Mobile Phones, Are They Affecting Your Health and Well-Being?

1825 Words8 Pages
Mobile Phones, are they affecting your health and well-being? Over the past 20 years mobile phones have become a normal part of our everyday lives. Not only is a mobile phone used as a way to stay connected, it is also an alarm clock, gaming system and has access to the internet. They also have had a substantial impact on our health and well being both positive and negative. While mobile phones provide better access to health and emergency services, there is substantial evidence to demonstrate that mobile phones are potentially dangerous if over used or if they distract one from the task at hand, such as driving and walking. Studies show that mobile phone use has been attributed to increased physical injury to drivers and pedestrians, hearing loss and mental health issues. Driver performance is affected by the use of a mobile phone. Cain and Burris (1999), state that drivers are up to 300 percent more likely to have an accident while using a mobile phone while driving. There is a higher risk of an accident becoming fatal if a mobile phone is used at the time of the collision. Drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident while using a mobile phone than those under the influence of alcohol or drug use. A study by Alm and Nilsson (cited in Cain & Burris, 1999, p. 11) found that using a hands free device while driving is just as dangerous because the phone conversation is given priority over the task of driving when not faced with difficult driving challenges. This study also proved that the driver’s ability to reduce speed was affected. A study by Redelmeier in 1997 (cited in Cain & Burris, 1999, p. 26) has received the most attention. This study proved that there is an approximate four-fold increase in risk compared with not using a mobile phone. Drivers are not the only ones at risk of a mobile phone related accident. Pedestrians appear

More about Mobile Phones, Are They Affecting Your Health and Well-Being?

Open Document