The relationship between adolescents’ well-being and their wireless phone use: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundThe exposure of young people to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) has increased rapidly in recent years with their increased use of cellphones and use of cordless phones and WiFi. We sought to ascertain associations between New Zealand early-adolescents’ subjective well-being and self-reported use of, or exposure to, wireless telephone and internet technology.MethodsIn this cross-sectional survey, participants completed questionnaires in class about their cellphone and cordless phone use, their self-reported well-being, and possible confounding information such as whether they had had influenza recently or had a television in the bedroom. Parental questionnaires provided data on whether they had WiFi at home and cordless phone ownership and model. Data were analysed with Ordinal Logistic Regression adjusting for common confounders. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.ResultsThe number and duration of cellphone and cordless phone calls were associated with increased risk of headaches (>6 cellphone calls over 10 minutes weekly, adjusted OR 2.4, CI 1.2-4.8; >15 minutes cordless use daily adjusted OR 1.74, CI 1.1-2.9)). Texting and extended use of wireless phones was related to having a painful ‘texting’ thumb). Using a wired cellphone headset was associated with tinnitus (adjusted OR 1.8, CI 1.0-3.3), while wireless headsets were associated with headache (adjusted OR 2.2, CI 1.1-4.5), feeling down/depressed (adjusted OR 2.0, CI 1.1-3.8), and waking in the night (adjusted OR 2.4, CI 1.2-4.8). Several cordless phone frequencies bands were related to tinnitus, feeling down/depressed and sleepiness at school, while the last of these was also related to modulation. Waking nightly was less likely for those with WiFi at home (adjusted OR 0.7, CI 0.4-0.99). Being woken at night by a cellphone was strongly related to tiredness at school (OR 3.49, CI 1.97-6.2).ConclusionsThere were more statistically significant associations (36%) than could be expected by chance (5%). Several were dose-dependent relationships. To safeguard young people’s well-being, we suggest limiting their use of cellphones and cordless phones to less than 15 minutes daily, and employing a speaker-phone device for longer daily use. We recommend parental measures are taken to prevent young people being woken by their cellphones.

Symptoms and the use of wireless communication devices: A prospective cohort study in Swiss adolescents

“…Our results of the cross-sectional analyses, where we found an increase in self-reported health symptom reports in relation to various self-reported usage measures, are in line with other cross-sectional studies on symptoms, mental health or sleeping problems (Byun et al 2013;Ikeda et al 2014;Koivusilta et al 2007;Redmayne et al 2013;Roser et al 2016a;Schoeni et al 2015b;Soderqvist et al 2008). …”

“…In a large Swedish cross-sectional study of 2000 adolescents, selfreported use of mobile phones was related to self-reported health complaints such as tiredness, stress, headache, anxiety, concentration difficulties and sleep disturbances (Soderqvist et al 2008). Redmayne et al (2013) found significant cross-sectional associations between adolescents' well-being and their wireless phone use, with most consistent associations for headache. In a cross-sectional Korean study, feeling of discomfort and dry skin were associated with the number of outgoing calls per day and dry skin, fatigue and dizziness were associated with average duration per call (Byun et al 2013).…”

Where’s Your Phone? A Survey of Where Women Aged 15-40 Carry Their Smartphone and Related Risk Perception: A Survey and Pilot Study

“…For instance, storage location varied considerably between beach and city areas in coastal USA, and in some areas of India women rarely carried a handbag and therefore more often used a trouser pocket. More recently, students aged 10 to 13 years reported most commonly storing their phone in the front/side pocket of a skirt or trousers [13]. In that study, 3 (< 2% of girls) reported keeping it tucked in the bra and a further 3 hung it round the neck against the chest, both locations being self-nominated in the ‘other’ category.…”

Problematic mobile phone use of Swiss adolescents: is it linked with mental health or behaviour?

“…However, this was not done so far, although impaired well-being (Byun et al 2013a;Redmayne et al 2013) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms (Byun et al 2013b) were linked to amount of mobile phone use in children and adolescents. Thus, it remains unclear, if these adverse effects in adolescents may be attributed to problematic use of the mobile phone or amount of mobile phone use.…”