Table 1.
All | High computer use1 | High mobile phone use1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n = 32 | n = 28 | n = 20 | ||||
Freq | % | Freq | % | Freq | % | |
Gender | ||||||
Women | 16 | 50 | 13 | 46 | 12 | 60 |
Men | 16 | 50 | 15 | 54 | 8 | 40 |
Study background | ||||||
IT | 25 | 78 | 25 | 89 | 13 | 65 |
Medical doctor or nurse | 7 | 22 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 35 |
Upper quartile regular exposure in 2004 | ||||||
Computer2 | 21 | 66 | 21 | 75 | 10 | 50 |
Mobile phone3 | 14 | 44 | 10 | 36 | 14 | 70 |
Reported mental symptoms in 20054 | ||||||
Three symptoms | 28 | 88 | 24 | 86 | 17 | 85 |
Two symptoms | 4 | 12 | 4 | 14 | 3 | 15 |
Psychiatric diagnosis in present study | 12 | 38 | ||||
Mild - moderate depression | 6 | 19 | ||||
Anxiety disorder UNS | 4 | 12 | ||||
Mixed anxiety and depression | 1 | 3 | ||||
Mood syndrome UNS | 1 | 3 | ||||
Reported connection between subjective mental symptoms and IT use in 2005 | 10 | 31 | 10 | 36 | 6 | 30 |
freq = frequency
1Inclusion criteria for the groups were a reported minimum exposure in the upper half of the larger cohort in 2004 of the technology in question. Lowest exposure in High computer use group was for women 10 and for men 26 hours per week. Lowest exposure in High mobile phone use group was for women 8 and for men 7 calls or SMS messages per day. Sixteen subjects participated in both groups.
2For women: > 20 hours per week. For men: > 40 hours per week.
3For women: > 11 calls or SMS messages per day. For men: > 12 calls or SMS messages per day.
4Mental symptom items were: Have you continuously, for more than 7 days, during the past 12 months experienced: 1) stress (defined as a situation in which a person feels tense, restless, nervous or anxious, or is unable to sleep at night because his/her mind is troubled)? (adapted from the QPS Nordic [63]) 2a) little interest or pleasure in doing things, or 2b) feeling down, depressed, or hopeless? (adapted from Prime-MD [64]) 3a) difficulties falling asleep, or 3b) repeated awakenings with difficulties going back to sleep (adapted from the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire [65])? All items had been adapted to reflect a prolonged state.