Greater prevalence of symptoms associated with higher exposures to mobile phone base stations in a hilly, densely populated city in Mizoram, India.

Abstract

Members of the scientific community and the general public are raising concerns about the potential health and environmental effects of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) for those living nearby mobile phone base stations (MPBS). This study examined the impact of RF-EMF (900-1900 MHz) on symptoms spanning four health categories: mood-energy, cognitive-sensory, inflammatory, and anatomical issues. A questionnaire identifying health symptoms within these categories, was given to 183 highly exposed and 126 reference residents, matched on demographics. While years of residing near the MPBS influenced the prevalence of some symptoms, proximity to the base station and higher levels of exposure (measured using power density) influenced the prevalence of many of the symptoms. A higher proportion of symptoms was found in residents who were either living within 50 meters of a MPBS or who were exposed to power densities of 5-8 mW/m², for all four health categories. This relationship between exposure level and symptom prevalence was further influenced by age, daily mobile phone use (over 5 h per day), and lifestyle factors, for certain symptoms. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that level of exposure (power density) was the only factor contributing to the number of symptoms experienced by residents, for all four health categories. An unexpected finding was that among the more highly exposed residents, the younger individuals (under 40 years) reported more inflammation related issues than older individuals. These results underscore the need to inform policymakers regarding the benefits of adopting a precautionary approach to potential risks associated with RF-EMF exposures from MPBS.