title: [Risk perception of the general public of cell phone towers and cancer: trend and associated factors, 2005-2010].
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess risk perception related to living near a cell phone tower based on data from two national telephone surveys conducted in France in 2005 and 2010. In 2005, 48.5% of French people aged 16-75 years considered that living near a cell phone tower increases the risk of cancer, compared to 68.9% in 2010. In addition, the number of ?don't know' responses decreased. The increase in risk perception was far greater than the increase in perceptions related to other potential environmental factors of cancer (nuclear power plant, air pollution, chemically-treated food). In 2005, the perceived risk of cancer due to exposure to cell phone tower radiation was correlated to gender, level of income, size of town and sensitivity to other environmental causes of cancer. However, these correlations were weaker in 2010. This risk perception may reflect non-specific fears and a lack of trust in the authorities, but is also rooted in a local context.
authors.affiliation: UMR 912 Sciences Économiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitment de l'Information Médicale, (SESSTIM, INSERM-IRD-Université d'Aix-Marseille), Marseille.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peretti-Watel
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vergélys
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040421:Cell Phone; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult