Characteristics of the use of information technologies by young people and their impact on health

Introduction. In the 21st century, the world is very passionate about information technology: social networks, computers and television have become a part of our lives. An increasing number of people use these means for hours at work or to relax. But many do not realize the negative effects that information technology can have on them. They have a negative effect on vision, bone and nervous system. As the development of technologies is unstoppable, the primary task of the population is to know the negative effects of the use of information technologies. Aim of study. Recent research has shown that viewing the small screen is detrimental to the development and functioning of the human brain. Watching is an important factor in generating passive behavior. In proportion to the time spent watching, there may be a decrease in general alertness. There is a noticeable decrease in perseverance and willingness to actively pursue a problem. 60 million people suffer from eye diseases caused by the long time spent in front of the computer. The first symptoms of computer overuse are stinging eye pain and blurred vision. Computer users may experience tremors, itching, stinging in the fingers. At the age of adolescence, the bone system also changes. There are few studies in the Republic of Moldova on this issue. Methods and materials. The research is a literature review on the impact of information technology on human health. We evaluated 24 bibliographic references published in the last 10 years, in the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, USA, etc. The qualitative study was by applying a questionnaire developed by the author. The questionnaire consisted of the following sections: general data, characteristics of use, influence on health, addiction, knowledge about the activity with Information Technologies, containing 31 questions. The sample included 71 randomly selected young people aged 16-29. The survey was confidential and was researched with the consent of each respondent. Results. The study showed that a large part of the respondents suffer from addiction to information technology (63.4%), surfing the Internet for more than 5 hours (66.2%). The consequences of addiction are the following: eye pain (93%), dry eyes (73.2%), back pain (87.3%), headache (73.2%) and sleep disturbance (64.8%). In young people there is a decrease in concentration and attention (73.2%), they have become more anxious and irritated (33.8%). Conclusion. A large number of young people in the 21st century are addicted to the internet, which is an alarm for doctors and parents. The time spent on the internet must be well controlled so that no negative effects appear in the future. Research conducted in recent years does not doubt that information technology, in addition to the many positive effects, harms the development and functioning of the brain, affects the eyes, bone and muscle system. The most vulnerable in this case are the young people, so we must act as soon as possible

The impact of technology on the human body

Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Republic of MoldovaIntroduction. In 2020, the world faced the new type of Coronavirus, which led to a quarantine period that is still persisting today. In the Republic of Moldova, many institutions have closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and started the online mode. Teachers and students had to double the time spent at the computer. Thus, the negative impact of information technology on the body has become more pronounced. It is highly important to educate the public on the correct use of technologies to prevent diseases. Material and methods. The present study is based on the analysis of major aspects on the impact of information technologies on humans. The analysis was conducted on 21 researches from different universities around the world (Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, USA, etc.), published over the last 5 years. Results. The data study proved that computer activity has a negative impact on brain development and functioning. This is due to the fact that the left brain hemisphere, which is suppressed when looking at the screen, does not develop normally, thus, resulting in deficiency of logical and analytical thinking, speech, sentence formation, writing and reading skills amongst the young people. As a consequence, the prefrontal cortex that distinguishes the human brain from that of an animal one might be impaired and lead to low level of concentration, weak motivation and risky behaviors like bulimia, aggression and sexual urges. The visual and auditory stimuli occurring on the screen are so aggressive and following one another so fast, that they exceed the brain's ability to control them. The inevitable effects will result in the inhibition of important mental processes. Screen viewing is a critical factor in generating passive behavior. A decrease in overall alertness is proportional to the time spent viewing. There is an obvious decrease in perseverance, readiness and desire to actively solve the problem. Neurologically, the researchers refer this phenomenon to the brain activity or alpha rhythms, the cortical activity to which people get used during thousands of hours spent on screen viewing. The first symptoms of excessive computer overuse are the stinging pains and blurred vision. Ophthalmologists say that people with myopia and farsightedness develop an earlier and a more pronounced fatigue. Computer users may experience signs like tremor, itching, and finger tingling. Often these symptoms occur a few hours after the work is completed. The underlying cause of this syndrome is long duration of uniform hand movements, including fingers. In adolescence, the skeletal system also changes. The bone growth in children and adolescents might be affected due to a bad computer posture thus resulting in poor posture and scoliosis. Conclusions. Information technology is essential in everyday life, thus, despite its multiple benefits, improper long-term use can lead to negative health consequences. Negative effects can be prevented, so users should be properly educated on both the effects causing health disorders, as well as the preventive means, appropriate workplace arrangement, break-period compliance and time of use