Abstract

Overview

Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) from various sources such as mobile phones and medical devices have raised public health concerns regarding their potential effects on health conditions like tinnitus and migraine.

Objectives and Methods

The study systematically reviewed long-term or repeated exposure to RF-EMF and its effects on health, focusing on conditions like tinnitus, migraines, and other non-specific symptoms. This review included case-control and prospective cohort studies.

Key Findings

• Included a total of 486,558 participants predominantly from Europe.
• The evidence generally indicates that RF-EMF exposure below guideline values does not cause significant symptoms, although evidence has very low certainty due to issues such as bias and imprecision in study designs.
• Only one study addressed occupational exposure directly.

Implications and Future Direction

The study results are used to inform future World Health Organization recommendations. The ongoing uncertainty and variability between studies suggest a need for improved research methodologies to differentiate biophysical effects from RF-EMF exposure from other lifestyle-related effects.

Limitations and Funding

The study acknowledges various limitations in confounding control, exposure assessment, and potential biases in current research methodologies. The project was partially supported by the WHO radioprotection programme.