Mei-Chih Meg Tseng1, Yi-Ping Lin, Tsun-Jen Cheng. 1. Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Psychological factors have been implicated in the etiology of idiopathic environmental illness in many studies. Few studies have ever reported psychiatric morbidity among individuals with electromagnetic hypersensitivity. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and identify the associated factors of self-reported electromagnetic field sensitivity (SREMFS) in adults of Taiwan. METHODS: A total of 1251 adults selected from a nationwide Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing system received a telephone survey about the perception of risk from various environmental agents and their effects on health and well-being. RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of people with SREMFS was 13.3 % (95% confidence interval: 11.2-15.3). People aged >65 years were associated with a lower risk of reporting sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, whereas people with a very poor self-reported health status, those who were unable to work, and those who had psychiatric morbidity were associated with a higher risk of having SREMFS. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of SREMFS in the general population of Taiwan is higher than that reported in western countries. People with psychiatric morbidity are more likely to report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields. The cross-sectional design precludes the causal inference of all identified correlates and electromagnetic field sensitivity.
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Psychological factors have been implicated in the etiology of idiopathic environmental illness in many studies. Few studies have ever reported psychiatric morbidity among individuals with electromagnetic hypersensitivity. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and identify the associated factors of self-reported electromagnetic field sensitivity (SREMFS) in adults of Taiwan. METHODS: A total of 1251 adults selected from a nationwide Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing system received a telephone survey about the perception of risk from various environmental agents and their effects on health and well-being. RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of people with SREMFS was 13.3 % (95% confidence interval: 11.2-15.3). People aged >65 years were associated with a lower risk of reporting sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, whereas people with a very poor self-reported health status, those who were unable to work, and those who had psychiatric morbidity were associated with a higher risk of having SREMFS. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of SREMFS in the general population of Taiwan is higher than that reported in western countries. People with psychiatric morbidity are more likely to report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields. The cross-sectional design precludes the causal inference of all identified correlates and electromagnetic field sensitivity.
Authors: Xavier Bosch-Capblanch; Ekpereonne Esu; Stefan Dongus; Chioma Moses Oringanje; Hamed Jalilian; John Eyers; Gunnhild Oftedal; Martin Meremikwu; Martin Röösli Journal: Environ Int Date: 2021-11-01 Impact factor: 9.621
Authors: Martin Röösli; Stefan Dongus; Hamed Jalilian; Maria Feychting; John Eyers; Ekpereonne Esu; Chioma Moses Oringanje; Martin Meremikwu; Xavier Bosch-Capblanch Journal: Environ Int Date: 2021-09-06 Impact factor: 9.621
Authors: Rik P Bogers; John F B Bolte; Jan H Houtveen; Erik Lebret; Rob T van Strien; C Maarten A Schipper; Mehdi Alkadhimi; Christos Baliatsas; Irene van Kamp Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2013-08-29 Impact factor: 2.692