Electrical wiring configurations and childhood cancer

PAPER manual Am J Epidemiol 1979 Case-control study Effect: harm Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112681 PMID: 453167 Evidence Lab

Abstract

An excess of electrical wiring configurations suggestive of high current-flow was noted in Colorado in 1976--1977 near the homes of children who developed cancer, as compared to the homes of control children. The finding was strongest for children who had spent their entire lives at the same address, and it appeared to be dose-related. It did not seem to be an artifact of neighborhood, street congestion, social class, or family structure. The reason for the correlation is uncertain; possible effects of current in the water pipes or of AC magnetic fields are suggested.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Case-control study

Effect direction

harm

Population

Children in Colorado; cases were children who developed cancer and controls were control children (1976–1977).

Sample size

—

Exposure

ELF residential electrical wiring

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 74% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

Homes of children who developed cancer had an excess of electrical wiring configurations suggestive of high current-flow compared with control children’s homes. The association was strongest among children who had lived their entire lives at the same address and appeared dose-related; it did not seem attributable to neighborhood, street congestion, social class, or family structure.

Outcomes measured

childhood cancer

Limitations

Reason for the correlation is stated as uncertain in the abstract.
Exposure characterized by wiring configuration suggestive of high current-flow rather than direct field measurements (as described in abstract).
Sample size and specific cancer types are not provided in the abstract.

Suggested hubs

childhood-cancer (0.9)
Study compares wiring configurations near homes of children with cancer vs controls.
elf-emf (0.75)
Abstract suggests possible effects of AC magnetic fields related to wiring/current-flow.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "case_control",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "ELF",
        "source": "residential electrical wiring",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": "Children in Colorado; cases were children who developed cancer and controls were control children (1976–1977).",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "childhood cancer"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Homes of children who developed cancer had an excess of electrical wiring configurations suggestive of high current-flow compared with control children’s homes. The association was strongest among children who had lived their entire lives at the same address and appeared dose-related; it did not seem attributable to neighborhood, street congestion, social class, or family structure.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Reason for the correlation is stated as uncertain in the abstract.",
        "Exposure characterized by wiring configuration suggestive of high current-flow rather than direct field measurements (as described in abstract).",
        "Sample size and specific cancer types are not provided in the abstract."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "electrical wiring configurations",
        "high current-flow",
        "residential exposure",
        "AC magnetic fields",
        "water pipes",
        "childhood cancer",
        "Colorado"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "childhood-cancer",
            "weight": 0.90000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,
            "reason": "Study compares wiring configurations near homes of children with cancer vs controls."
        },
        {
            "slug": "elf-emf",
            "weight": 0.75,
            "reason": "Abstract suggests possible effects of AC magnetic fields related to wiring/current-flow."
        }
    ]
}

AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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