1School of Housing, Building & Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
2School of Environmental Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Malaysia
Studies about the telecommunication base station in both medical and economic contexts have been carried out over the past decades. With advanced technology, the users of cellular phones are increasing. Meanwhile, the public is concerning about the health issues which comes along with the increase usage of cellular phone; particularly regarding the exposure to electromagnetic field (EMFs). However, its impacts toward the residents living in close proximity to the telecommunication base station in Malaysia have yet to be studied in detail. Using the quantitative survey method, this study applied the binomial log it model to investigate the perceptions of residents who are living within close proximity to the telecommunication base station in Malaysia. The degree of awareness regarding the possible health effects of living in close proximity to the telecommunication base station was significantly different in different demographics and type of resident. This comparison would allow the telecommunication industry to understand the perceptions of these residents. Besides that, recommendations were also suggested to ease the health concerns of these residents.
Telecommunication base station, residents’ perceptions, binomial logit model, safe to live, health awareness
