Attitudes about electric and magnetic fields: do scientists and other risk experts perceive risk similarly?

Wherever there is electric power, 60-hertz (60-Hz) electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) are produced. Recently, conflicting reports have been published by government agencies about adverse health effects linked to EMFs. This paper seeks to identify the demographic and job-related factors that may explain differences among experts' perception of risk attributable to EMFs. Eighty-one participants at a bioelectromagnetics conference completed a survey on risk perceptions. Results indicated that education and employment sector were significant predictors of agreement with the statement that EMFs are not a problem. Future studies should look at the role of risk perception on environmental risk communication and determine the extent of message distortion, if any, based upon employment and demographic characteristics.