title: Acute effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by GSM mobile phones on subjective well-being and physiological reactions: a meta-analysis.
abstract: The potential effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by GSM mobile phones on subjective symptoms, well-being and physiological parameters have been investigated in many studies. However, the results have been ambiguous. The current meta-analysis aims to clarify whether RF-EMF have an influence on well-being in self-reported sensitive persons, as well as in non-sensitive people. A literature search revealed 17 studies including 1174 participants. The single effects for various subjective and objective outcomes were meta-analytically combined to yield a single population parameter. Dependant variables were subjective (e.g. headaches) and objective parameters (e.g. heart rate variability) of well-being. The results show no significant impact of short-term RF-EMF exposure on any parameter. Future research should focus on the possible effects of long-term exposure.
authors.affiliation: IGGMB - Research Institute for Basic and Frontier Questions of Medicine and Biotechnology, Health Research Institute, University Clinics of the Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Augner
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gnambs
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Winker
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult