Epidemiological studies are an important tool in
studying the impact on public health from exposure of whole populations to
modern radio technologies. However, although imperative for understanding
health effects in the community, epidemiological research investigating
associations of mobile phone exposure and non-malignant health outcomes in
the general community is virtually non-existent, with few examples of
significant reviews available.
Current Projects
MORPhEUS (Mobile
Radiofrequency Phone Exposed Users Study)
Project leader:
Professor Michael
Abramson
Co-investigators:
Dr Geza Benke, Prof Malcolm Sim
and A/Prof Rodney Croft
NHMRC funded research staff:
Ms Christina Dimitriadis, Mr Steven Haas, Mr
Imo Inyang
(PhD candidate), Dr Richard Lunz and Ms Juliette
Mutheu
Background:
Although imperative for understanding health effects in the community,
epidemiological research investigating associations of mobile phone exposure
and non-malignant health outcomes in the general community is virtually
non-existent.
Hypotheses: (1) There is an
association of mobile phone use and delayed cognitive development in teenage
children. (2) There is an association of mobile phone use and symptoms,
impaired hearing or reduced blood pressure in teenage children.
Method: We are undertaking a
cohort study of teenage school children in year seven (12 or 13 years old),
an age group identified as a priority research area, and monitoring for an
initial period of three years. All subjects undertake a baseline (then
annual) validated questionnaire, physiological (Hearing, BP) and cognitive
tests. Dosimetry and exposure assessment from mobile phone use and
consequent emissions will be undertaken in collaboration with TRL and
cognitive factors will be assessed in collaboration with Swinburne
University. Based on our experience in the pilot study and further
statistical considerations we expect that about 300 subjects will be
recruited with an expected loss to follow-up of less than 30%. The
establishment of this cohort would also allow for future follow-ups in 5, 10
or 20 years, when any long-term effects may present.
Results: Expected in November
2007.
Determining the influence of population
variation on compliance with radiofrequency exposure limits
Project leader:
Dr Elena
Pirogova, Mr R. McKenzie
NHMRC funded research staff:
Maia Sauren, PhD candidate, RMIT
Background:
It is difficult to compare
studies regarding energy absorption in humans from various radiofrequency
(RF) sources due to the contradictions and inconsistencies in RF dosimetry
literature. Assumptions used in
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) studies have been insufficiently explored,
particularly with regard to the effect of natural variation in the human
population of potentially key parameters such as morphology, internal tissue
and bone thicknesses and location, dielectric parameters of tissues and
overall size.
Due to
the nature of available computational models based on either complex
realistic models such as Visible Human (Brooks Air Force) or the simple
single tissue SAM phantom model (Specific Anthropomorphic Mannequin; IEEE)
this issue is not easily explored since the identified parameters are not
easily varied within the models. To overcome this deficiency, we have
proposed an alternative compromise model which includes a reduced set of
tissues in a semi-homogeneous, simplified geometry for which the key
parameters may be varied parametrically.
Results: Expected in November
2007.