Acute Effects of Cell Phone Exposure on Immediate Attention Levels and Concentration of Emergency Physicians

The development of new media technologies has made these an indispensible part of human life. Increasing cell phone use is to a large extent a component of this development.

The effects on humans of electromagnetic waves (EMW) has been a subject of particular interest and concern in recent years.

Cell phone technology; With the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Bluetooth and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), cell phones have become one of the most commonly used sources of EMW to which humans are today exposed.

Concerns over the effects of EMW (at a range of 900-1800 MHz) cell phone receivers may be associated with carcinogenic and neuronal activity. Excessive use of cell phones is known to cause headache, a feeling of discomfort and a warm sensation around the ear. In addition, it is thought to have side-effects including memory loss, depression and adverse impacts on attention and concentration.

Attention is defined as the individual directing his mental receptors toward a stimulus or stimuli occurring in the phenomenal environment, of which he is aware and which he can perceive with his sense organs. Attention is also a nervous system function permitting the individual to concern himself solely with stimuli in the context of needs and aims at that moment from among the many stimuli in the environment.