Epidemiological study (observational study)

Hypersensitivity to electricity: working definition and additional characterization of the syndrome epidem.

By: Hillert L, Hedman BK, Soderman E, Arnetz BB

Published in: J Psychosom Res 1999; 47 (5): 429-438

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The aim of this Swedish study was to investigate symptoms and risk indicators associated with reported hypersensitivity to electricity.

Further details

40 out of 241 employees of a telecommunications corporation reported hypersensitivity to electricity in a self-administered questionnaire and were defined as cases. The remaining 201 employees served as control persons. Additionally, the case group was compared with 22 patients with hypersensitivity to electricity referred to the Occupational and Environmental Health Centre at Huddinge University Hospital.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

electromagnetic hypersensitivity: skin symptoms in the face or on the upper part of the chest (heat or burning sensation, tingling, and redness), neurovegetative symptoms (concentration difficulty, fatigue, and headache)
working conditions (mental demands at work, control over work process, intellectual discretion)

Exposure

- EMF general
- occupational

Assessment

questionnaire

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Characteristics: employees of a telecommunications corporation
Observation period: 1990
Study location: Sweden
Data source: health survey at a Swedish telecommunications corporation

Study size

Type	Value
Participants	241
Participation rate	71 %

Other:

additionally 22 patients with hypersensitivity to electricity reffered to the Occupational and Environmental Health Centre at Huddinge University Hospital

Statistical analysis method:

ANOVA
t-test

Results (acc. to author)

No association was observed between specific psychosocial work characteristics nor personal traits and hypersensitivity to electricity. Skin symptoms were significantly more often experienced by persons with hypersensitivity to electricity than by persons of the control group. There were no statistically significant differences between cases and controls regarding neurovegetative symptoms. The authors proposed a set of dimensions for characterization of the syndrome hypersensitivity to electricity including skin and neurovegetative symptoms, belief in hypersensitivity to electricity, triggering factors (e.g., visual display unit), duration of symptoms, and behavior (e.g., avoidance of triggering factors).

Study funded by

Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS)

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