Study type: Epidemiological study (observational study)

The association between use of electronic media and prevalence of headache in adolescents: results from a population-based cross-sectional study epidem.

Published in: BMC Neurol 2010; 10: 12

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Germany to investigate the association between use of electronic media and prevalence of headache in adolescents.

Further details

This study is part of the MobilEe project, an epidemiological investigation of possible effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on well-being in children and adolescents.
Adolescents who reported at least one episode of headache per month during the last six months, were invited to answer a questionnaire for a more detailed investigation of the headache type.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation:

Exposure

Assessment

Exposure groups

Group Description
Reference group 1 daily mobile phone use: not at all
Group 2 daily mobile phone use: < 5 min
Group 3 daily mobile phone use: 6 - 15 min
Group 4 daily mobile phone use: 16 - 30 min
Group 5 daily mobile phone use: > 30 min

Population

Study size

Type Value
Total 1,025
Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

77 % of the adolescents reported no or little (< 5 min/day) mobile phone use. 489 out of 1025 subjects reported headache.
No association between mobile phone use and headache was observed. The authors concluded that (apart from an association between listening to music and overall headache) no consistent associations between the use of electronic media and different types of headache were observed.

Study funded by

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