EFFECT OF ELETROMAGNETIC FIELDS DEVICES USE ON SLEEP QUALITY AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BANGKOK THAILAND

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the association between EMF devices use and sleep quality and academic performance among high school students in Bangkok. The study samples covered 1,080 high school students, in Bangkok. The researcher employed socio-economic and clinical characteristic, EMF communications devices used, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ-28), and stimulant use questionnaire. The univariate and multivariable logistic regression were employed to control for potential confounders. The study found that 96.9% of the participants used mobile/smart phone and mean time spent on school days and non-school days constituted 3.50 (SD = 2.47) hrs. and 4.93 (SD = 3.56) hrs, respectively. The first 3 main reasons for using smartphone among participants included the following: for social networks, for communicating with friends and for watching films & listening to music. Besides, the prevalence of poor sleep quality among the participants constituted 32.0% [95% CI=29.26-34.91]. Given the related confounding factors of an association between EMF devices use and sleep quality among high school students based on socio-economic and clinical characteristics and stimulant use, the findings showed that confounding variables constituted father’s occupation, weekly allowance, alcohol consumption and smoking. After controlling for the confounding variables (father’s occupation, weekly allowance, alcohol consumption and smoking), it was found that when comparing with the students using mobile/smartphone < 1.93 hour (≤ 25 percentiles), those using 1.93-3.57 hours (26-50 percentiles) were likely to have 1.47 times poorer sleep quality (adjusted OR=1.47 [95% CI=0.99-2.18]); those using > 3.57-5.57 hours (51-75 percentiles) were likely to have 1.08 times poorer sleep quality (adjusted OR=1.08 [95% CI=0.73-1.60]); those using > 5.57 hours (> 75percentiles) were likely to have 1.52 times poorer sleep quality (adjusted OR=1.52 [95% CI=1.04-2.23]). The findings of an association between EMF devices use and academic performance, after adjusting for the confounding variables (father’s education, mother’s education, family income, psychological disturbance, alcohol consumption and smoking), indicated that there was no association between EMF devices use and academic performance Conclusively, our findings indicated that participants using > 5.57 hours were at 1.52 times higher risk than those using mobile/smart phone < 1.93 hours in comparison. So, it is recommended that such individuals and parties concerned as government and private organizations, educational institutions, parents/guardians in particular, are required to establish guidelines for constructive use of electromagnetic communications equipment, in addition to consistently cooperate in launching projects on awareness, positive and negative impacts of EMF devices use to students and the public in general.