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Peer-reviewed Publications |
| The Electromagnetics and Health research team are always working on scientific papers for peer-review. Peer-review is an important part of the research process - it means that scientists can open their research to the scrutiny of other experts in the field, before making it public. Most journals will select two or three independent experts in the field that the work covers, who then assess the scientific method, factual accuracy, results and conclusions. This process ensures that scientists are using the appropriate techniques and points interested parties to work that is credible.
Below are abstracts from
our peer-reviewed published articles on base station research and links to
the full papers that can be downloaded for free. Do TETRA (Airwave) Base Station Signals Have a Short-Term Impact on Health and Well-Being? A Randomized Double-Blind Provocation Study Denise Wallace, Stacy Eltiti, Anna Ridgewell, Kelly Garner, Riccardo Russo, Francisco Sepulveda, Stuart Walker, Terence Quinlan, Sandra Dudley, Sithu Maung, Roger Deeble, Elaine Fox Background: 'Airwave' is the new communication system currently being rolled out across the UK for the police and emergency services. Some police officers have complained about skin rashes, nausea, headaches and depression as a consequence of using their Airwave handsets. In addition, a small sub-group in the population self-report being sensitive to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in general. Objectives: A randomized double-blind provocation study was conducted to establish whether short-term exposure to a Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) base station signal has an impact on health and well-being in individuals with self-reported 'electrosensitivity' and controls. Methods: 51 individuals with self-reported 'electrosensitivity' and 132 age- and gender-matched controls participated in an open provocation test, while 48 sensitive and 132 control participants went on to complete double-blind tests in a fully screened semi-anechoic chamber. Heart rate, skin conductance and blood pressure readings provided objective indices of short-term physiological response. Visual analogue scales and symptom scales provided subjective indices of well-being. Results: No differences occurred on any measure between TETRA and Sham (no signal) under double-blind conditions for either control or electrosensitive participants and neither group could detect the presence of a TETRA signal above chance (50%). When conditions were not double-blinded, however, the self-reported electrosensitive individuals did report feeling worse and experienced more severe symptoms during TETRA compared to Sham. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the adverse symptoms experienced by electrosensitive individuals are due to the belief of harm from TETRA base stations rather than due to the low-level EMF exposure itself.
Short-Term Exposure to Mobile Phone Base Station Signals Does Not Affect Cognitive Functioning or Physiological Measures in Individuals who Report Sensitivity to Electromagnetic Fields and Controls. Stacy Eltiti, Denise Wallace, Anna Ridgewell, Konstantina Zougkou, Riccardo Russo, Francisco Sepulveda, and Elaine Fox. Individuals who report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields often report cognitive impairments that they believe are due to exposure to mobile phone technology. Previous research in this area has revealed mixed results, however, with the majority of research only testing control individuals. Two studies using control and self-reported sensitive participants found inconsistent effects of mobile phone base stations on cognitive functioning. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether short-term (50 min) exposure at 10 mW/m(2) to typical Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) base station signals affects attention, memory, and physiological endpoints in sensitive and control participants. Data from 44 sensitive and 44 matched-control participants who performed the digit symbol substitution task (DSST), digit span task (DS), and a mental arithmetic task (MA), while being exposed to GSM, UMTS, and sham signals under double-blind conditions were analyzed. Overall, cognitive functioning was not affected by short-term exposure to either GSM or UMTS signals in the current study. Nor did exposure affect the physiological measurements of blood volume pulse (BVP), heart rate (HR), and skin conductance (SC) that were taken while participants performed the cognitive tasks.
Does Short-Term Exposure to Mobile Phone
Base Station Signals Increase Symptoms in Individuals who Report Sensitivity
to Electromagnetic Fields? A Double-Blind Randomised Provocation Study. Background:
Individuals with Idiopathic Environmental Illness with attribution to
electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) believe they suffer negative health effects
when exposed to electromagnetic fields from everyday objects, such as mobile
phone base stations.
Download commentaries submitted and our response to them here. Development and Evaluation of the Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Questionnaire. Stacy Eltiti, Denise Wallace, Konstantina Zougkou, Riccardo Russo, Stephen Joseph, Paul Rasor and Elaine Fox Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) syndrome is usually defined as a condition where an individual experiences adverse health effects that he or she believes is due to exposure to objects that emit electromagnetic fields. The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire that would identify the key symptoms associated with EHS and determine how often these symptoms occur in the general population of the United Kingdom. In the pilot study, an EHS questionnaire was developed and tested. In Study 1 the EHS questionnaire was revised and sent to a randomly selected sample of 20,000 people. Principle components analysis of the symptoms resulted in eight subscales: neurovegetative, skin, auditory, headache, cardiorespiratory, cold related, locomotor, and allergy related symptoms. Study 2 established the validity of the questionnaire in that EHS individuals showed a higher severity of symptoms on all subscales compared to the control group. The two key results of the study were the development of a scale that provides an index of the type and intensity of symptoms commonly experienced by people believing themselves to be EHS and a screening tool that researchers can use to pre-select the most sensitive individuals to take part in their research. Bioelectromagnetics 28: 137-151, 2007.
Elaine Fox, Stacy Eltiti, Denise Wallace, and Riccardo Russo This paper outlines some of the key factors required to investigate the health effects of mobile phone base-stations in human volunteers. Issues involved in the investigation of “Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome” (EHS) are discussed. A brief review is provided of the current scientific literature on the effects of mobile phone technology on health in those reporting EHS. Future research needs are identified and discussed. Proceedings of Base Station and Wireless Networks Workshop: 59, 2007. |
