A cross-sectional study of the association between mobile phone use and symptoms of ill health

Abstract

- A cross-sectional study of the association between mobile phone use and symptoms of ill health Cho YM, Lim HJ, Jang H, Kim K, Choi JW, Shin C, Lee SK, Kwon JH, Kim N. A cross-sectional study of the association between mobile phone use and symptoms of ill health. Environ Health Toxicol. 2016 Oct 26. doi: 10.5620/eht.e2016022. Abstract Objectives: This study analyzed the associations between mobile phone call frequency and duration with non- specific symptoms. Methods: This study was conducted with a population group including 532 non-patient adults established by the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study. The pattern of phone call using a mobile phone was investigated through face-to-face interview. Structured methods applied to quantitatively assess health effects are Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6), Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form, Beck Depression Inventory, Korean-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey where a higher score represents a higher greater health effect. Results: The average daily phone call frequency showed a significant correlation with the PSS score in female subjects. Increases in the average duration of one phone call were significantly correlated with increases in the severity of headaches in both sexes. The mean (standard deviation) HIT-6 score in the subgroup of subjects whose average duration of one phone call was 5 minutes or longer was 45.98 (8.15), as compared with 42.48 (7.20) in those whose average duration of one phone call was <5 minutes. The severity of headaches was divided into three levels according to the HIT-6 score (little or no impact/moderate impact/substantial or severe impact), and a logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between an increased phone call duration and the headache severity. When the average duration of one phone call was 5 minutes or longer, the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the moderate impact group were 2.22 and 1.18-4.19, respectively. The OR and 95% CI for the substantial or severe impact group were 4.44 and 2.11-8.90, respectively. Conclusions: Mobile phone call duration was not significantly associated with stress, sleep, cognitive function, or depression, but was associated with the severity of headaches. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Longer average duration of mobile phone calls (5 minutes or longer) was significantly associated with increased severity of headaches in both sexes. Phone call frequency showed a significant correlation with stress score in females. No significant associations were found between call duration and stress, sleep, cognitive function, or depression.

Outcomes measured

• headache severity
• stress (Perceived Stress Scale)
• sleep quality
• cognitive function
• depression

Limitations

• Cross-sectional design limits causal inference
• Exposure assessment based on self-reported phone use
• No measurement of EMF exposure levels

Suggested hubs

• mobile-phone-use (0.8)
  Study focuses on mobile phone call frequency and duration effects
• health-symptoms (0.5)
  Examines association with symptoms such as headache and stress

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        "source": "mobile phone",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "average duration of one phone call, with a threshold at 5 minutes"
    },
    "population": "532 non-patient adults from the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study",
    "sample_size": 532,
    "outcomes": [
        "headache severity",
        "stress (Perceived Stress Scale)",
        "sleep quality",
        "cognitive function",
        "depression"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Longer average duration of mobile phone calls (5 minutes or longer) was significantly associated with increased severity of headaches in both sexes. Phone call frequency showed a significant correlation with stress score in females. No significant associations were found between call duration and stress, sleep, cognitive function, or depression.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "Cross-sectional design limits causal inference",
        "Exposure assessment based on self-reported phone use",
        "No measurement of EMF exposure levels"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.40000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "mobile phone",
        "headache",
        "stress",
        "cross-sectional study",
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    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "mobile-phone-use",
            "weight": 0.8000000000000000444089209850062616169452667236328125,
            "reason": "Study focuses on mobile phone call frequency and duration effects"
        },
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            "slug": "health-symptoms",
            "weight": 0.5,
            "reason": "Examines association with symptoms such as headache and stress"
        }
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}

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