Study type: Epidemiological study (observational study)

The relationship between adolescents' well-being and their wireless phone use: a cross-sectional study epidem.

By: Redmayne M, Smith E, Abramson MJ
Published in: Environ Health 2013; 12: 90
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Aim of study (acc. to author)

A cross-sectional study was conducted in New Zealand to investigate the association between early-adolescents' well-being and their self-reported use of, or exposure to mobile phones and cordless phones or WiFi.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation:

Exposure

Assessment

Exposure groups

Group Description
Reference group 1 mobile phone calls > 10 minutes/week: 0
Group 2 mobile phone calls > 10 minutes/week: 1 - 6
Group 3 mobile phone calls > 10 minutes/week: 7 - 35
Reference group 4 cordless phone calls > 10 minutes/week: 0
Group 5 cordless phone calls > 10 minutes/week: 1 - 2
Group 6 cordless phone calls > 10 minutes/week: 3 - 9
Group 7 cordless phone calls > 10 minutes/week: 10 - 120
Reference group 8 minutes on cordless phone daily: 0 - 4
Group 9 minutes on cordless phone daily: 5 - 15
Group 10 minutes on cordless phone daily: 16 - 240
Reference group 11 mobile phone headset: no
Group 12 mobile phone headset: wired
Group 13 mobile phone headset: wireless
Reference group 14 cordless phone frequency: no use
Group 15 cordless phone frequency: ≤ 900 MHz
Group 16 cordless phone frequency: 1.8 - 1.9 GHz
Group 17 cordless phone frequency: 2.4 GHz
Group 18 cordless phone frequency: 5.8 GHz
Reference group 19 WiFi at home: no
Group 20 WiFi at home: yes

Population

Study size

Type Value
Participants 373
Participation rate 85 %
Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

285 out of 373 study participants (76.4%) owned a mobile phone and 12.8% reported regularly using someone else's. Most (91%) participants reported using a cordless phone at home.
The number of mobile phone calls and duration of cordless phone calls were associated with an increased risk of headaches (group 3: OR 2.4, CI 1.2-4.8; group 10: OR 1.74, CI 1.1-2.9). Using a wired mobile phone headset was associated with tinnitus (group 12: OR 1.8, CI 1.0-3.3), while wireless headsets (group 13) were associated with headache (OR 2.2, CI 1.1-4.5), feeling down/depressed (OR 2.0, CI 1.1-3.8), and waking in the night (OR 2.4, CI 1.2-4.8). Several cordless phone frequencies bands were related to tinnitus, feeling down/depressed and sleepiness at school. Waking nightly was less likely for those with WiFi at home (group 20: OR 0.7, CI 0.4-0.99).

Study funded by

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