Time course of health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure and predictors of electromagnetic hypersensitivity over 10 years in a prospective cohort of Dutch adults

Abstract

at T4, 12.4% (108 of 892) reported being electromagnetic hypersensitive but only 1.2% (11 of 892) reported having symptoms which they attributed to RF exposure (i.e.they were classified as IEI-RF). However, in order to be classified as IEI-RF, one first had to answer affirmatively to the question, "Do you currently have health complaints that you attribute to the environment," before responding to several RF- specific questions. I think most people who self-reported as EHS failed to answer this screener question affirmatively because the question is confusing. Eugenio Traini, Astrid L. Martens, Pauline Slottje, Roel C.H. Vermeulen, Anke Huss. Time course of health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure and predictors of electromagnetic hypersensitivity over 10 years in a prospective cohort of Dutch adults. Science of The Total Environment. 2022. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159240. Highlights • Time course of attribution of health complaints to RF-EMF exposure. • Predictors of electromagnetic hypersensitivity. • Multi-state Markov models to represent how individuals in the cohort transition between states of attribution of health complaints to RF-EMF exposure. • Attribution of health complaints to RF-EMF exposure appears to be a more transient condition than previously assumed. Abstract Background Some individuals attribute health complaints to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure. This condition, known as idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to RF-EMFs (IEI-RF) or electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), can be disabling for those who are affected. In this study we assessed factors related to developing, maintaining, or discarding IEI-RF over the course of 10 years, and predictors of developing EHS at follow-up using a targeted question without the condition of reporting health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure. Methods Participants (n = 892, mean age 50 at baseline, 52 % women) from the Dutch Occupational and Environmental Health Cohort Study AMIGO filled in questionnaires in 2011/2012 (T0), 2013 (T1), and 2021 (T4) where information pertaining to perceived RF-EMF exposure and risk, non-specific symptoms, sleep problems, IEI-RF, and EHS was collected. We fitted multi-state Markov models to represent how individuals transitioned between states (“yes”, “no”) of IEI-RF. Results At each time point, about 1 % of study participants reported health complaints that they attributed to RF-EMF exposure. While this percentage remained stable, the individuals who reported such complaints changed over time: of nine persons reporting health complaints at T0, only one reported IEI-RF at both T1 and T4, and two newly reported health complaints at T4. Overall, participants had a 95 % chance of transitioning from “yes” to “no” over a time course of 10 years, and a chance of 1 % of transitioning from “no” to “yes”. Participants with high perceived RF-EMF exposure and risk had a general tendency to move more frequently between states. Conclusions We observed a low prevalence of IEI-RF in our population. Prevalence did not vary strongly over time but there was a strong aspect of change: over 10 years, there was a high probability of not attributing symptoms to RF-EMF exposure anymore. IEI-RF appears to be a more transient condition than previously assumed. Open access paper: sciencedirect.com

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

About 1% of participants reported health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure at each time point over 10 years. The condition was transient, with a 95% chance of transitioning from 'yes' to 'no' over 10 years and only 1% transitioning from 'no' to 'yes'. High perceived RF-EMF exposure and risk were associated with more frequent state changes.

Outcomes measured

• health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure
• idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to RF-EMF (IEI-RF)
• electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)

Limitations

• Self-reported data may be influenced by perception and reporting bias
• Confusing screener question may have led to underreporting of EHS
• No objective exposure measurements reported

Suggested hubs

• occupational-exposure (0.7)
  Study population from occupational and environmental health cohort
• who-icnirp (0.6)
  Study relates to health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure relevant to exposure guidelines

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    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": null,
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "10 years"
    },
    "population": "Dutch adults from the Occupational and Environmental Health Cohort Study AMIGO, n=892, mean age 50 at baseline, 52% women",
    "sample_size": 892,
    "outcomes": [
        "health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure",
        "idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to RF-EMF (IEI-RF)",
        "electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "About 1% of participants reported health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure at each time point over 10 years. The condition was transient, with a 95% chance of transitioning from 'yes' to 'no' over 10 years and only 1% transitioning from 'no' to 'yes'. High perceived RF-EMF exposure and risk were associated with more frequent state changes.",
    "effect_direction": "unclear",
    "limitations": [
        "Self-reported data may be influenced by perception and reporting bias",
        "Confusing screener question may have led to underreporting of EHS",
        "No objective exposure measurements reported"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "moderate",
    "confidence": 0.6999999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "RF-EMF",
        "electromagnetic hypersensitivity",
        "idiopathic environmental intolerance",
        "cohort study",
        "health complaints",
        "perceived exposure"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
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            "slug": "occupational-exposure",
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