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

Abstract

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.