The risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in Poland – An epidemiological study
Objectives: To assess the type and incidence of subjective symptoms related to the use of mobile phones in Polish users. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in 2005 using a questionnaire survey. Although it has been quite a long time, up to now, no such data have been published for Poland....
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine
2014-04-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ijomeh.eu/The-risk-of-subjective-symptoms-in-mobile-phone-users-in-poland-an-epidemiological-study,2052,0,2.html |
| _version_ | 1818588628707704832 |
|---|---|
| author | Agata Szyjkowska Elżbieta Gadzicka Wiesław Szymczak Alicja Bortkiewicz |
| author_facet | Agata Szyjkowska Elżbieta Gadzicka Wiesław Szymczak Alicja Bortkiewicz |
| author_sort | Agata Szyjkowska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: To assess the type and incidence of subjective symptoms related to the use of mobile phones in Polish users. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in 2005 using a questionnaire survey. Although it has been quite a long time, up to now, no such data have been published for Poland. The questionnaire consisted of 53 questions concerning sex, age, education, general health, characteristics of a mobile phone (hand-held, loud-speaking unit) as well as the habits associated with its use (frequency and duration of calls, text messages, etc.) and complaints associated with using a mobile phone. Results: As many as 1800 questionnaires were sent. The response was obtained from 587 subjects aged 32.6±11.3 (48.9% women, 51.1% men); the age did not differ significantly between men and women. The subjects owned a cell phone for an average of 3 years. Majority of the respondents used the phone intensively, i.e. daily (74%) or almost daily (20%). Headaches were reported significantly more often by the people who talked frequently and long in comparison with other users (63.2% of the subjects, p = 0.0029), just like the symptoms of fatigue (45%, p = 0.013). Also, the feeling of warmth around the ear and directly to the auricle was reported significantly more frequently by the intensive mobile phone users, compared with other mobile phone users (47.3%, p = 0.00004 vs. 44.6%, p = 0.00063, respectively). Most symptoms appeared during or immediately after a call and disappeared within 2 h after the call. Continuous headache, persisting for longer than 6 h since the end of a call, was reported by 26% of the subjects. Conclusions: Our results show that the mobile phone users may experience subjective symptoms, the intensity of which depends on the intensity of use of mobile phones. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T09:27:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-60cc12d4bf7940ed807cc63cfcbdd352 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1232-1087 1896-494X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T09:27:47Z |
| publishDate | 2014-04-01 |
| publisher | Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-60cc12d4bf7940ed807cc63cfcbdd3522022-12-21T22:36:37ZengNofer Institute of Occupational MedicineInternational Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health1232-10871896-494X2014-04-0127229330310.2478/s13382-014-0260-1The risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in Poland – An epidemiological studyAgata SzyjkowskaElżbieta GadzickaWiesław SzymczakAlicja BortkiewiczObjectives: To assess the type and incidence of subjective symptoms related to the use of mobile phones in Polish users. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in 2005 using a questionnaire survey. Although it has been quite a long time, up to now, no such data have been published for Poland. The questionnaire consisted of 53 questions concerning sex, age, education, general health, characteristics of a mobile phone (hand-held, loud-speaking unit) as well as the habits associated with its use (frequency and duration of calls, text messages, etc.) and complaints associated with using a mobile phone. Results: As many as 1800 questionnaires were sent. The response was obtained from 587 subjects aged 32.6±11.3 (48.9% women, 51.1% men); the age did not differ significantly between men and women. The subjects owned a cell phone for an average of 3 years. Majority of the respondents used the phone intensively, i.e. daily (74%) or almost daily (20%). Headaches were reported significantly more often by the people who talked frequently and long in comparison with other users (63.2% of the subjects, p = 0.0029), just like the symptoms of fatigue (45%, p = 0.013). Also, the feeling of warmth around the ear and directly to the auricle was reported significantly more frequently by the intensive mobile phone users, compared with other mobile phone users (47.3%, p = 0.00004 vs. 44.6%, p = 0.00063, respectively). Most symptoms appeared during or immediately after a call and disappeared within 2 h after the call. Continuous headache, persisting for longer than 6 h since the end of a call, was reported by 26% of the subjects. Conclusions: Our results show that the mobile phone users may experience subjective symptoms, the intensity of which depends on the intensity of use of mobile phones.http://ijomeh.eu/The-risk-of-subjective-symptoms-in-mobile-phone-users-in-poland-an-epidemiological-study,2052,0,2.htmlelectromagnetic fieldsfeeling of warmthheadachescell phonesubjective complaints |
| spellingShingle | Agata Szyjkowska Elżbieta Gadzicka Wiesław Szymczak Alicja Bortkiewicz The risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in Poland – An epidemiological study International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health electromagnetic fields feeling of warmth headaches cell phone subjective complaints |
| title | The risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in Poland – An epidemiological study |
| title_full | The risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in Poland – An epidemiological study |
| title_fullStr | The risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in Poland – An epidemiological study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in Poland – An epidemiological study |
| title_short | The risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in Poland – An epidemiological study |
| title_sort | risk of subjective symptoms in mobile phone users in poland an epidemiological study |
| topic | electromagnetic fields feeling of warmth headaches cell phone subjective complaints |
| url | http://ijomeh.eu/The-risk-of-subjective-symptoms-in-mobile-phone-users-in-poland-an-epidemiological-study,2052,0,2.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT agataszyjkowska theriskofsubjectivesymptomsinmobilephoneusersinpolandanepidemiologicalstudy AT elzbietagadzicka theriskofsubjectivesymptomsinmobilephoneusersinpolandanepidemiologicalstudy AT wiesławszymczak theriskofsubjectivesymptomsinmobilephoneusersinpolandanepidemiologicalstudy AT alicjabortkiewicz theriskofsubjectivesymptomsinmobilephoneusersinpolandanepidemiologicalstudy AT agataszyjkowska riskofsubjectivesymptomsinmobilephoneusersinpolandanepidemiologicalstudy AT elzbietagadzicka riskofsubjectivesymptomsinmobilephoneusersinpolandanepidemiologicalstudy AT wiesławszymczak riskofsubjectivesymptomsinmobilephoneusersinpolandanepidemiologicalstudy AT alicjabortkiewicz riskofsubjectivesymptomsinmobilephoneusersinpolandanepidemiologicalstudy |