Abstract

Overview

The primary objective of this study was to assess the potential relation between mobile phone use and hearing impairment through a detailed systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methodology

• A thorough literature review based on MOOSE methodology was performed using several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, OVID, and Cochrane.
• The Robins-I tool was utilized for quality assessment and risk evaluation.
• Analysis involved two independent reviewers.
• Meta-analysis computed the overall effect size with pooled effect sizes.

Findings

The study included a total of 92,978 participants across five studies, comprising two cross-sectional and three cohort studies. Results showed:

• No significant correlation in cross-sectional studies (OR=0.94, 95% CI=0.57-1.31).
• Cohort studies also showed no significant correlation (OR=1.09, 95% CI=0.93-1.25).
• The overall pooled odds ratio (OR) of hearing impairment was 1.07 (95% CI: 0.94-1.20), implying no significant association.

Conclusion

While the results indicate no direct association between mobile phone use and hearing impairment, the implications of mobile phone-related EMF on health must continue to be carefully monitored and studied.