Regression calibration of self-reported mobile phone use to optimize quantitative risk estimation in the COSMOS study.

The Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health (COSMOS) has repeatedly collected self-reported and operator-recorded data on mobile phone use. Assessing health effects using self-reported information is prone to measurement error, but operator data were available prospectively for only part of the study population and did not cover past mobile phone use. To optimize the available data and reduce bias, we evaluated different statistical approaches for constructing mobile phone exposure histories within COSMOS. We evaluated and compared the performance of 4 regression calibration (RC) methods (simple, direct, inverse, and generalized additive model for location, shape, and scale), complete-case analysis, and multiple imputation in a simulation study with a binary health outcome. We used self-reported and operator-recorded mobile phone call data collected at baseline (2007-2012) from participants in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Parameter estimates obtained using simple, direct, and inverse RC methods were associated with less bias and lower mean squared error than those obtained with complete-case analysis or multiple imputation. We showed that RC methods resulted in more accurate estimation of the relationship between mobile phone use and health outcomes by combining self-reported data with objective operator-recorded data available for a subset of participants.

Headache in the international cohort study of mobile phone use and health (COSMOS) in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Headache is a common condition with a substantial burden of disease worldwide. Concerns have been raised over the potential impact of long-term mobile phone use on headache due to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). We explored prospectively the association between mobile phone use at baseline (2009-2012) and headache at follow-up (2015-2018) by analysing pooled data consisting of the Dutch and UK cohorts of the Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health (COSMOS) (N = 78,437). Frequency of headache, migraine, and information on mobile phone use, including use of hands-free devices and frequency of texting, were self-reported. We collected objective operator data to obtain regression calibrated estimates of voice call duration. In the model mutually adjusted for call-time and text messaging, participants in the high category of call-time showed an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.04 (95 % CI: 0.94-1.15), with no clear trend of reporting headache with increasing call-time. However, we found an increased risk of weekly headache (OR = 1.40, 95 % CI: 1.25-1.56) in the high category of text messaging, with a clear increase in reporting headache with increasing texting. Due to the negligible exposure to RF-EMFs from texting, our results suggest that mechanisms other than RF-EMFs are responsible for the increased risk of headache that we found among mobile phone users.

The longitudinal relationships between problematic mobile phone use symptoms and negative emotions: a cross-lagged panel network analysis.

BACKGROUND: The association between problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) and negative emotions in university students is not well understood in terms of causality and directionality. This study aims to clarify whether negative emotions trigger PMPU or whether the PMPU itself leads to increased negative emotions over time. METHODS: A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted involving 5568 Chinese freshmen who were surveyed at baseline and followed up after one academic year. PMPU, social media use, online game use, fear of missing out, loneliness, social anxiety, and academic burnout were measured. Cross-sectional and longitudinal connections between these variables were examined using network analysis techniques. RESULTS: The variable with the strongest influence in both contemporaneous networks was "Productivity loss" of MAPI. Moreover, "Academic burnout" at baseline significantly predicted higher levels of problematic smartphone use and negative emotions at follow-up, suggesting that it may serve as a catalyst for addictive tendencies. Furthermore, we observed bidirectional relationships between "Escapism" and "Social anxiety", as well as between "Social anxiety" and "Inability to control craving", suggesting a potential self-perpetuating cycle. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the role of academic burnout in initiating cycles of PMPU and negative emotions. In order to effectively tackle PMPU, it is crucial to consider the underlying drivers such as academic burnout and emotional states. This is important due to the complex and reciprocal associations uncovered through our longitudinal network analysis.

Validation of mobile phone use recall in the multinational MOBI-kids study.

Potential differential and non-differential recall error in mobile phone use (MPU) in the multinational MOBI-Kids case-control study were evaluated. We compared self-reported MPU with network operator billing record data up to 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years before the interview date from 702 subjects aged between 10 and 24 years in eight countries. Spearman rank correlations, Kappa coefficients and geometric mean ratios (GMRs) were used. No material differences in MPU recall estimates between cases and controls were observed. The Spearman rank correlation coefficients between self-reported and recorded MPU in the most recent 3 months were 0.57 and 0.59 for call number and for call duration, respectively. The number of calls was on average underestimated by the participants (GMR = 0.69), while the duration of calls was overestimated (GMR = 1.59). Country, years since start of using a mobile phone, age at time of interview, and sex did not appear to influence recall accuracy for either call number or call duration. A trend in recall error was seen with level of self-reported MPU, with underestimation of use at lower levels and overestimation of use at higher levels for both number and duration of calls. Although both systematic and random errors in self-reported MPU among participants were observed, there was no evidence of differential recall error between cases and controls. Nonetheless, these sources of exposure measurement error warrant consideration in interpretation of the MOBI-Kids case-control study results on the association between children's use of mobile phones and potential brain cancer risk.

Impact of problematic mobile phone use among nursing students in India: Exploring associations with depression, insomnia, self-esteem and satisfaction with life.

AIM: This research aimed to determine the impact of problematic mobile phone use on negative mental health outcomes among nursing students in India, highlighting the necessity for targeted interventions and support mechanisms to enhance the overall well-being and adaptability of future healthcare professionals. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three randomly selected nursing colleges in South India, employing validated and standardized tools such as the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. RESULTS: The study included 402 nursing students with an average age of 20.47 years, revealing a 39% prevalence of severe problematic mobile phone usage. Positive correlations were observed between mobile phone problematic use and age, depression and insomnia. Additionally, strong negative correlations were found between satisfaction with life and self-esteem. Depression and satisfaction with life served as chain mediators in the impact of self-esteem on problematic mobile phone use, and both self-esteem and satisfaction with life negatively predicted problematic mobile phone use. CONCLUSION: The study highlights a prevalent issue of problematic mobile phone use among nursing students, indicating a pressing need for timely intervention, as it correlates with depression, sleep insomnia, low self-esteem and life dissatisfaction.

The Associations Between Social Support and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Three-level Meta-analysis.

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between social support and problematic mobile phone use among adolescents, yet a definitive consensus remains elusive. The high prevalence of problematic mobile phone use among children and adolescents requires urgent clarity on this issue. However, previous meta-analyses on this topic have primarily focused on college students, overlooking this association in younger age groups. The present study thus concentrated on children and adolescents, conducting a three-level meta-analysis to combine existing research findings and analyze various moderators to identify sources of research heterogeneity. A systematic literature search retrieved a total of 33 studies with 135 effect sizes for this meta-analysis, and 25,537 students (53.83% female, age range 7-19, grades range 3rd-12th) were included. The results showed a negative correlation (r = -0.139) between social support and problematic mobile phone use in children and adolescents. Age, social support measurement, sources of social support, and symptoms of problematic mobile phone use were found to have a significant moderating influence. Specifically, social support showed a stronger negative correlation with problematic mobile phone use in older adolescents compared to their younger counterparts. The correlation was more pronounced when using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support than other scales. Family support exhibited a stronger negative correlation with problematic mobile phone use compared to other sources of support. Among the symptoms of problematic mobile phone use, the inability to control craving has the strongest negative correlation with social support. This meta-analysis suggested that providing more social support, particularly in the form of family support, during the development of children and adolescents may help alleviate problematic mobile phone use.

Sedentary behavior and neck pain in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sedentary lifestyle is an imperative risk for musculoskeletal pain. We sought to investigate the association between different types of sedentary behaviors (SBs) and neck pain (NP) among adults. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar up to the end of April 2023. The odds ratio (95% CI) was considered as the desired effect size for the association between SBs and the NP. Among 1881 records found by primary search, 46, and 27 reports were included in the qualitative and quantitative analysis respectively. All included studies qualified as good or fair. Our results indicated that SB is a risk factor for NP among adults (OR = 1.5, [1.29, 1.76]). Computer and mobile phone use were also found to be considerable risk factors for NP (OR = 1.3, [1.12, 1.53], and OR = 2.11, [1.32, 3.42] respectively). However, sitting time showed an insignificant association with NP (OR = 1.33, [0.86, 2.07]). Subgroup analysis revealed that SBs are a significant risk factor for NP among university students (OR = 1.58, [1.27, 1.97]), but the association among office workers was marginally insignificant (OR = 1.36, [0.98, 1.89]). According to the meta-regression results, the male gender was found to increase the risk of NP. Meanwhile, Egger's test revealed the presence of publication bias (p-value <0.0001). A sedentary lifestyle as well as computer and mobile phone use is associated with a considerable risk of NP among adults, especially university students. Further, longitudinal studies are needed to better clarify the causality relationships.

Gender-based differences in interaction effects between childhood maltreatment and problematic mobile phone use on college students' depression and anxiety symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Childhood maltreatment and problematic mobile phone use are risk factors for depression and anxiety symptoms among college students. However, how the interaction between the two factors affects depression and anxiety has yet to be validated. This study aimed to investigate the independent and interaction effects of childhood maltreatment and problematic mobile phone use on depression and anxiety among college students and explored gender-based differences in these associations. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2019. We collected data from 7623 students at two colleges in Hefei and Anqing cities in Anhui Province, China. Multinomial logistic regression models were performed to explore the associations of childhood maltreatment and problematic mobile phone use with depression and anxiety symptoms and their interaction effects on depression and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Childhood maltreatment and problematic mobile phone use were significantly associated with increased risk of depression and anxiety symptoms (P < 0.001). Moreover, following adjustments for covariates, there was a multiplicative interaction between childhood maltreatment and problematic mobile phone use on depression and anxiety symptoms (P < 0.001). Gender-based differences were also observed in the associations. For instance, depression was more common in males and male students with childhood maltreatment were at higher risk of depression-only symptoms. CONCLUSION: Focusing on childhood maltreatment and problematic mobile phone use could facilitate a reduction in the occurrence of depression and anxiety symptoms in college students. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop gender-targeted intervention strategies.

Association of parent-child relationship quality and problematic mobile phone use with non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury behavior (NSSI) is a common mental health threat among adolescents. Poor parent-child relationship (PCR) and problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) are risk factors for NSSI. We aimed to explore the impact of PCR quality, PMPU, and their interaction effects on NSSI among adolescents in China, as well as the sex difference. METHOD: A survey was conducted among school students in 4 provinces in China between 2017 and 2018. The study included 14,500 valid participants. The students' general demographic characteristics was collected, and further data on PCR quality, PMPU, and NSSI were obtained through self-rated questionnaire. Chi-square test, binomial logistic regression models, and the Andersson Excel were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The 12-month prevalence of NSSI was 27.3%. Lower PCR quality and PMPU were significantly associated with NSSI, respectively. The low PCR + yes PMPU group had the greatest association with NSSI, followed by the high PCR + yes PMPU group, low PCR + no PMPU group. Moreover, in low father-child relationship + yes PMPU group, females had a higher risk of NSSI than males; in high mother-child relationship + yes PMPU group, females had a higher risk of NSSI than males. Additive interaction analysis indicated that mother-child relationship quality and PMPU were associated with increased risks of NSSI, in the subgroup of males. CONCLUSIONS: The findings underline the importance of simultaneously studying the quality of PCR and PMPU for a comprehensive understanding of NSSI behavior, and especially highlights the significance of maternal relationship quality.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Apps Designed to Reduce Mobile Phone Use and Prevent Maladaptive Mobile Phone Use: Multimethod Study.

BACKGROUND: Mobile apps are a popular strategy for reducing mobile phone use and preventing maladaptive mobile phone use (MMPU). Previous research efforts have been made to understand the features of apps that have the potential to reduce mobile phone use and MMPU. However, there has been a lack of a comprehensive examination of the effectiveness of such apps and their features. OBJECTIVE: This paper investigated existing apps designed to reduce mobile phone use and prevent MMPU and examined the evidence of their effectiveness. The research aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of app features that can reduce mobile phone use and MMPU, while also assessing their effectiveness. In addition, we explored users' perceptions of these apps and the various features the apps offer to understand potential adoption issues and identify opportunities. METHODS: This study used 3 methods: a review of scientific evidence, content analysis, and sentiment analysis. RESULTS: Our study comprehensively examine the common features of 13 apps designed to reduce mobile phone use. We extracted and classified the features into 7 types: self-tracking, social tracking, goal setting, blocking, gamification, simplification, and assessment. The effectiveness of these apps in reducing mobile phone use and MMPU varied from weak to strong. On the basis of content analysis, self-tracking and goal setting were the most frequently used features, whereas gamification and assessment were used the least frequently. The intervention strategies that effectively reduce mobile phone use and MMPU included using grayscale mode, app limit features, and mixed interventions. Overall, users tended to accept these apps, as indicated by sentiment scores ranging from 61 to 86 out of 100. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that app-based management has the potential to reduce mobile phone use and MMPU. However, further research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of app-based interventions. Collaborations among researchers, app developers, mobile phone manufacturers, and policy makers could enhance the process of delivering, evaluating, and optimizing apps aimed at reducing mobile phone use and MMPU.

Motives for digital social multitasking (DSMT) and problematic phone use among adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Phone use during face-to-face interactions (i.e., digital social multitasking [DSMT]) is a growing activity among adolescents. DSMT appears to be a risk factor for problematic phone use, but little is known about why adolescents engage in DSMT and how different motives of DSMT would be associated with problematic phone use. Drawing on the framework of DSMT and the uses and gratifications theory, this study explored (1) the motives of adolescent DSMT and (2) the direct and indirect relationships between DSMT motives and problematic phone use via the level and perception of DSMT. METHOD: The study involved survey data from 517 adolescents in the United States recruited through the Qualtrics panels (Mage = 14.83, SD = 1.93) in the fall of 2020. The sample's gender and racial/ethnic distributions were nationally representative. RESULTS: We developed a scale measuring adolescent DSMT motives, which showed that adolescents engaged in DSMT because of enjoyment and connection, boredom, information, and habitual use. The motive of habitual use was associated with problematic phone use both directly and indirectly via level of DSMT and perceived distraction caused by DSMT. The information motive was directly associated with problematic phone use, while the boredom motive was indirectly associated with problematic phone use via perceived distraction. Conversely, the motive of enjoyment and connection was related to lower problematic phone use both directly and indirectly via lower perceived distraction. CONCLUSION: The study identifies DSMT-related risk and protective factors for problematic phone use. The findings should help adults recognize adaptive versus maladaptive forms of DSMT among adolescents and develop proper guidance and intervention.

[Design and validation of a scale to measure nomophobia among children 9-13 years old]. / Diseño y validación de una escala para medir la nomofobia en niños de 9 a 13 años.

OBJECTIVE: To design and validate a nomophobia scale in children aged 9-13 years. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive observational study. SITE: The pilot study was carried out in December 2019 with students from a school in Ávila and another in Madrid. The field study was carried out during the months of January to March 2020, collecting data from 592 students from a school in Badajoz and 3 from Ávila. PARTICIPANTS: Students of both sexes from 4th, 5th and 6th of Primary Education and from 1st and 2nd of Compulsory Secondary Education, from public and private schools. METHOD: The study has been divided in 2 phases. PHASE I: consisted of the preparation of a 40-item questionnaire with the advice of a panel of experts. This questionnaire was passed, within the pilot study, to 312 children enrolled in Primary Education or Compulsory Secondary Education. After analyzing the results, the 40-item scale was modified to improve the understanding of the schoolchildren and a field study was carried out with 592 participants. PHASE II: consisted of an exploratory factorial analysis carried out using the principal components method, which provided the distribution of the items in 7 components. After the confirmatory factorial analysis, the final 32-item scale was defined. RESULTS: This scale was shown to produce valid and reliable scores. CONCLUSIONS: The validation of this scale will be useful to identify children at risk of nomophobia, allowing educators, parents and health professionals to detect this phenomenon early in order to prevent pathological smartphone use.

Impact of telephone follow-up on COPD outcomes in pulmonary rehabilitation patients: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: The educational component is a comprehensive part of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR), and telephone follow-up (TFU) is an alternative to reinforce face-to-face education. The objective was to determine the effect of telephone follow-up on educational needs, dyspnea, quality of life and functional capacity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients undergoing PR. Methods: Double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial in patients with COPD in a PR program in Cali-Colombia, allocation by randomization tables. All patients received 24 sessions of PR, which included face-to-face education sessions. In addition, the experimental group received telephone calls twice a week to reinforce the face-to-face educational content. The Lung Information Needs Questionnaire (LINQ) was used to measure disease knowledge, the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire to measure quality of life, the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale to measure dyspnea, and the 6-minute walking test (6MWT) to measure functional capacity. Results: Thirty-four patients were randomized and 31 were analyzed. PR group with conventional education (PRTE) n=15 and PR group with education plus telephone follow-up (PRTETFU) n=16. Significant improvement from baseline to endpoint in both groups: LINQ (PRTE 4±1.1, p=0.003, PRTETFU 5.8±10.6, p=0.000), mMRC (PRTE 1.6±0.3, p=0.000, PRTETFU 0.6±0.3, p=0.036) and functional capacity (PM6M: PRTE 45.9m±16.1, p=0.013, PRTETFU 62.8m±21.4, p=0.010). Analysis showed differences between groups for changes in LINQ knowledge domain after intervention, with greater improvement for PRTETFU (p=0.018). Discussion: The TFU is an alternative to reinforce the education. This study demonstrated greater positive effects for the autonomous management of the pathology. Conclusion: Adding educational reinforcement through phone calls to patients with COPD during PR leads to improved knowledge and skills for managing the disease.

Estimated all-day and evening whole-brain radiofrequency electromagnetic fields doses, and sleep in preadolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of estimated all-day and evening whole-brain radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) doses with sleep disturbances and objective sleep measures in preadolescents. METHODS: We included preadolescents aged 9-12 years from two population-based birth cohorts, the Dutch Generation R Study (n = 974) and the Spanish INfancia y Medio Ambiente Project (n = 868). All-day and evening overall whole-brain RF-EMF doses (mJ/kg/day) were estimated for several RF-EMF sources including mobile and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) phone calls (named phone calls), other mobile phone uses, tablet use, laptop use (named screen activities), and far-field sources. We also estimated all-day and evening whole-brain RF-EMF doses in these three groups separately (i.e. phone calls, screen activities, and far-field). The Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children was completed by mothers to assess sleep disturbances. Wrist accelerometers together with sleep diaries were used to measure sleep characteristics objectively for 7 consecutive days. RESULTS: All-day whole-brain RF-EMF doses were not associated with self-reported sleep disturbances and objective sleep measures. Regarding evening doses, preadolescents with high evening whole-brain RF-EMF dose from phone calls had a shorter total sleep time compared to preadolescents with zero evening whole-brain RF-EMF dose from phone calls [-11.9 min (95%CI -21.2; -2.5)]. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the evening as a potentially relevant window of RF-EMF exposure for sleep. However, we cannot exclude that observed associations are due to the activities or reasons motivating the phone calls rather than the RF-EMF exposure itself or due to chance finding.

The Moderating Effects of Disability on Mobile Internet Use Among Older Adults: Population-Based Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The preferred devices to access the internet are changing from personal computers to mobile devices, and the number of older adults with or without disabilities is rapidly increasing in an aging society. However, little is known about the moderating effects of disability on mobile internet use among older adults. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the levels of mobile internet use and factors associated with this use among older adults according to their disabilities. In addition, moderating effects of disability on mobile internet use were investigated. METHODS: This study consisted of a secondary data analysis using the 2020 Digital Divide Survey conducted in South Korea. The single inclusion criterion was participants being aged 55 years or older; accordingly, 2243 people without disabilities and 1386 people with disabilities were included in the study. Multiple regression analyses considering complex sample designs were conducted to identify mobile internet use factors and to test the moderating effects of disability on mobile internet use. RESULTS: Older adults with disabilities used mobile internet less than older adults without disabilities. However, disability status had moderating effects on the relationships between mobile internet use and (1) operational skills regarding mobile devices (B=0.31, P=.004), (2) internet use skills (B=1.46, P<.001), (3) motivation to use digital devices (B=0.46, P=.01), and (4) attitude toward new technology (B=0.50, P=.002). The results revealed that these positive relationships were stronger among older adults with disabilities than among adults without disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Although older adults and people with disabilities are considered vulnerable populations regarding technology adoption, disability creates a stronger association between several determinants and actual mobile internet use. Therefore, policy makers and practitioners should pay attention to older adults with disabilities to deliver appropriate information-literacy education. Older adults with disabilities could be the primary beneficiaries of mobile services and new technology.

Factors influencing bedtime procrastination in junior college nursing students: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep quality is related to physical and mental health. Though bedtime procrastination has been identified as a potentially key source of poor sleep quality, related research is scarce. The goal of our study was to determine bedtime procrastination among nursing students and identify its influencing factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised 1827 junior college nursing students. The data were collected from November to December 2021 using a mobile app-based survey. We evaluated demographic factors, Big Five personality traits, self-regulatory fatigue, future time perspective, and problematic mobile phone use. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify independent characteristics that influence bedtime procrastination among junior college nursing students. RESULTS: The mean bedtime procrastination score in junior college nursing students was 25.11 ± 6.88. Family monthly income of 3000-6000 RMB (ß = 0.740; p = 0.015), as well as that of > 6000 RMB (ß = 1.708; p = 0.001), and an extroverted personality (ß = 0.225; p = 0.001), self-regulatory fatigue (ß = 0.135; p < 0.001), and problematic mobile phone use (ß = 0.078; p < 0.001) had significant positive effects on bedtime procrastination. Conscientious personality (ß = - 0.284; p = 0.003), neurotic personality (ß = - 0.203; p = 0.031), and future time perspective (ß = - 0.141; p < 0.001) had significant negative effects on bedtime procrastination. CONCLUSION: The nursing students who participated in this study had moderate levels of bedtime procrastination. Bedtime procrastination was predicted by higher monthly household income; personality traits of extroversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism; self-regulatory fatigue; future time perspective; and problematic mobile phone use. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: We recommend that effective measures are needed to help alleviate bedtime procrastination and improve the health and well-being of nursing students.

Cell phone use and the risk of glioma: are case-control study findings consistent with Canadian time trends in cancer incidence?

BACKGROUND: There remains controversy as to whether cell phones cause cancer. We evaluated whether temporal changes in cell phone use and the incidence of glioma in Canada were consistent with the hypothesis of an increased risk. DESIGN: We used data from the Canadian Cancer Registry to calculate annual incidence rates for glioma between 1992 and 2015. The annual number of new cell phone subscribers was determined using national industry statistics. The number of newly diagnosed gliomas was compared to the predicted number by applying risks from epidemiological studies to age-specific population estimates. Specifically, we calculated the "predicted" number of incident gliomas by determining the annual prevalence of cell phone users and years of use. These estimates were multiplied by the corresponding risk estimates to determine the predicted number of gliomas. RESULTS: The number of cellular subscriptions in Canada increased from nil in the early-1980s to approximately 29.5 million in 2015. In contrast, age-standardized glioma incidence rates remained stable between 1992 and 2015. When applying risk estimates from i) a recent pooled analysis of Swedish case-control studies, ii) the 13 country INTERPHONE study, and iii) more recent results from data collected from the Canadian component of the INTERPHONE these risks overestimated the observed number of glioma cases diagnosed in Canada in 2015 by 50%, 86%, and 63%, respectively. INTERPRETATION: Predictions of glioma incidence counts using estimates of the relative risk of glioma due to cell phone use from case-control studies over-estimated the incidence rates of glioma in Canada. The absence of an elevation in incidence rates of glioma in conjunction with marked increases in cell phone use suggests that there may not be a causal link between cellphones and glioma.

Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile communication: Description of modeled dose in brain regions and the body in European children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF) from mobile technology and resulting dose in young people. We describe modeled integrated RF dose in European children and adolescents combining own mobile device use and surrounding sources. METHODS: Using an integrated RF model, we estimated the daily RF dose in the brain (whole-brain, cerebellum, frontal lobe, midbrain, occipital lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobes) and the whole-body in 8358 children (ages 8-12) and adolescents (ages 14-18) from the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland during 2012-2016. The integrated model estimated RF dose from near-field sources (digital enhanced communication technology (DECT) phone, mobile phone, tablet, and laptop) and far-field sources (mobile phone base stations via 3D-radiowave modeling or RF measurements). RESULTS: Adolescents were more frequent mobile phone users and experienced higher modeled RF doses in the whole-brain (median 330.4 mJ/kg/day) compared to children (median 81.8 mJ/kg/day). Children spent more time using tablets or laptops compared to adolescents, resulting in higher RF doses in the whole-body (median whole-body dose of 81.8 mJ/kg/day) compared to adolescents (41.9 mJ/kg/day). Among brain regions, temporal lobes received the highest RF dose (medians of 274.9 and 1786.5 mJ/kg/day in children and adolescents, respectively) followed by the frontal lobe. In most children and adolescents, calling on 2G networks was the main contributor to RF dose in the whole-brain (medians of 31.1 and 273.7 mJ/kg/day, respectively). CONCLUSION: This first large study of RF dose to the brain and body of children and adolescents shows that mobile phone calls on 2G networks are the main determinants of brain dose, especially in temporal and frontal lobes, whereas whole-body doses were mostly determined by tablet and laptop use. The modeling of RF doses provides valuable input to epidemiological research and to potential risk management regarding RF exposure in young people.

Longitudinal relationships among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality and depressive symptoms in Chinese college students: a cross-lagged panel analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have found that problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms are strongly associated. However, studies are inconsistent regarding whether problematic mobile phone use predicts depressive symptoms or vice versa, and sleep factors have been infrequently focused on in this regard. In addition, few studies have examined the longitudinal associations and directions of effects between these factors. Therefore, this study aims to explore the longitudinal relationship among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms in college students. METHODS: Overall, 1181 college students completed questionnaires on problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms at two time points 12 months apart. A cross-lagged model was used to examine the longitudinal relationship between these factors. RESULTS: Cross-lagged analyses showed significant bidirectional relationships of problematic mobile phone use with bedtime procrastination and depressive symptoms. Additionally, there were also significant bidirectional relationships of sleep quality with bedtime procrastination and depressive symptoms. Problematic mobile phone use predicted subsequent sleep quality one-way, and bedtime procrastination predicted subsequent depressive symptoms one-way. CONCLUSIONS: This study further expands our understanding of the longitudinal and bidirectional relationships among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality and depressive symptoms and helps school mental health educators design targeted interventions to reduce problematic mobile phone use, sleep problems, and depressive symptoms among college students.

Parental phone use during mealtimes with toddlers and the associations with feeding practices and shared family meals: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Positive parental feeding practices and a higher frequency of family meals are related to healthier child dietary habits. Parents play an essential role when it comes to the development of their child's eating habits. However, parents are increasingly distracted by their mobile phone during mealtimes. The aim of this study was to describe the feeding practices and daily shared family meals among parents who use and do not use a mobile phone during mealtimes, and further to explore the associations between the use of a mobile phone during mealtimes and feeding practices and daily shared family meals, respectively. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the Food4toddler study were used to explore the association between mobile use during meals and parental feeding practices including family meals. In 2017/2018 parents of toddlers were recruited through social media to participate in the study. In total 298 out of 404 who volunteered to participate, filled in a baseline questionnaire, including questions from the comprehensive feeding practices questionnaire (CFPQ), questions of frequency of family meals and use of mobile phone during meals. RESULTS: Herein, 4 out of 10 parents reported various levels of phone use (meal distraction) during mealtimes. Parental phone use was associated with lower use of positive parental feeding practices like modelling (B = - 1.05 (95% CI -1.69; - 0.41)) and family food environment (B = - 0.77 (95% CI -1.51; - 0.03)), and more use of negative parental feeding practices like emotional regulation (B = 0.73 (95% CI 0.32; 1.14)) and the use of pressure to eat (B = 1.22 (95% CI 0.41; 2.03)). Furthermore, parental phone use was associated with a lower frequency of daily family breakfast (OR = 0.50 (95% CI 0.31; 0.82)) and dinner (OR = 0.57 (95% CI 0.35; 0.93)). CONCLUSIONS: Mobile phone use is common among parents during mealtimes, and findings indicate that parental phone use is associated with less healthy feeding practices and shared family meals. These findings highlight the importance of making parents aware of potential impacts of meal distractions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN92980420 . Registered 13 September 2017. Retrospectively registered.