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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Norwegian
and Swedish users of mobile phones
commonly report headaches, warmth on the ear and burning sensations
of the facial skin, according to a report published in a recent
issue of the journal Occupational Medicine.
Dr. Gunnhild Oftedal, of the Norwegian University of Science
and Technology in Trondheim, and colleagues in Sweden sent
a questionnaire to 12,000 people
in Sweden and 5,000 in Norway who use mobile phones as part
of their job. In Sweden, 7,803 people responded, and in Norway
there were 2,828 respondents.
Among the Norwegians, 31% experienced at least one symptom,
while among the Swedish respondents,
13% reported one or more symptoms associated with mobile phone
use. The researchers account for this difference by noting
differences in the response rate and population characteristics
between the two groups. They also point out that the reported
symptoms were similar for both groups.
``The warmth sensations were predominately
experienced during the mobile phone call. Other symptoms,
like headaches, most often began during or within half an
hour after the call and usually lasted for up to 2 hours,'
according to the report.
Among the Norwegians, the investigators found that, depending
on the symptom, 48% to 78% ``indicated that the phone call
had to be 5 minutes or longer to provoke
the symptoms.' Similarly, 38% to 68% of the Swedish participants
reported that symptoms developed after 5 minutes or longer.
Other factors related to symptom onset
for subjects in both countries were stress conditions (16%)
and difficulty hearing (10%).
Most of the respondents had not seen a physician, but about
45% had taken steps to relieve their symptoms. The most common
strategies for symptom relief, according to the researchers,
were reducing the duration of calls and using ``hands free
equipment.' They add that ``most people experienced a reduction
of the symptom as a result of the reported steps.'
``The fact that people experience a symptom, or become aware
of a symptom during or shortly after a phone call, does not
necessarily imply a causal relation between the use of the
mobile phone and the symptom,' Oftedal and colleagues caution.
They also add that the study findings ``can not be generalized
to all mobile phone users.'
难点词汇：
Norwegian 挪威的，挪威人
Swedish 瑞典人，瑞典的 sensation 感觉
questionnaire 调查问卷
symptom 症状 respondent
回答者
predominately 主要地，优势地 provoke 惹起,
驱使 onset 发作
caution 警告 generalize 归纳，推广
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