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Subjective symptoms among mobile phone users--a consequence of absorption of radiofrequency fields?

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Wilén J, Sandström M, Hansson Mild K · 2003

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SAR values above 0.5 W/kg may be linked to a higher prevalence of some symptoms, especially when combined with long calling times per day.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers selected 2,402 people from an epidemiological study who used any of the four most common GSM MP. The study combined data on symptom prevalence, calling time per day, and number of calls per day with measurements of the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). The results indicated that SAR values above 0.5 W/kg may be an important factor for the prevalence of some symptoms, especially in combination with long calling times per day.

Why This Matters

Researchers defined three volumes in the head and measured the maximum SAR averaged over a cube of 1 g tissue in each volume. Two new exposure parameters, Specific Absorption per Day (SAD) and Specific Absorption per Call (SAC), were devised as combinations of SAR, calling time per day, and number of calls per day.

Exposure Details

SAR
>0.5 W/kg

Exposure Context

This study used >0.5 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: >0.5 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 3 times higher than this level

Study Details

In this extrapolative study, we have selected 2402 people from the epidemiological study who used any of the four most common GSM MP.

We used the information about the prevalence of symptoms, calling time per day, and number of calls ...

The results indicates that SAR values >0.5 W/kg may be an important factor for the prevalence of som...

Cite This Study
Wilén J, Sandström M, Hansson Mild K (2003). Subjective symptoms among mobile phone users--a consequence of absorption of radiofrequency fields? Bioelectromagnetics. 24(3):152-159, 2003.
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2003_subjective_symptoms_among_mobile_500,
  author = {Wilén J and Sandström M and Hansson Mild K},
  title = {Subjective symptoms among mobile phone users--a consequence of absorption of radiofrequency fields?},
  year = {2003},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.10101},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.10101},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.10101

Cited By (49 papers)

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Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers selected 2,402 people from an epidemiological study who used any of the four most common GSM MP.
The results indicated that SAR values above 0.5 W/kg may be an important factor for the prevalence of some symptoms.
Two new parameters, Specific Absorption per Day (SAD) and Specific Absorption per Call (SAC), were devised as combinations of SAR, calling time per day, and number of calls per day.
Researchers defined three volumes in the head and measured the maximum SAR averaged over a cube of 1 g tissue in each volume.