Study type: Epidemiological study (observational study)

Mobile phone base stations and adverse health effects: phase 1 of a population-based, cross-sectional study in Germany epidem.

Published in: Occup Environ Med 2009; 66 (2): 118-123

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Aim of the first phase of a cross-sectional study conducted in Germany was to investigate the prevalence of concerns about mobile phone base station-related adverse health effects and attributions of health complaints.

Further details

A list of 38 health complaints was used to assess the adverse health effects. Exposure was assessed by calculating the distance between the residence and mobile phone base stations based on geodates.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation:

Exposure

Assessment

Population

Study size

Type Value
Total 51,444
Participants 30,047
Participation rate 58 %
Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

51.5 % of the participants lived within 500 m from a mobile phone base station according to geo-coding information. 41.6 % of the participants had correctly classified the distance as less or more than 500 m. 18.7 % of the participants were concerned about health effects from mobile phone base stations and 10.3 % attributed adverse health effects to the radiofrequent electromagnetic fields emitted by base stations. Participants who were concerned about or attributte adverse health effects to base stations and those living in the vicinity of a base station reported slightly more health complaints than others.This finding can however not be fully explained by concerns or attributions.

Study funded by

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