Headache in the international cohort study of mobile phone use and health (COSMOS) in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom

Authors: Traini E, Smith RB, Vermeulen R, Kromhout H, Schüz J, Feychting M, Auvinen A, Poulsen AH, Deltour I, Muller DC, Heller J, Tettamanti G, Elliott P, Huss A, Toledano MB

Year: 2024

Category: Environmental Health

Journal: Environmental Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118290

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935124001944

Abstract

Overview

Headaches represent a significant global health burden, raising concerns about the long-term impact of mobile phone use due to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). Our research scrutinized the correlation between mobile phone use from 2009 to 2012 and subsequent headache incidents from 2015 to 2018.

Methodology

  • We employed pooled data from Dutch and UK cohorts within the Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health (COSMOS), involving 78,437 participants.
  • Data collection included self-reported headache frequency, migraine occurrence, mobile phone usage patterns such as hands-free device utilization and texting frequency.
  • We accessed objective operator data for regression-calibrated voice call duration estimates.

Findings

Analysis revealed that:

  • Increased risk of weekly headaches associated not with call-time but with high text messaging frequency (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.25–1.56).
  • The effects seen from texting suggest that RF-EMFs are an unlikely causal mechanism for headache.
  • Associations of headache with mobile phone use were more likely reflective of behavioral aspects rather than RF-EMF exposure.

Conclusion

The study concludes that text messaging, rather than call-time, may play a significant role in the occurrence of headaches among mobile phone users, possibly due to behavioral traits associated with this activity.

mobile phone use headache radiofrequency electromagnetic fields cohort study texting call-time
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