Factors associated with risk perception among school and nursery school teachers concerning potential health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields

PAPER manual Frontiers in Public Health 2026 Cross-sectional study Effect: mixed Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1944031 Evidence Lab

Abstract

Background: There is considerable concern in the public about potential health risks from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) below legal limits. School and nursery school teachers are important multipliers of health-related information, also regarding environmental exposures like EMF. Factors associated with the risk perception towards EMF in these professional groups have not yet been investigated. Methods: This 2024 cross-sectional study surveyed school teachers (N = 1,053) and nursery school teachers (N = 329) across Germany to examine factors associated with participants’ EMF risk perception. We applied logistic regression modelling to examine the relationship between EMF risk perception (high vs. low) and the variables technology acceptance, media health literacy, conspiracy belief, trust in various organizations and institutions as well as general environmental worry. Results: About one-third of the participants believed that some individuals develop adverse health effects from EMF exposure below legal limits. Conspiracy belief was positively associated with high EMF risk perception (school teachers: OR: 2.87, 95% CI: 2.36–3.43; nursery school teachers: OR: 2.88, 95% CI: 2.00–4.00). Technology acceptance (school teachers: OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.39–0.55; nursery school teachers: OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51–0.89), media health literacy (only in school teachers (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.61–0.82)), and trust in authorities like WHO were inversely associated with EMF risk perception. Conclusion: Our findings underline that individuals’ appraisal of scientific evidence, in this case concerning EMF exposure, is related not only to individual skills like media health literacy, but also to personal attitudes like the tendency towards conspiracy beliefs or trust in organizations.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Cross-sectional study

Effect direction

mixed

Population

School and nursery school teachers in Germany

Sample size

1382

Exposure

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 98% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

About one-third of participants believed some individuals develop adverse health effects from EMF exposure below legal limits. Higher conspiracy belief was associated with higher EMF risk perception, while technology acceptance and trust in authorities such as WHO were inversely associated with it. Media health literacy was inversely associated with risk perception among school teachers only.

Outcomes measured

Perceived risk of adverse health effects from EMF exposure below legal limits
Associations of risk perception with conspiracy belief, technology acceptance, media health literacy, and trust in institutions

Limitations

Cross-sectional design cannot establish causality.
The study assessed perceived risk, not health effects from EMF exposure.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "cross_sectional",
    "exposure": {
        "band": null,
        "source": null,
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": "School and nursery school teachers in Germany",
    "sample_size": 1382,
    "outcomes": [
        "Perceived risk of adverse health effects from EMF exposure below legal limits",
        "Associations of risk perception with conspiracy belief, technology acceptance, media health literacy, and trust in institutions"
    ],
    "main_findings": "About one-third of participants believed some individuals develop adverse health effects from EMF exposure below legal limits. Higher conspiracy belief was associated with higher EMF risk perception, while technology acceptance and trust in authorities such as WHO were inversely associated with it. Media health literacy was inversely associated with risk perception among school teachers only.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "Cross-sectional design cannot establish causality.",
        "The study assessed perceived risk, not health effects from EMF exposure."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.979999999999999982236431605997495353221893310546875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "electromagnetic fields",
        "risk perception",
        "school teachers",
        "nursery school teachers",
        "conspiracy belief",
        "technology acceptance",
        "media health literacy",
        "Germany"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": []
}

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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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