Exposure to residential electric and magnetic fields and risk of childhood leukemia
- California Univ., Los Angeles, CA (United States)
This study was conducted on 232 cases of childhood leukemia occurring in children age 10 and under between 1980 and 1987 in Los Angeles County. Two hundred thirty-two controls were selected from the same geographic area and were matched on sex, age and race. The parents of the 464 subjects were interviewed by telephone to elicit information on medical histories of the parents and child, residential histories of the subjects, occupational histories of both parents, environmental chemical histories, personal histories including drug use and smoking habits, and time and space occupancy of subjects, including exposures to electrical appliances. An extensive assessment of exposure to electric and magnetic fields was made by determining wiring configurations of most subjects (90%), by measuring electric and magnetic fields in various areas of the inside and outside of the home, and by measuring magnetic fields for 24 to 72 hours in the child's sleeping area (66%). We conclude that our data offer no support for a relationship between measured electric field exposure and leukemia risk, little support for the relationship between measured magnetic field exposure and leukemia risk, considerable support for a relationship between wiring configuration and leukemia risk, and considerable support for a relationship between children's electrical appliance use and leukemia risk. The reason(s) why wiring configuration correlates with leukemia risk better than measured exposure are not clear. It is also not clear whether short-term, very high exposure of children to magnetic (or electric) fields from electric appliances are responsible for the observed risk or whether associated exposures or recall biases are responsible. These latter two issues deserve continued research. 41 refs., 31 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); California Univ., Los Angeles, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- EPRI; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6161739
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-EN-7464
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CHILDREN
LEUKEMIA
MAGNETIC FIELDS
RADIATION EFFECTS
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
HOUSES
LOS ANGELES
RADIATION HAZARDS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SURVEYS
AGE GROUPS
APPLIANCES
BUILDINGS
CALIFORNIA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISEASES
FEDERAL REGION IX
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
IMMUNE SYSTEM DISEASES
NEOPLASMS
NORTH AMERICA
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
USA
560151* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man