Symptoms and the use of wireless communication devices: A prospective cohort study in Swiss adolescents

Abstract

BackgroundWe investigated whether radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) from mobile phones and other wireless devices or by the wireless device use itself due to non-radiation related factors in that context are associated with an increase in health symptom reports of adolescents in Central Switzerland. Methods In a prospective cohort study, 439 study participants (participation rate: 36.8%) aged 12-17 years, completed questionnaires about their mobile and cordless phone use, their selfreported symptoms and possible confounding factors at baseline (2012/2013) and one year later (2013/2014). Operator recorded mobile phone data was obtained for a subgroup of 234 adolescents. RF-EMF dose measures considering various factors affecting RF-EMF exposure were computed for the brain and the whole body. Data were analysed using a mixed-logistic cross-sectional model and a cohort approach, where we investigated whether cumulative dose over one year was related to a new onset of a symptom between baseline and follow-up. All analyses were adjusted for relevant confounders. Results Participation rate in the follow-up was 97% (425 participants). In both analyses, crosssectional and cohort, various symptoms tended to be mostly associated with usage measures that are only marginally related to RF-EMF exposure such as the duration of data traffic on the mobile phone (e.g. OR for tiredness: 2.33; 95%CI: 1.54 to 3.52 for crosssectional analyses and OR: 2.70; 95%CI:1.52 to 4.80 for cohort analyses) and number of text messages sent per day (tiredness: OR:1.81; 95%CI:1.20 to 2.74 and OR:1.87; 95%CI:1.04 to 3.38). Outcomes were less strongly or not associated with mobile phone call duration and RF-EMF dose measures. ConclusionsStronger associations between symptoms of ill health and wireless communication device use than for RF-EMF dose measures were observed. Such a result pattern does not support a causal association between RF-EMF exposure and health symptoms of adolescents but rather suggests that other aspects of extensive media use are related to symptoms.

Radiofrequency radiation from nearby mobile phone base stations‑a case comparison of one low and one high exposure apartment

“…The present measurements with means of RF radiation up to 1.3 V/m (4,485 µW/m 2 ) at the windows in the bedrooms in the high exposure apartment imply that this exposure may almost be compared to the exposure from a mobile phone in calling mode for many hours per day. A cohort study on Swiss adolescents showed that there was an association between whole body cumulative RF radiation dose from mobile phone talk, internet use and sent SMS and symptoms like headache and exhaustibility and also a decrease in figural memory (14,15).…”

Impact of Adolescents’ Screen Time and Nocturnal Mobile Phone-Related Awakenings on Sleep and General Health Symptoms: A Prospective Cohort Study

“…For the exposure nocturnal awakenings, a second model (Model 2) was additionally adjusted for usage of mobile phones (number of mobile phone calls (n/day), number of text messages (n/day), time online (min/day), since it might bias the analysis through confounding by indication [29]. Total and nocturnal mobile phone use are correlated (high daytime users might also receive more calls and text messages at night and thus might have more awakenings) and so are mobile phone use and health symptoms [30,31,32]. We obtained operator-recorded number of mobile phone calls for about a third of participants.…”

Headache, tinnitus and hearing loss in the international Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health (COSMOS) in Sweden and Finland

“…In that study, the average call-time was only 31 min per week, compared with 95 min per week in our study. A recent Swiss study of 439 adolescents followed up for 1 year reported a weak positive association between mobile phone call time and new-onset headache 35 . The study did not evaluate tinnitus or hearing loss but reported associations between several symptoms and amount of phone usage, concluding that the likely culprit was not the RF-EMF but other aspects of extensive use of media and communication technology.…”