Free Essay Sample: Technology and Health

In today's society, there are different health matters that affect humanity. These impact people's lives negatively and positively. Good health is an important issue that people need to take seriously. Health matters, therefore, range from physical activities, overweight and obesity, drugs and substance abuse, irresponsible sexual behaviors among others. As a result, many people usually realize that they are unhealthy and as a result set their minds to start living a healthy life (Miriovsky, Shulman, & Abernethy, 2012). Even though modern medicine brings with it a lot of inventions and innovations with the aim of bringing solutions to human problems, there are enough cases when every matter is far too complicated and therefore many contradictions exist.

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These therefore open to us a reality of the current human generation that modern technology and cosmic reveries characterize. Technology, such as cell phones have adverse effects on health. This paper will look at the importance of technology and human health. It will go ahead to analyze how the vital issue of technology is important to society, especially the younger generation. The paper will also look at the attitudes that are relevant to healthy living and will seek to address and find solutions to this important matter.

Miriovsky, Shulman, and Abernethy, (2012) note that the use of technology has adversely been applied to the improvement of human health. Technological developments have managed to save numerous human lives. Besides, they have also managed to improve the quality of lives of human beings. It, therefore, means that the application of technology on the improvement of health has not only changed the experience of the patients and their families but has also created an enormous impact on the medical processes and practices carried out by healthcare professionals.

Ways Technology has Impacted Health

Digitalization of Health Records

Through the application of modern technology in the improvement of human health, the health sector uses Electronic Health Records (Sawesi, Rashrash, Phalakornkule, Carpenter, & Jones, 2016). This has managed to replace the use of paper records in health facilities. As a result, medical practitioners, medical assistants, and health information technicians among other medical professionals apply the Electronic Health Records which has created a great impact. It means that health professionals are in a position to input patient data into a centralized database that is easily accessible and manageable.

Information Communication Technology

In the modern society, almost the entire population has access to cellphones. It means that many people are connected online, not only through the use of mobile phones but also through the use of other gadgets such as Mac Books, computers and iPods. These have managed to transform the communication in the health industry since people can effectively communicate wherever they are (Sawesi, Rashrash, Phalakornkule, Carpenter, & Jones, 2016). Modern technology has managed to link the healthcare professionals through the use of emails, smartphones, webcams, telemedicine, the telemonitoring system among other ways to share information. As a result, patients and doctors are in a position to interact, and this has enabled efficient diagnosis, management of health, education, support, and counseling.

Mobile App Technology

The development of mobile apps is a trending issue that has managed to revolutionize medicine. They have managed to give patients, medical professionals, and medical administrators, easy work in terms of flexibility. Mobile apps that are related to health are easily accessible and cheap as well. The apps assist in chronic care management, the medical reference, keeping health records and also in fitness and weight loss among others.

Telemedicine/Telehealth

These refer to two-way video consultations. They also refer to the transmission of healthcare information and can be applied in different fields in the area of medicine. This technology is in a position to monitor and trace the essential and critical signs and symptoms. These can be done remotely. The technology has managed to improve the tasks performed by healthcare professionals. The technology has also improved the rate at which people crowd the hospitals to seek the services of medical attendants (Sawesi, Rashrash, Phalakornkule, Carpenter, & Jones, 2016). Its benefits include reducing the waiting time for the clients (patients), rural and remote locations are in a position to access them and they have also improved efficiency. Patients, therefore, save a lot of money due to this.

My Opinion

Few examples given above indicate that technology is a critical aspect of modern healthcare. It has managed to save many lives. In this regard, technology has managed to improve people's health, and this process will continue as long as researchers and innovators make more innovations, inventions, and advancements. However, the modern society is at a point where a lot of time is spent by people while sitting down. Through the use of modern technology, people are in a position to effectively interact online through the use of technological gadgets via social networking platforms. These include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap chat among other numerous platforms. Interaction through the use of social networking platforms is very easy and efficient, and it is believed that behind every social networking reaction such as comments, there is always an individual behind a computer or making use of a mobile gadget. These have however impacted human health also in negative ways.

Cellphones on health

The use of cellphones in the modern society has managed to revolutionize and change the telecommunication sector in the world. It has greatly aided in communication. Mobile phones are believed to release radiofrequency. Radiofrequency is a form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (Nath, 2015). There is a high possibility of the body absorbing these radiations in the process of handling the phone, especially when the mobile gadget is in use. The amount of radiofrequency energy emitted largely depends on the technology used to make the phone, the phone and user distance, the extent and the type of cell phone that phone owner uses.

These have in most cases resulted in brain tumors that emanate from the use of mobile phones. These also interfere with the sleep patterns of an individual. Similarly, extraordinary intensities of electromagnetic vitality such as x-rays are in a position to ionize the biological tissues of the human body; Ionization refers to a progression of stripping away electrons from their usual positions in atoms and molecules (Nath, 2015). Ionization is a process that can perpetually source harm to the biotic materials such as DNA makeup.

Significance and Relation to Healthy Living

In as much as modern technology and the use of mobile phones supports communication to the youths and teenagers, it has greatly interfered with the social relationships of these people. Social relationships include peer to peer and family relationships. Youths who are always engrossed in their cellphones can rarely initiate and maintain a one-on-one conversation without checking over their cellphones for social media notifications (Schoen, et.al, 2012). In most cases, such people end up becoming victims of cyberbullying. There is also a possibility of the youths developing stress rather than actively taking part in productive activities. The reason behind this is the rampant talking and texting which can sometimes cause fatigue and other psychological disorders.

Similarly, this study is very significant to teenagers and the youths because they are likely to be victims of accidents caused by a response to calls and texts while driving. Texting, calling for accessing social networking platforms have cost the lives of the younger generation. They are also at high risk of developing cancer because of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by these communication gadgets.

On a positive note, technology, however, has helped a great deal in the promoting healthy lifestyle among individuals. According to Schoen, et al., (2012), Telemedicine has managed to improve access to healthcare professionals and has also enhanced the healthcare of patients through collaboration with the medical experts. In addition, technology through telemedicine has managed to increase the satisfaction of patients with the services offered by the medical professionals and experts and also managed to reduce the rate of medical re-admissions. As a result, there is an improvement in their health and the quality of healthcare provided.

Conclusion

In conclusion, modern technology is here to stay. There is need to train the youths on the importance of cell phone safety and how they can responsibly make use of their cellphones. Boundaries need to be drawn about the use of technological gadgets. It is great and a privilege to be part of this technological generation. It means that every individual should be in a position to enjoy the benefits that technology comes with to the maximum. For those to be achieved, there is need to moderate modern technology to improve people's health and reduce chances of people, especially the youths becoming victims of modern technology. Cellphone usage should, therefore, be regulated among the teens.

References

Miriovsky, B. J., Shulman, L. N., & Abernethy, A. P. (2012). Importance of health information technology, electronic health records, and continuously aggregating data to comparative effectiveness research and learning health care. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 30(34), 4243-4248.

Nath, A. (2015). Are We Safe with our Cellphones/Smartphones? A Comprehensive Study on Evil Effects on Human Health. International Journal, 3(4), 253-262.

Sawesi, S., Rashrash, M., Phalakornkule, K., Carpenter, J. S., & Jones, J. F. (2016). The impact of information technology on patient engagement and health behavior change: a systematic review of the literature. JMIR medical informatics, 4(1).Schoen, C., Osborn, R., Squires, D., Doty, M., Rasmussen, P., Pierson, R., & Applebaum, S. (2012). A survey of primary care doctors in ten countries shows progress in use of health information technology, less in other areas. Health affairs, 31(12), 2805-2816.