Mobile Phone Use, Blood Lead Levels, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Symptoms in Children: a Longitudinal Study

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2013 Apr 5

PMID 23555766

Citations 31

Authors

Yoon-Hwan Byun

Mina Ha

Ho-Jang Kwon

Yun-Chul Hong

Jong-Han Leem

Joon Sakong

Su Young Kim

Chul Gab Lee

Dongmug Kang

Hyung-Do Choi

Nam Kim

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Concerns have developed for the possible negative health effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure to children's brains. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the association between mobile phone use and symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) considering the modifying effect of lead exposure.

Methods: A total of 2,422 children at 27 elementary schools in 10 Korean cities were examined and followed up 2 years later. Parents or guardians were administered a questionnaire including the Korean version of the ADHD rating scale and questions about mobile phone use, as well as socio-demographic factors. The ADHD symptom risk for mobile phone use was estimated at two time points using logistic regression and combined over 2 years using the generalized estimating equation model with repeatedly measured variables of mobile phone use, blood lead, and ADHD symptoms, adjusted for covariates.

Results: The ADHD symptom risk associated with mobile phone use for voice calls but the association was limited to children exposed to relatively high lead.

Conclusions: The results suggest that simultaneous exposure to lead and RF from mobile phone use was associated with increased ADHD symptom risk, although possible reverse causality could not be ruled out.

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