mobile phones were defined as students who had no mobile phones or whose average daily calling time had been less than 30 seconds over the past three months. Students who had used a cathode ray tube monitor less than 1 minute per day over the past three months were considered as non-users.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

symptoms of discomfort: headache, vertigo/dizziness, myalgia, palpitation, fatigue, tinnitus, difference in concentration, attention disorder, nervousness, and low back pain

Type of risk estimation:

prevalence

Exposure

- PC/TV monitor
- mobile communications
- digital mobile phone
- personal

Assessment

questionnaire: model of mobile phone, history of using a mobile phone, average duration of daily calls, use of cathode ray tube and cordless phone

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Group 1	cathode ray tube monitor users
Group 2	cordless phone users
Group 3	mobile phone users

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Characteristics: students living at university dormitories
Observation period: spring 2005
Study location: Iran (Rafsanjan University of Medical Science and Rafsanjan Vali-Asr University)

Study size

Type	Value
Total	690
Participants	518
Participation rate	75 %

Statistical analysis method:

Fisher's exact test

Results (acc. to author)

30 % of the students were users of mobile phones, 36 % of cordless phones, and 56 % of cathode ray tube monitors. Headache was the most frequent complaint (53.5 %) among the self-reported symptoms.
No association between subjective symptoms and the use of mobile phones, cordless phones or cathode ray tube monitors was observed. The authors concluded that mass-media's lack of interest in health effects of electromagnetic fields in developing countries could explain the difference observed between the results in this study and those of other studies in some developed countries.

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

Comments on this article

Mortazavi SM et al. (2007): Prevalence of subjective poor health symptoms associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields among university students

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