Health effects of living near mobile phone base transceiver station (BTS) antennae: a report from Isfahan, Iran.

PAPER pubmed Electromagnetic biology and medicine 2014 Cross-sectional study Effect: harm Evidence: Very low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.3109/15368378.2013.801352 PMID: 23781985 Evidence Lab

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In recent years, by tremendous use of mobile phone telecommunication, a growing concern about the possible health hazards has increased greatly among public and scientists. The mobile phone exposure has been shown to have many effects upon the immune functions, stimulating hormones, mammalian brain, sperm motility and morphology, and neurological pathologies syndrome. The aim of this study was to find out the psychological and psychobiological reactions of the people who are living near mobile phone base transceiver stations (BTS) antenna, in Isfahan, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study on 250 randomly selected inhabitants (133 women and 117 men) was performed in October 2012 till November 2012. The inhabitants were requested to complete a standardized questionnaire that focused on the relevant psychological and psychobiological reactions parameters. A computer program (SPSS version16.0, Chicago, IL) was used for statistical analysis using the Chi-square test with Yates correction. All the data were tested using a criterion level of p = 0.05. RESULTS: The results showed that most of the symptoms such as nausea, headache, dizziness, irritability, discomfort, nervousness, depression, sleep disturbance, memory loss and lowering of libido were statistically significant in the inhabitants living near the BTS antenna (<300 m distances) compared to those living far from the BTS antenna (>300 m). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that cellular phone BTS antenna should not be sited closer than 300 m to populations to minimize exposure of neighbors.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Cross-sectional study

Effect direction

harm

Population

Inhabitants living near vs far from mobile phone base transceiver station (BTS) antennae in Isfahan, Iran

Sample size

250

Exposure

RF base station · October 2012 to November 2012

Evidence strength

Very low

Confidence: 78% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

In a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of 250 inhabitants, multiple self-reported symptoms (e.g., nausea, headache, dizziness, irritability, depression, sleep disturbance, memory loss, lowered libido) were reported as statistically significantly more common among those living <300 m from a BTS antenna compared with those living >300 m away.

Outcomes measured

nausea
headache
dizziness
irritability
discomfort
nervousness
depression
sleep disturbance
memory loss
lowering of libido

Limitations

Cross-sectional design (cannot establish causality)
Outcomes based on self-reported questionnaire symptoms
Exposure characterized by distance to BTS (<300 m vs >300 m) without reported RF measurements (e.g., field strength, frequency, SAR)
Potential for confounding and reporting/expectation bias not addressed in abstract
Publication type indicates retracted publication

Suggested hubs

who-icnirp (0.35)
Study makes a siting recommendation (300 m) relevant to exposure guideline discussions.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "cross_sectional",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "base station",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "October 2012 to November 2012"
    },
    "population": "Inhabitants living near vs far from mobile phone base transceiver station (BTS) antennae in Isfahan, Iran",
    "sample_size": 250,
    "outcomes": [
        "nausea",
        "headache",
        "dizziness",
        "irritability",
        "discomfort",
        "nervousness",
        "depression",
        "sleep disturbance",
        "memory loss",
        "lowering of libido"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of 250 inhabitants, multiple self-reported symptoms (e.g., nausea, headache, dizziness, irritability, depression, sleep disturbance, memory loss, lowered libido) were reported as statistically significantly more common among those living <300 m from a BTS antenna compared with those living >300 m away.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Cross-sectional design (cannot establish causality)",
        "Outcomes based on self-reported questionnaire symptoms",
        "Exposure characterized by distance to BTS (<300 m vs >300 m) without reported RF measurements (e.g., field strength, frequency, SAR)",
        "Potential for confounding and reporting/expectation bias not addressed in abstract",
        "Publication type indicates retracted publication"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "very_low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "base transceiver station",
        "BTS",
        "mobile phone",
        "base station",
        "distance",
        "questionnaire",
        "symptoms",
        "psychological",
        "psychobiological",
        "Iran",
        "Isfahan",
        "cross-sectional",
        "retracted"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "who-icnirp",
            "weight": 0.34999999999999997779553950749686919152736663818359375,
            "reason": "Study makes a siting recommendation (300 m) relevant to exposure guideline discussions."
        }
    ]
}

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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