2000 study needs update: Exposure to electromagnetic fields and suicide among electric utility workers

Utility workers are at risk for suicide and other illnesses from exposures to electromagnetic fields, as shown in this study done in 2000, "Exposure to electromagnetic fields and suicide among electric utility workers," a nested case study.

Edwin van Wijngaarden,¹ David A Savitz,¹ Robert C Kleckner,¹ Jianwen Cai,¹ and Dana Loomis¹

 

One review of this study admitted, "certain persons may have increased vulnerability to this type of exposure, or interactive effects with other predictors of suicide may define particularly vulnerable times."

 

Here is the reviewer information at the time:

Corinne Peek-Asa¹

¹Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center, UCLA Department ofEpidemiology, Box 951772 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772

 

Yet, the same reviewer expressed the opinion that "If exposure to electromagnetic fields does increase the risk for depression or worsen depressive symptoms, treatment and prevention should focus on the depressive symptoms themselves." No precautionary measures to avoid some of the exposures were suggested.

 

Peek-Asa closed with the statement, "Future research will hopefully elucidate the biologic pathway of this relationship, leading to more sophisticated prevention and treatment measures."

 

One could ask this reviewer, WHY do follow-up studies if treatment does not need to include any avoidance of EMF, or safer worker exposure standards? If EMF causes or adds to depression in utility workers, why not go for the ROOT of the problem? Of course, that is not the way traditional medicine usually handles conditions. Only environmental medicine looks at making actual environments better to protect living beings.

 

A newer study would be helpful, since utility workers are now exposed to microwave/radiofrequency radiation near installations in addition to the traditional power-line emissions (lower frequencies). One can assume that these workers are NOT adequately protected, since the FCC guidelines for exposure for the general public does NOT protect anyone from non-thermal radiation of wireless. Workers generally get more than the public. Utility worker unions, where are you?