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An analysis of associations between social class and ambient magnetic fields in metropolitan melbourne
Author(s) -
Salzberg M. R.,
Farish S. J.,
Delpizzo Vincent
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.2250130209
Subject(s) - confounding , metropolitan area , social class , correlation , magnetic field , epidemiology , index (typography) , geography , demography , statistics , sociology , mathematics , medicine , physics , political science , computer science , geometry , archaeology , quantum mechanics , world wide web , law
In the course of a study on residential magnetic‐field exposure, some incidental data were obtained that bear on the issue of confounding of magnetic field exposure by social class. We have explored the possibility that the magnetic flux density of 50 Hz fields measured in Melbourne streets is correlated with a number of variables that index the socio‐economic status of the neighborhood. We have examined also for a correlation between field‐intensity levels and sums of some or all of the indicators, which were weighted to provide an overall score on socio‐economic status. Although some of the indexes were weakly, but significantly, correlated with environmental levels of magnetic fields, the combined indices were not. These results indicate that socio‐economic status is not likely to be a confounder in epidemiological studies of residential exposure to ELF magnetic fields in Melbourne. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.