Hillert Lena, Berglind Niklas, Arnetz Bengt B, Bellander Tom
Department of Environmental Health, Norrbacka/Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Scand J Work Environ Health. 2002 Feb;28(1):33-41. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.644.
The prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms attributed to exposure to electromagnetic fields is still largely unknown. Previous studies have investigated reported hypersensitivity to electricity in selected groups recruited from workplaces or outpatient clinics. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of self-reported hypersensitivity to electric or magnetic fields in the general population and to describe characteristics of the group reporting such hypersensitivity with regard to demographics, other complaints, hypersensitivities, and traditional allergies.
A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 1997 among 15,000 men and women between 19 and 80 years of age in Stockholm County. The response rate was 73%.
One and a half percent of the respondents reported hypersensitivity to electric or magnetic fields. Prevalence was highest among women and in the 60- to 69-year age group. The hypersensitive group reported all symptoms, allergies, and other types of hypersensitivities included in the survey (as well as being disturbed by various factors in the home) to a significantly greater extent than the rest of the respondents. No specific symptom profile set off the hypersensitive group from the rest of the respondents.
The results should be interpreted with caution. But they suggest that there is widespread concern among the general population about risks to health posed by electric and magnetic fields. More research is warranted to explore ill health among people reporting hypersensitivity to electric or magnetic fields.
因接触电磁场而出现的医学上无法解释的症状的患病率仍 largely unknown。以往的研究调查了从工作场所或门诊诊所招募的特定人群中报告的对电的超敏反应。本研究的目的是估计普通人群中自我报告的对电场或磁场超敏反应的患病率，并描述报告此类超敏反应的人群在人口统计学、其他症状、超敏反应和传统过敏方面的特征。
1997年在斯德哥尔摩县对15000名年龄在19至80岁之间的男性和女性进行了横断面问卷调查。回复率为73%。
1.5%的受访者报告对电场或磁场超敏。患病率在女性和60至69岁年龄组中最高。超敏组报告的所有症状、过敏和调查中包括的其他类型的超敏反应（以及受到家中各种因素的干扰）比其他受访者明显更多。没有特定的症状特征能将超敏组与其他受访者区分开来。
对结果的解释应谨慎。但它们表明普通人群普遍担心电场和磁场对健康构成的风险。有必要进行更多研究以探讨报告对电场或磁场超敏的人群中的健康问题。
