Symptoms, personality traits, and stress in people with mobile phone-related symptoms and electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

Journal of psychosomatic research · 2010 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 4406

Study snapshot

PublicationJournal of psychosomatic research · 2010

Study typecross_sectional

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Some people report symptoms that they associate with electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure. These symptoms may be related to specific EMF sources or to electrical equipment in general (perceived electromagnetic hypersensitivity, EHS). Research and clinical observations suggest a difference between mobile phone (MP)-related symptoms and EHS with respect to symptom prevalence, psychological factors, and health prognosis. This study assessed prevalence of EMF-related and EMF-nonrelated symptoms, anxiety, depression, somatization, exhaustion, and stress in people with MP-related symptoms or EHS versus a population-based sample and a control sample without EMF-related symptoms. METHODS: Forty-five participants with MP-related symptoms and 71 with EHS were compared with a population-based sample (n=106) and a control group (n=63) using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: The EHS group reported more symptoms than the MP group, both EMF-related and EMF-nonrelated. The MP group reported a high prevalence of somatosensory symptoms, whereas the EHS group reported more neurasthenic symptoms. As to self-reported personality traits and stress, the case groups differed only on somatization and listlessness in a direct comparison. In comparison with the reference groups, the MP group showed increased levels of exhaustion and depression but not of anxiety, somatization, and stress; the EHS group showed increased levels for all of the conditions except for stress. CONCLUSION: The findings support the idea of a difference between people with symptoms related to specific EMF sources and people with general EHS with respect to symptoms and anxiety, depression, somatization, exhaustion, and stress. The differences are likely to be important in the management of patients.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typecross_sectional

Effect directionmixed

PopulationNot supplied

Sample size285

ExposureNot supplied

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 40% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

People with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) reported more symptoms overall than those with mobile phone-related symptoms. The mobile phone group showed higher exhaustion and depression but not anxiety or stress, while the EHS group showed increased anxiety, depression, somatization, and exhaustion but not stress. Differences between groups may be important for patient management.

Outcomes measured

EMF-related symptoms
EMF-nonrelated symptoms
anxiety
depression
somatization
exhaustion
stress
personality traits

Limitations

Self-report questionnaires may introduce bias
Cross-sectional design limits causal inference
Population details not specified

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "cross_sectional",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": 285,
  "outcomes": [
    "EMF-related symptoms",
    "EMF-nonrelated symptoms",
    "anxiety",
    "depression",
    "somatization",
    "exhaustion",
    "stress",
    "personality traits"
  ],
  "main_findings": "People with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) reported more symptoms overall than those with mobile phone-related symptoms. The mobile phone group showed higher exhaustion and depression but not anxiety or stress, while the EHS group showed increased anxiety, depression, somatization, and exhaustion but not stress. Differences between groups may be important for patient management.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Self-report questionnaires may introduce bias",
    "Cross-sectional design limits causal inference",
    "Population details not specified"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.4,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "electromagnetic hypersensitivity",
    "mobile phone symptoms",
    "psychological factors",
    "stress",
    "somatization",
    "anxiety",
    "depression"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "mobile-phones",
      "weight": 0.8,
      "reason": "Study focuses on symptoms related to mobile phone exposure."
    }
  ]
}

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

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2009.06.009
PubMed: 20004299

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