Downside to Technology

Downside of Technology

By Mary Kearl

If you've ever heard phantom cell phone ringtones, felt your mood change after using your cell phone or found yourself bumping into things while walking and texting, you're not alone. For better or worse, our wired and wireless gadgets are connected to nearly every aspect of our lives. To that end, nearly every aspect of technology, from Facebook to an iPod Nano, could introduce a world of health dangers -- or benefits -- depending on how it is used.

Addicted to Your Cell?

Extensive cell phone use may be to blame for the phenomenon of hearing phantom ringing, or feeling nonexistent cell phone vibrations, according to an Alliant International University study. Researchers found that two-thirds of people surveyed experienced either of these. Some reported relying on their phones for mood regulation -- for example, texting to ward of loneliness. Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology atthe University of Arizona tested 25 cell phones for a drug-resistant staph strain known as MRSA (Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus) and found the bug growing on almost half. Excessive cell use has also been linked to sleep deprivation and fatigue among teenagers, according to the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Damaging Texts

Texting while walking is just harmless, right? Not so, says the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), which recently issued a warning about a rise in injuries and deaths related to sending text messages while walking, driving, biking or rollerblading. For instance, texting while walking has been known to result in facial injuries from tripping while using a cell phone and walking into traffic. The Alliant International University study found that cell phone users who preferred texting to talking may experience higher levels of loneliness, social anxiety and problem phone use.

Can't Sign Off?

Nearly half of participants in AOL's 2008 "E-mail Addiction Survey" said they were hooked on e-mail, and more than a quarter of respondents admitted to be overwhelmed by the number of e-mails they receive. Habits run deep; half or more than half of survey participants reported e-mailing in the bathroom and/or while driving. Internet addiction may be more harmful than just time consuming -- it has been linked to symptoms of depression and obsessive-compulsive behavior in adolescents. In another Internet study conducted by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers in 2006, more than one out of eight Americans exhibited at least one possible sign of problematic Internet use, including difficulty staying offline for several days at a time, remaining online longer than intended very often or often, and/or using the Internet as a way to escape problems or relieve negative moods.

Social Networking, Friendly or Threatening?

Social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook may provide youth with technology and communication skills, creativity, open-mindedness and a chance to share original work including poetry and films, concluded researchers at the University of Minnesota in a 2008 study. The authors note that low-income students receive these same benefits from online engagement. However, social networking can be an invitation to online bullying, including Web sites, e-mails or texts that are meant to threaten or harass, according to a 2007 study published in the 'Journal of Adolescent Health.' It is estimated that anywhere from nine to 34 percent of youth have been victimized and up to 21 percent are bullies themselves, according to the study.

Video Games, Good or Bad?

Derided for years for reportedly provoking violence, gaming has seen a spate of good press in the past couple of years, in part due to the lauded health benefits of "interactive" games like Wii Sports and Dance, Dance Revolution. In fact, the American Psychological Association concluded in August 2008 that certain video games have benefits including improving gamers' dexterity and problem-solving abilities, but added that studies have shown that those playing violent games were more likely to be hostile, less forgiving and to perceive violence as normal compared with those who played nonviolent games. Other studies have linked gaming to obesity and poor school performance. A 'British Medical Journal' study from 2007 addressed "new generation active" games and concluded that these games require significantly more energy than sedentary ones, but not as much as actual sports.

Online Predators

Predator relationships with youth online, has been a topic of controversy and concern for years. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire's Crimes against Children Research Center reportedin a 2008 issue of 'American Psychologist' that the frequency of offenders pretending to be teenagers occurred in about five percent of the cases studied, that sex offenders are rarely violent and cases of abduction and stalking are rare. Among the teen victims, those who agreed to meet offenders did so more than once and those who engaged in other risky online behaviors, such as keeping buddy lists that include strangers and discussing sex online with people they did not know, were more likely to receive sexual solicitations.

Too Much Information?

People searching for suicide methods online are most likely to come across sites that encourage suicide rather those that offer help and support, according to a 2008 study in the 'British Medical Journal.' Similarly, a study published in the December 2006 issue of 'Pediatrics,' found that pro-eating disorder Web sites may promote dangerous behaviors in adolescents with eating disorders.

When the Music's Too Loud

About 25 percent of people using portable stereos may have daily noise exposures high enough to cause hearing damage, according to a survey published by Australia's National Acoustic Laboratories. MP3 players like iPods can also be problematic because the headphones are placed directly into the ears and longer battery life and more storage space means extended exposure. In 2005, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People in the UK found that people ages 18 to 24 are more likely than other adults to surpass safe listening limits. Further research from the University of California, Irvine, found that among children's toys such as Tickle Me Elmo and the Hannah Montana Doll that play music, many emit sound at decibel levels high enough to cause permanent hearing damage if used improperly. A number of toys were found to reach decibel levels of 100 or more, equivalent to the sound of a power saw, subway train or power mower.

Turn off the TV

Want fit kids? Researchers at University at Buffalo have found that using a device that is programmed to restrict children's time spent in front of the screen reduced the children's television viewing by about 17.5 hours a week and lowered their body-mass indexes (BMI) significantly by the end of the two-year study. Need another reason to limit screen time? About 60 percent of television programs contain some violence, and media violence significantly increased the risk that both children and adults will behave aggressively, according to a 2007 study conducted by the University of Michigan.