Nieuw Zeeland: Mobielverbod op scholen uit gezondheidsoverwegingen gerechtvaardigd.

Bron: Reproductive Toxicology Volume 32, Issue 3, November 2011, Pages 354-359

Adolescent in-school cellphone habits: A census of rules, survey of their effectiveness, and fertility implications

Mary Redmaynea, Euan Smitha, Michael J. Abramson a, b,

a School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
b Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred, Melbourne, VIC. 3004, Australia

Abstract

We explored school cellphone rules and adolescent exposure to cellphone microwave emissions during school with a census and survey, respectively. The data were used to assess health and policy implications through a review of papers assessing reproductive bio-effects after exposure to cellphone emissions, this being most relevant to students’ exposure.

All schools banned private use of cellphones in class. However, 43% of student participants admitted breaking this rule. A high-exposure group of risk-takers was identified for whom prohibited in-school use was positively associated with high texting rates, carrying the phone switched-on >10 h/day, and in-pocket use.

The fertility literature is inconclusive, but increasingly points towards significant time- and dose-dependent deleterious effects from cellphone exposure on sperm. Genotoxic effects have been demonstrated from ‘non-thermal’ exposures, but not consistently.

There is sufficient evidence and expert opinion to warrant an enforced school policy removing cellphones from students during the day.

* A majority of NZ adolescents carry a cellphone switched-on in a pocket >6 h/day.
* More than two in five regularly send texts from within a side pocket. ? A fifth carry one >10 h/day and use it in-pocket.
* Research suggests this may impair future fertility and/or reproductive integrity.

Corresponding author. Tel.: +64 4 4755995; fax: +64 4 4635186.

Voor het originele bericht zie:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623811003546 .

Lees verder in de categorie Onderzoeken | Terug naar homepage | Lees de introductie