Perceived risk, concerns and unexplained medical symptoms associated with different sources of electromagnetic fields by the general public and professional workers

Background

Starting date: 01/03/2008 Electrical power and mobile communications deliver enormous benefit to society, but there are concerns
whether the electric and magnetic field (EMF) emissions associated with the delivery of this benefit are
linked to cancer or other health hazards. The perceptions of the public about the risks of technologies
often are discrepant with the risks as assessed by experts. Aspects not included in the risk assessment,
such as familiarity with a hazard, and perceived lack of control have been used to clarify the great public
fear for some low probability hazards and public indifference toward some technologies that hold high
statistical risks. While in earlier days, this discrepancy with assessed risks was seen as irrational, the
current understanding is that a narrow technological definition of risk should be supplemented with these
“softer” values. In this broader view of perceived risk, somatic reactions or unexplained complaints such
as dizziness and headaches can also be considered to be part of or related to perceived risk and are
shown to have been attributed to being exposed to EMF.