Mobile Phone Ownership and Its Effect on Health

Mobile phone ownership and its effect on health

Introduction:

The effect mobile phone radiation has on human health is the subject of recent interest and study, as a result of the increase prevalence in many countries throughout the world, public concerns about the possible health effects of mobile phones receive a lot of coverage in the media, investigated, yet remains controversial. Mobile phones use electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range, which some believe may be harmful to human health. This will be analysed in this report in relation to the effects of mobile phone use and possible health concerns associated with exposure, if any possibility that these exposures might induce long‐term health effects such as increase risk for cancer. This is a concern for public health, particularly for young users of mobile phones, as the number of mobile phone ownership is large and growing.

Background Information:

Mobile phones communicate by transmitting radio waves through a network of fixed base stations. Radiofrequency (RF) waves are electromagnetic fields or similarly microwaves, which have been long suspected to cause health effects. The association between microwave radiation exposure from mobile phone use and tumor development in the brain and central nervous system has been much debated, though controversial. Many large and well conducted studies have found little evidence to support such a link, as will be discussed below.

Findings:

In 2011, World Health Organisation (WHO) study on past cell phone use showed a "40% increased risk for gliomas a type of brain cancer, in the highest category of heavy users who reported average 30 minutes per day over a 10 year period.” (WHO, 2011). This is contradiction from their prior studies done by WHO that cancer was unlikely to be caused by cellular phones and that reviews had found no convincing evidence for other health effects. WHO now believes they have come to enough evidence to give mobile phone a...