2 research outputs found
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