title: Symptom attribution and risk perception in individuals with idiopathic environmental intolerance to electromagnetic fields and in the general population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate differences in health perception and electromagnetic fields (EMF) between people within the general population reporting sensitivity or non-sensitivity to EMF, and people who registered themselves as sensitive to EMF at a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlations and regression analysis to compare a sample of the general population recruited via internet panel to individuals with idiopathic environmental intolerance to EMF (IEI-EMF) recruited via an interest group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The general population sensitive group was more similar to the non-sensitive group in personal characteristics than to the NGO sensitive group. They experienced more - and more frequent - non-specific symptoms, reported higher perceived risk of EMF, and attributed their symptoms more to EMF than the non-sensitive group, but less than the NGO sensitive group. There was a positive association between attribution of symptoms to EMF and reported intensity of non-specific symptoms, which was stronger for the NGO sensitive subjects than for the general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People sensitive to EMF and recruited via an internet panel differ from people sensitive to EMF and recruited via an NGO, who reported a higher frequency of non-specific symptoms. Attribution of symptoms to EMF is one of the predictors of the intensity of physical symptoms. Changing the perceived association between EMF and health problems in individuals with IEI-EMF might contribute to a better health experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Centre, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Dongen
authors.forename: Tjabe
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smid
authors.forename: Daniëlle R M
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Timmermans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018876:Environmental Illness; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: IEI-EMF; electromagnetic fields; non-specific symptoms; risk perception; symptom attribution