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Epidemiological Study (cohort study)Prenatal and postnatal exposure to cell phone use and behavioral problems in children. epidemiol. By: Divan HA, Kheifets L, Obel C, Olsen J
Published in: Epidemiology 2008; 19 (4): 523 - 529 (  PubMed Entry , Journal web site )Aim of study (according to author)
The association of cell phone use during pregnancy and during early childhood with behavioral problems in children was investigated in a cohort study in Denmark.
Background/further details:
Behavioral problems in 7-year old children were assessed using the Strenghts and Difficulties Questionnaire. Prenatal exposure was defined as the use of a cellular phone by the mother during the pregnancy, postnatal exposure was defined as the current use of cell phones by the children. Endpoint/type of risk estimation - behavioral problems: conduct, hyperactivity, emotional, peer and social disorders
Estimate of incidence by odds ratio (OR)
Exposure - digital mobile phone
- type of exposure: personal
- assessment by questionnaire (cell phone use during pregnancy (number of times spoken per day, proportion of time the phone was on, use of hands-free equipment, location of phone when not in use), for children: current use of cellular and other wireless phones)
groups of exposure:
| Reference group 1: | no prenatal exposure | | group 2: | prenatal exposure | | Reference group 3: | no postnatal exposure | | group 4: | postnatal exposure | | Reference group 5: | no prenatal and postnatal exposure | | group 6: | prenatal and postnatal exposure | | Reference group 7: | prenatal exposure, times spoken per day: 0 - 1 | | group 8: | prenatal exposure, times spoken per day: 2 - 3 | | group 9: | prenatal exposure, times spoken per day: ≥ 4 | | Reference group 10: | prenatal exposure, percentage of time turned on: 0 | | group 11: | prenatal exposure, percentage of time turned on: < 50 | | group 12: | prenatal exposure, percentage of time turned on: 50 - 99 | | group 13: | prenatal exposure, percentage of time turned on: 100 |
Population
Study group: boys and girls at the age of 7 years
Group characteristics: cohort of mothers and newborns, recruited from March 1996 - November 2002, follow-up at the age of 7 years
Observation period: November 2006
Study location: Denmark
Source of data: Danish National Birth Cohort
Further parameters acquired by questionnaire (social conditions, family lifestyle, diseases in childhood)
Study size  | cohort |
|---|
| number participating | 13,159 | | rate of participating | 65% |
Statistical analysis using logistic regression (adjusted for sex, socioeconomic status, sex, mother's age, mother's psychiatric history, and smoking during pregnancy) Results/conclusion (according to author)
About 11 % of the children were prenatally and postnatally exposed to cell phones whereas nearly half of the children had neither prenatal nor postnatal exposure. About 90 % of the children were reported to have no behavioral problems.
Prenatal and postnatal exposure to cell phones was associated with overall behavioral problems in children (OR 1.80; CI 1.45-2.23). The authors concluded that these results should be interpreted with caution. The observed association are not necessarily causal and may be due to factors not investigated in this study.
(Study character: epidemiological study, cohort study)
Study funded by - Danish Medical Research Council (DMRC), Denmark
- Lundbeck Foundation, Denmark
- Research Innovation Seed Grant
- UCLA School of Public Health, USA
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Glossary: behavioral, cell phones, cellular, children, CI, cohort, cohort study, current, digital, diseases, epidemiological, exposed, exposure, follow-up, hyperactivity, incidence, logistic regression, OR, postnatal, pregnancy, prenatal, psychiatric, questionnaire, socioeconomic status, statistical |
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