Abstract
Objective
Perception of possible health risks related to mobile phone base stations (MPBS) is an important factor in citizens’ opposition against MPBS and is associated with health complaints. The aim of the present study is to assess whether risk perception of MPBS is associated with concerns about other environmental and health risks, is associated with psychological strain, and is stable on the individual level over time.
Methods
Self-administered questionnaires filled in by 3,253 persons aged 15–69 years in 2004 and 2006 in Germany.
Results
Risk perception of MPBS was strongly associated with concerns about various other risks like side effects of medications, air pollution or electric power lines. Persons showing more anxiety, depression, or stress were more often concerned about MPBS and also more often attributed health complaints to MPBS. 46.7% of those concerned about MPBS in 2004 expressed these concerns again 2 years later, the corresponding figure for attribution of health complaints to MPBS was 31.3%.
Conclusion
Risk perception of MPBS is strongly associated with general concern, anxiety, depression, and stress, and rather instable over time.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bailer J, Rist F, Rudolf A, Staehle HJ (2000) Amalgamsensitivität, allgemeine Sensitivität gegen Umweltstoffe und psychische Beeinträchtigung. Zeitschrift für klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie 29:24–34
Bell IR, Miller CS, Schwartz GE, Peterson JM, Amend D (1996) Neuropsychiatric and somatic characteristics of young adults with and without self-reported chemical odor intolerance and chemical sensitivity. Arch Environ Health 51:9–21
Berg-Beckhoff G, Blettner M, Kowall B et al (2009) Mobile phone base stations and adverse health effects: phase 2 of a cross-sectional study with measured radio frequency electromagnetic fields. Occup Environ Med 66:124–130
Blettner M, Schlehofer B, Breckenkamp J et al (2009) Mobile phone base stations and adverse health effects: phase 1 of a population-based cross-sectional study in Germany. Occup Environ Med 66:118–123
Bullinger M, Kirchberger I (1998) SF-36 Fragebogen zum Gesundheitszustand. Handanweisung. Hogrefe: Göttingen, Bern, Toronto
Danker-Hopfe H, Dorn H, Bornkessel C, Sauter C (2010) Do mobile phone base stations affect sleep of residents? Results from an experimental double-blind sham-controlled field study. Am J Hum Biol 22:613–618
Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt). Umweltbewusstsein in Deutschland 2010. Ergebnisse einer repräsentativen Bevölkerungsumfrage
Heinrich S, Ossig A, Schlittmeier S, Hellbrück J (2007) Elektromagnetische Felder einer UMTS-Mobilfunkbasisstation und mögliche Auswirkungen auf die Befindlichkeit–eine experimentelle Felduntersuchung. Umweltmedizin in Forschung und Praxis 12:171–180
Hermann C, Buss U, Snaith RP (1995) HADS-D Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale—Deutsche Version. Ein Fragebogen zur Erfassung von Angst und Depressivität in der somatischen Medizin. Testdokumentation und Handanweisung. Huber, Bern
Hutter HP, Moshammer H, Wallner P, Kundi M (2004) Public perception of risk concerning celltowers and mobile phones. Sozial- und Präventivmedizin 49:62–66
Hutter HP, Moshammer H, Wallner P, Kundi M (2006) Subjective symptoms, sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations. Occup Environ Med 63:307–313
INFAS (Institut für angewandte Sozialwissenschaft) (2006) Ermittlung der Befürchtungen und Ängste der breiten Öffentlichkeit hinsichtlich möglicher Gefahren der hochfrequenten elektromagnetischen Felder des Mobilfunks—jährliche Umfragen. Abschlussbericht über die Befragung im Jahr 2006
McMahan S, Lutz R, Meyer J (2002) Attitudes about electric and magnetic fields: do scientists and other risk experts perceive risk similarly? J Environ Health 65:9–12
Röösli M, Frei P, Mohler E, Hug K (2010a) Systematic review on the health effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phone base stations. Bull World Health Organ 88:887–896
Röösli M, Mohler E, Frei P (2010b) Sense and sensibility in the context of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure. Compt Rend Phys 11:576–584
Rubin GJ, Das Munshi J, Wessely S (2005) Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: a systematic review of provocation studies. Psychomed Med 67:224–232
Schreier N, Huss A, Röösli M (2006) The prevalence of symptoms attributed to electromagnetic field exposure: a cross-sectional representative survey in Switzerland. Sozial- und Präventivmedizin 51:202–209
Schulz P, Schlotz W, Becker P (2003) Trierer Inventar zum Chonischen Stress. Hogrefe, Göttingen, Bern, Toronto
Siegrist M, Earle TC, Gutscher H, Keller C (2005) Perception of mobile phone and base station risks. Risk Anal 25:1253–1264
Thomas S, Kühnlein A, Heinrich S et al (2008) Personal exposure to mobile phone frequencies and well-being in adults: a cross-sectional study based on dosimetry. Bioelectromagnetics 29:463–470
Wiedemann PM, Schütz H (2002) Wer fürchtet den Mobilfunk? Gruppenspezifische Differenzen bei der Risikowahrnehmung. Arbeiten zur Risikokommunikation. Heft 84. Forschungszentrum Jülich
Acknowledgments
The study received its funding entirely from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nuclear Safety, and Nature Protection, within the context of the ‘‘Deutsches Mobilfunkforschungsprogramm’’ (German Mobile Telecommunication Research Programme).
Conflict of interest
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kowall, B., Breckenkamp, J., Blettner, M. et al. Determinants and stability over time of perception of health risks related to mobile phone base stations. Int J Public Health 57, 735–743 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0310-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0310-4