(ASSIGNMENT TEMPLATE ENGLISH VERSION)

(COVER PAGE)

FACULTY OF EDUCATION & LANGUAGES

JULY 2013

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ENGLISH FOR WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

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860925465548001 860925-46-5548 019-9557432 hafzam_086@yahoo.com KUCHING LEARNING CENTER

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INTRODUCTION

The main purpose of this report is to analyses mobile phone effects and exposures to social and human health issues in general populations. It addresses the impact on most recent synthesis and potential outcomes to social and human health through the exposure and usage of mobile phone. The benefits of using mobile phones as a communications device in our daily life is appear to be very important. The benefits to the users include to households, social networks, businesses, and communities. Many of these benefits, which include public health and safety considerations, have not yet been recognized or critically quantified. According to Snchez E (2006), at that time, the available evidence shows that there is no clear pattern to support the effect of mobile phones usage to human health. But, it is strongly cautions that lack of available evidence of adverse effects on human health should not be interpreted as evidence of absence of any effects. It is also highly recommended that a precautionary approach to use of this communication technology until more scientific evidence becomes available. Meanwhile in terms of social issues, with the growing popularity of mobile phones usage among teenagers, there are also growing concerns among many adults about the adverse effects on social networking using mobile phones (Kenichi I., 2011). In Kenichi I. (2011) investigation, it was reported that more than 1000 children victimized by rape and other crimes through social network. Besides that, Arthur A. B. (2012) explains that the social effects on mobile phones also contributed to the loneliness, alienation, and sense of separation to the modern community. This problem occurs because most of the addicted people focus on the application equipped in the mobile phones rather than to communicate face to face with other person. Other than that, Karen S. Lissy, et. al. (2000) found the weight of the scientific evidence shows that the use of a mobile phone while driving does create safety risks for the driver and other passengers as well as other road users. The level of these risks is uncertain but appears to be relatively low in probability compared to other risks in daily life.

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In light of this uncertainty of social and health effects, this report will suggest the further action that needs to be taken. Thus, the authorities should be aware on the current research findings on the adverse effects from related agencies or researchers. In addition, they also need to educate people through encourage, dynamic public awareness and education programs in order to enhance safety and health in mobile phones usage.

MOBILE PHONE

Although mobile phones are functional in a variety of situations, they are a particularly useful technology to most of the human being in this modern age. It is also discover that this telecommunication technology has drastically developed from analogue into digital eras. It has reported that nowadays, there are increased uses of mobile phones by children or the overall increase in mobile phone use by adults. In consequence, human exposure from social networking problems to electromagnetic radiation is happening in ways never dreamed of before. Whether mobile phones use has adverse effects to human behaviour changes, or creates addictive behaviour, nervous system and reproduction, DNA damage and others, mobile phones are now everywhere and advanced in our lives. As well, this technology emit radio frequency or microwave radiation. Very young children are using them, teenagers live on them and some even sleep with them on their pillows, as mobile phones are often used as alarm clocks. Exposure to such a radiation could affect health directly. The use of mobile phones also results in indirect effects, such as car accidents and interference with health equipment. The majority of mobile phone owners report that they use the technology while driving. These exposures results of significant mean in social networking and human health.

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2.1

HEALTH EFFECTS

Nowadays, mobile phone technology has changed drastically and still continues to grow. This means that human exposures also keep change over time. According to Khayria A Al-Abduljawad (2008), there is a public concern of the health effects cause by the extensive use of mobile phones. From Khayria A Al-Abduljawad research, he found that high degree of limited hearing loss might be associated with long-term use of mobile phones. Furthermore, he also highlighted that the possibility of other health effects also may be contributed to this problems. According to Snchez E (2006), he analyses that the use of mobile phones has increased substantially and paralleled by a growing concern about the effects on human health. He found that this problem attributed to exposure to the electromagnetic fields produced by the mobile phones itself and their base stations (telecommunication terminal). It is demonstrating that radiation causes adverse effects on health would signal a widespread public health problem. Based on John Wargo et. al. (2012), they have critically discussed the mobile phones problem. Among the issue that has been highlighted are the electromagnetic radiation and spectrum, radiofrequency (RF) exposure from mobile phones, headsets, and cordless. They also have discussed the adverse effects of radiofrequency exposure to children and teenagers. Some of John Wargo et. al. (2012) investigations on health effects from mobile phones usage are: a. Russian and Eastern European scientists issued the earliest reports that low-level exposure to RF radiation could cause a wide range of health effects which is including behaviour changes, effects on the immunological system, reproductive effects, changes in hormone levels, headaches, irritability, fatigue, and cardiovascular effects. b. Scientists also have recognized the near-ubiquitous use and exposure to mobile phones and other radio frequency technologies in the last decade, and have launched and completed many studies. As the science has matured, researchers 3

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and government officials have become increasingly concerned about exposures that affect pregnant women and their fetuses. Their concern is also the exposure to children whose brains and organs do not fully mature until they in age 21. c. Non-ionizing radiation, with long wavelength and low frequency, does not break chemical bonds, but has sufficient energy to move electrons and heat body tissue, leading to biological effects at certain doses. Except for optical radiation, there is little data on the quantitative relationships between exposures to different types of non-ionizing radiation and effects on human health. d. In 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the International EMF Project to review the scientific literature concerning biological effects of EMFs, and will conduct a formal risk assessment of all studied health outcomes from exposure to RF fields by 2012. e. The majority of studies examining biological and health effects of mobile phone radiation have focused on the potential of telecommunication technologies to cause cancer, nervous system disorders, and adverse reproductive effects.

2.1.1

Mobile Phone Use and Cancer In 2011, the World Health Organizations International Agency for

Research on Cancer (IARC) classified electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer associated with wireless phone use (John Wargo et. al., 2012).

2.1.2

Susceptibility of the Developing Nervous System The brain is especially susceptible to numerous environmental insults that

can produce irreversible damage during critical periods of nervous system development between conception and the age of 21. This vulnerability is well recognized for ionizing radiation, alcohol, tobacco, some pharmaceuticals,

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cocaine, and stress. The effects of these agents are dependent on dose and timing of exposure. However, even small exposures during periods of neurogenesis have a more profound effect than exposures during adulthood (John Wargo et. al., 2012).

2.1.3

Effects on the Nervous System A number of peer-reviewed studies reported changes in the nervous

systems of rats, mice, and humans following exposure to mobile phones radiation. These include diminished learning, diminished reaction time, and decreased motor function, reduced memory accuracy, and diminished cognition. Also, higher mobile phone use has been associated with faster but less accurate response to high-level cognitive tasks. Prenatal and postnatal mobile phones exposures have both been associated with behaviour problems, such as hyperactivity in children around the time of entry into primary school at the age of six (John Wargo et. al., 2012).

2.1.4

Effects on Reproductive Health Many studies report molecular and cellular effects following mobile

phones EMF exposures in organs responsible for reproduction, especially in males. Oxidative stress on human semen, declining sperm counts, reduced sperm motility, and diminished sperm viability all have been reported to be associated with EMF exposures from cellular devices (John Wargo et. al., 2012).

2.1.5

Psychological Health Mobile phones create a sense of freedom to communicate quickly with

those in remote locations. Yet this freedom, if not managed carefully, can create feelings of psychological dependency. Common effects, both reported in the literature and easily recognized, include distraction from social contact among those nearby, the inability to focus on complex and long term tasks, and a heightened sense of anxiety (John Wargo et. al., 2012).

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2.2

SOCIAL EFFECTS

According to Arthur A. B. (2012), mobile phones and the social media represent a major transformation in the way of the societies function. The special of mobile phones and the popularity of the social media are signifiers of a new social order in which anyone and almost everyone can make their presence known. Meanwhile, according to Mohamed H.A. (2009), mobile phones have become essential tools for communication and information exchange in the last two decades where many people rely on their mobile phones in their personal lives as well as their businesses. Most mobile phone users exchange very sensitive and private information using their mobile phones assuming that the mobile phone network is reliable and secure. As a result, based on Mohamed H.A. studies there are also privacy problem in the mobile phones usage. Arthur A. B. also explains that this communication technology through mobile phones may generate via sending messages, sharing photos and videos. Significantly, this activity potentially can be accessed by a huge number of people. In addition, this has drastically breaking the monopoly on sending messages in the mainstream media that was held by traditional media such as radio, television, magazines, and newspapers. As mentioned before, the popularity of mobile phones and social media can also be seen as a signifier of the loneliness, alienation, and sense of separation that modern societies generate. People are use mobile phones and social media represents as escape attempts where most of them would like to achieve a kind of electronic togetherness or virtual community.

CONCLUSION

Although most of the mobile phones are widely believe to be essential applications for modern communication and maintaining social relationships, some adverse effects are noted. Thus, here are some recommendations to tackle or at least minimise the implication to human health and social networking.

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i.

Our top management should set exposure standards with guidelines from the government to protect human health. This standard should include an adequate margin of safety for subject community. The Institute of Safety and Health require a new legislation that would assign implementation responsibility to the Department of Environmental (DOE).

ii.

Other than that, it is crucial to conduct scientific studies on the effects of mobile phones towards social and health risk. The related agency or even government should offer competitive grants to independent academic researchers to examine the social and health effects associated with current technologies in mobile phones.

iii.

The mobile phones manufactures should be required to the authorities to identify the chemical content of their products. In that case, manufacturers should also be required to establish their recycling programs to minimize the release of these chemicals to the environment from landfills or incinerators.

iv.

Besides that, the government should encourage new technologies that prevent the use of mobile phone devices in moving vehicles. In contrast, it is also recommended to use hands-free or loud speaker while driving or even in any places. The reduction amount of time spent with the mobile phones against ear and head can help to reduce the exposure of RF radiation.

v.

Meanwhile, sleeping next to mobile phones can causes unnecessary exposure to electromagnetic fields. Thus, it is recommended that the mobile phones should be kept several feet from the bed.

vi.

Meanwhile, when in standby mode, mobile phones normally still send and receive signals from the main terminals. Carrying mobile phones in pants or shirt pocket will emit electromagnetic radiation to nearby tissues of

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human body. Thus it is recommended to carry mobile phone away from human body. vii. In advance, the community should learn about the emissions and antenna location for their mobile phones. When purchasing mobile phones devices, they also need to consider the relative emission levels of different brands and models, especially cautious for parents who are providing children with access to the device, or a woman of childbearing age. viii. Avoid mobile phones dependency by checking and responding to messages at pre-planned times. ix. Learn about EMF emissions from other wireless devices in human life, including computers, laptops, routers, phones, etc. Try to minimize your cumulative exposure to these devices. Consider locating wireless devices away from bedrooms and turn off wireless devices when not in use.

Apart from that, there is still a lot of future research that needs to be done on the long-term effects of the mobile phones to the health risks and social networking. Something that should be looked at is how the mobile phone affects relationships over time, as well as what the long term health effects. The access and use of mobile phones through different socioeconomic may also have a huge impact on the way individuals communicated and interaction with one another.

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REFERENCES Arthur Asa Berger (2012). Media Analysis Techniques - Fourth Edition: Cell Phones, Social Media, and the Problem of Identity. Sage Publications Inc. John Wargo, Hugh S. Taylor, Nancy Alderman, Linda Wargo, Jane M. Bradley, Susan Addiss (2012). Cell Phones: Technology Exposures Health Effects. Environment and Human Health, Inc. Karen S. Lissy, Joshua T. Cohen, Mary Y. Park, and John D. Graham (2000). Cellular Phone Use While Driving: Risks and Benefits. Harvard Center for Risk Analysis Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. Kenichi ISHII (2011). Examining the Adverse Effects of Mobile Phone Use among Japanese Adolescents. Keio Communication Review No.33. Khayria A Al-Abduljawad (2008). Effects of the Mobile Phones on the Hearing Function of the Users. Bahrain Medical Bulletin, Vol. 30, No.2. Mohamed Hossam Ahmed (2009). Threats to Mobile Phone Users Privacy. Memorial University of Newfoundland. Snchez E (2006). What effects do mobile phones have on peoples health? Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe (Health Evidence Network report;

http://www.euro.who.int/document/e89486.pdf, accessed [July 2013]).