Workpackage 2

WP leader: Siegal Sadetzki, Gertner

This multinational study is based on a “core” protocol that describes common procedures to be followed in all participating countries. Each individual country may add specific features, such as a wider age-range than the international study.

A questionnaire based on INTERPHONE was modified in light of experience obtained in that study and simplified for the younger age range. It was further developed in consultation with the exposure assessment subcommittee (WP4) and pilot tested on volunteers in a number of countries before being finalised. The questionnaire covers demographic factors, use of mobile phones and other wireless communication devices, exposure to other important sources of ELF and RF in the general environment, a residential and occupational history, and questions on other potential confounders or risk factors.

The questionnaire is managed centrally to ensure compatibility between countries. It has been translated into the different languages of the study at the national level and back-translated into English to verify the translation's accuracy.

Given that self-reports of historical mobile phone use may be prone to error, every effort is made to collect mobile phone records including the number and duration of calls, voice versus data use, and, where possible, use of prepaid cards. This is possible for subjects who sign a written consent form and who use(d) network operators that agreed to participate in MOBI-Kids.

Data collection procedures manuals and code books have been developed by the epidemiology subcommittee in consultation with national partners.