# RF-013 — Symptoms associated with measured bedroom fields

Why this matters
A study of people's homes linked higher estimated base-station fields with more reported headaches, even after adjustment for concern about exposure. This is a reason to investigate symptoms with repeated measurements over time. A single household visit cannot establish whether RF caused the headaches or identify a symptom threshold.

Id: RF-013

Author: Hutter et al.

Full Authors: H-P Hutter; H Moshammer; P Wallner; M Kundi

Year: 2006

Title: Subjective symptoms, sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations

Journal: occupational and environmental medicine

Citation: Hutter HP, Moshammer H, Wallner P, Kundi M. Subjective symptoms, sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2006;63(5):307-313. doi:10.1136/oem.2005.020784.

Doi: 10.1136/oem.2005.020784

Pmid: 16621850

Topic: Symptoms and measured exposure

Verification Group: Original text reviewed

Record Role: Original text reviewed

Featured: True

Exposure: Predominantly 900-MHz GSM base stations; measured 80 MHz-2 GHz spectrum. Maximum base-station exposure estimated from broadcast channels; categories 0.5 mW/m2; maximum estimate 4.1 mW/m2.

Design: Austrian cross-sectional study; 365 adults, 336 with usable household measurements near ten selected base stations. Logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, region, phone use and fear of adverse effects.

Finding: Headache prevalence odds were elevated in the highest estimated bedroom base-station category (>0.5 versus <0.1 mW/m2): adjusted estimate 3.06 (95% CI 1.22-7.67). Sleep quality was not significantly associated with measured exposure.

Boundary: Association based on symptom reports and one bedroom measurement visit; temporality, residual confounding and selection remain unresolved. No multiple-testing correction. Table calls these relative risks, but methods use logistic regression; do not interpret as prospective incidence risk.

Related: Measured environmental fields, distinct from handset call-history studies and from controlled provocation.

Protection Question: Are the reported headaches related to exposure over time, or to factors this cross-sectional design could not resolve? Adjusted symptom associations matter, but a single measurement visit cannot establish a causal threshold.

Access: Original published PDF methods, Table 4, discussion and disclosures reviewed

Locator: pp.309-310 methods and Table 4; p.312 acknowledgements and competing interests

Notice: Primary PubMed linked-notice record checked 20 Oct 2026; no correction, concern or retraction linked at check. This is not an exhaustive publisher-history certification.

Funding: Scientific Medical Funds of the Mayor of Vienna; Government of Carinthia.

Conflicts: Authors state none.

Source Url: https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.2005.020784

Retrieval Links: https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.2005.020784 | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2092490/ | https://www.radiationresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2006_hutter.pdf | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16621850/

Verification Date: 2026-10-20