Where's Your Phone? A Survey of Where Women Aged 15-40 Carry Their Smartphone and Related Risk Perception: A Survey and Pilot Study

Authors: Redmayne M.

Year: 2017 Jan 6

Category: Epidemiology

Journal: PLoS One

Institution: PLoS One

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167996

URL: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0167996

Abstract

Overview

Smartphones are prevalent among young adults, and when smartphones update applications in standby mode, this can increase exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation if carried close to the body.

Methodology

This online survey targeted young women to understand their smartphone carrying habits, inform power calculations for health studies, and gather data on their risk perceptions of RF-EMR.

Age Groups: 15-20, 21-30, 31-40 years.
Usage Habits: During day (96% standby), night (83% standby).
Common Locations: Off-body (86%), in-hand (58%), pocket (57%), against the breast (15%).

Findings

Storage locations varied significantly with age, particularly pocket and near-the-breast placements being predominant amongst the youngest demographic. Regular use of the phone against the head during calls was reported by 36.5% of participants.

Proximity at Night: 53% stored the phone 20-50 cms away, while 13% kept it closer than 20 cms.
Health Risk Perception: 36% associated RF-EMR with health issues, although no significant correlation was found between general health concerns about RF-EMR and storing the phone closer to the body.

Conclusion

Perception of health risks was notably higher among those using phones against their head.

The results from this study are instrumental for future case-control studies investigating RF-EMR exposure from smartphones and health implications.

← Back to Stats