A prospective study of mobile phone use and health launched in Finland26/11/2009
In the current year, 30 000 persons have been randomly selected from among the customers of Finnish mobile phone operators. The frequency and duration of mobile phone use and age of the selected persons represent the average Finnish adult mobile phone users. In December 2009, the study persons are sent a information leaflet and a consent form that, when signed and returned, allow them to participate in the study. With the signed consent, the mobile phone users authorises, among other things, the mobile phone operators to disclose information on the number and duration of their phone calls to STUK. Thereafter the participants complete a detailed questionnaire concerning their mobile phone use and health status. Disease occurrence among the study participants is followed with their consent using the Finnish population-based health care registers and databases. The recruitment of study subjects continues in 2010 and 2011. Reliable information needed on possible health risksThe COSMOS study is expected to provide more valid information on the possible effects of electromagnetic fields on health. An important weakness of previous studies on the subject has been the poor reliability of the data on mobile phone use due to retrospective exposure assessment. COSMOS is the first epidemiological study that uses data on the amount of mobile phone use directly from the mobile phone operators. Research with such study design has been called for, among others, by the WHO (World Health Organization) and several international expert groups. The earlier studies on health effects of mobile phones have concerned mainly brain tumours. No undisputable connection between the use of mobile phones and brain tumours has been found in these studies. On the other hand, the possible health effects of mobile phones could not be/has not been excluded. ”Finland provides an exceptional opportunity for the study since the use of mobile phones has been extensive here already from the 1980s. Those people, who use mobile phones the most, use a considerable time on the phone nowadays, even hours per day. We hope that as many as possible of those people who receive our personal invitation will also participate in this study. This is crucial the success of the study”, says Anssi Auvinen, research professor at STUK leading the Finnish project. COSMOS is apart of the Wirecom research programme, initiated by Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation). Other participants in the study are University of Turku and Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) that also coordinates the study. Further information: Page updated 04/12/2009
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