INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

Mobile phone is a portable devices that used by everyone to make calls, send messages and any other applications. The word phone is came from the telephone, which was originally patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, and had been developed since then until the present. In 1973, the first mobile phone was created by John F. Mitchel and Dr. Martin Cooper, from the Motorola Company. The mobile phone at that time weighted about 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram). Since then, further developments show the vast improvement in the mobile phone design with many great innovations. The latest technology that has been widely popular in the communities nowadays related to mobile phone is Smart Phone. Smart Phone is a mobile phone that integrated with advanced computing capability and connectivity, implanted in mobile operating system. In the latest model, more functions and applications introduced to the Smart Phone, like portable media player, Internet browser, working panels, digital camera, GPS navigation and many more.

Although mobile phone is used widely through the countries, but the people must beware the problems that may be occurred by the using of the mobile phone. The problems caused by the mobile phone are related to the health, social life and environment. Studies had been conducted to by some researchers to identify whether the using of mobile phone can risk the users or not. Unfortunately, there are some studies shows that the mobile phone can be hazardous to the users. Thus, it is needed for the users to know that the mobile phone can give them the negative impact if they do not handle the devices with the precautions.

1.1 Objective:

The objectives of this report are: 1) To study the effect of mobile phone to the health and social problems 2) To propose the proper actions which to make the users realize the effect of mobile phone.

1.2 Problem Statement

The lifestyle nowadays has advanced through the ages, which mobile phone is one of the important items or devices that everybody must have, even the teenagers. However, the lack of awareness about the effect of the mobile phone related to health and social life is still need to be concern. Those effects maybe still under study, but the consideration must be taken to ensure the healthy life, safe environment and harmony among the communities.

MOBILE PHONE PROBLEMS AND SOLUTION

2.0 Present Situation

The debate about the risk of cancer caused the mobile phone has been undertaken since the mobile phone was introduced to the communities recently. Since 2011, the effect of the mobile phone was classified by International Agency Research of Cancer (IARC). The device was rated as Group 2B, which is possibly carcinogenic to human. At that that time, there were some evidences that mobile phone can inflict cancer to human but the evidences were still unconvincing. After the classification, vast developments and studies conducted regarding to the effect of mobile phone to the humans health. The series of the events regarding to this matter is shown below [8]:

August 2012, Australia Government have invested $2.5 million for a Centre of Research Excellence which to continue the research about the possibility of health hazards by using the mobile phone.

October 2012, the court case of a businessmans brain tumor caused by the using of mobile phone for 12 years is been proceeds by the Italian Supreme Court. December 2012, the protection for the children and teenagers from mobile phones health hazard has been expressed by American Academy of Pediatrics, an organization of 60 000 primary care pediatrics, pediatric medical specialists and surgeons. Also, a number of health problems, like headaches, fatigue, sleep

disturbances and others, because of prolonged use of mobile phone are founded by the research conducted in Saudi Arabia. January 3, 2012, a Swedish group of researchers, lead by Dr. Lennant Hardell concluded that the current radiofrequency standard for public health protection is inadequate, based on meta-analysis of previous data on brain tumor risk and the use of mobile phone. January 7, 2013, Bioinitiative Working Group published a new report after reviewed over 1800 new scientific research. In conclusion, in part of the report, the prolonged used of mobile phone and cordless phone increased risk of malignant brain tumors consistently.

January 24, 2013, the report is published by The European Environment Agency as to alert the government about the needed to provide the early warning signs over technology risk, including mobile phone. Also, the report blames the mobile phone industries as they fail to react according to the research and classification by IARC. The media also had been accused by the report as fail to provide consistent information about the effect of mobile phone to the public.

2.1 Health Concern

The major part that leads to the health problems caused by mobile phone is mobile phone radiation. Radiation is the energy that travels through space in form of waves and particles [7]. So, the mobile phone radiation is the radiofrequency energy that emitted from mobile phone, in the form of electromagnetic. These radiations can be absorbed by the tissue nearby. Every day, the number of mobile phone users is increasing rapidly. According to Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, the mobile phone users had increased which is from 110 million users in 2000 up to more than 303 million subscribers in 2010 to mobile phone service at the United State. Thus, the number of mobile phone per day, the length of the call and the amount of people uses the mobile phone also had increased. The increased value of the parameters mentioned before are need to be concerned as the amount of radiations release from the mobile phone users also increased. In fact, approximately 20-80% of the mobile phone radiation penetrates up to 2 inches into adult brain. The side effects that may be occurred cause by the electromagnetic mobile radiation are many. The mobile phone users can get headaches which is resulted by the pressure or tingling in the head from the radiation. Also, mobile phone radiation disturbed the Neurological hormone, resulting impaired immune system. The very serious effect from the prolonged more than 10 years used of mobile phone is the users suffered the tumors, which is at hearing nerve (acoustic neuromas) or brain (gliomas) [2]. The tumors mentioned before will lead to the formation of cancer. The other side effect is the break in blood brain barrier. Blood-brain barrier was a sacred, impermeable wall, made up of ordinary blood vessels with one special property: the cells that make up their lining are packed together so tightly that they allow very few substances to cross into brain tissue. Thus, the break of the blood-brain barrier will give the negatives impacts to the human bodies. The disturbances of the sleep also can be occurred from the side effect of mobile

phone radiation, resulted by the reduced of melatonin, the hormone that control the sleepwake cycle of the human.

Mobile phone radiation also damages the genetic system in the human body. The change in enzyme and DNA alteration that are disturbed by the electromagnetic radiation will result the birth defects. Also, mobile phone radiation is one of the factors that contribute to the melanoma of eye. Melanoma of eye is the most common type of cancer to affect the eye, although it is too little. In United Kingdom, there are 400-450 new cases of eye cancer that had been diagnosed each year. The incidence of ocular melanoma

increases with age, and most cases are diagnosed in people in their 50s. Sleep with the mobile phone will reduce the memory of the brain, resulted to memory losses. The effect of the mobile phone radiation also could make the people be more tired or fatigued. This happened because of cardiovascular stress and change in the metabolism. Also, the mobile phone radiation results the slight decrease of the heart condition, although this fact is still lack of evidence. Beside from mobile phone radiation, mobile phone also the one of the factors that contributes to the car accidents occurrence. These are the facts that obtained from the internet about the mobile phone effect to car accidents rate: 1) About 6,000 deaths and a half a million injuries are caused by distracted drivers every year. 2) While teenagers are texting, they spend about 10 percent of the time outside the driving lane theyre supposed to be in. 3) Talking on a mobile phone while driving can make a young drivers reaction time as slow as that of a 70-year-old.

2.2 Social Concern

There are the social problems associated with the usage of mobile phone. Many people tend to have communication on the phone, rather than meet face-to-face [1]. This may increase the misunderstanding and the people may be isolated by the society. Also, some people speaking loudly during answer the call at the public areas, such as library, caf, schools, hospitals and others, which is appear to be rude, offensive and annoying to the surrounding people. This problem calls mobile phone abuse. The mobile phone abuse of the other person can be resulted to [4]: 1) The disturbance of the concentration during the works. 2) Annoyance (severe or mild) 3) Sensitivity to unwanted ringtones 4) Wishing the mobile phone user to finish call, leave the place or hope the battery of his/her mobile phone would die.

Mobile phone misuse also may lead to various other social problems. One of them is inattention blindness [5]. During the talking on the phone, user is blinds to local cues. For example, when walking through the road while answering the phone, the users may not see a vehicle is coming to them because of the users had been preoccupied with their mobile phone. Also, it will increase the reaction time to the events around the user. For example, user cannot reflex as usual to move away from the danger that coming to them because they stunt or shocked after been talking to the phone and see the danger was coming to them. The other problem is caller hegemony. Caller hegemony is an asymmetric relationship between the caller and the answerer. Caller hegemony functions when the sudden ringtone alter user attention which will lead the user to be panicked and the message from the caller cause the disturbed feeling and emotion of the answerer. Those two situations may lead to the inattention blindness. The most recognized social problem caused by mobile phone is addiction. The mobile phone addiction contributes too many psychological problems. Among the teenagers, the mobile phone is important requirement for them to contact their close friends and couple. So, they can deeply upset if their calls and messages not get reply by the answerer. Also, almost of them will neglect the important activities that they need to be carried out, like homework, study, school assignment and for those who are working, they will neglect their part of jobs also. Those who are addicted to this mobile phone mostly been drifted away from their friend and also
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their close family. They always deny the problems that eventually they did. If they did not have the device with them at the moment, they will worry and only think about their phone constantly. The characteristics of mobile phone addict are [6]: 1) Have a low self-esteem, 2) Problems to develop social relationship, 3) Feel the urge contact with the others, 4) Switching off phone cause addict to irritate, sleeplessness and more serious, some of them will shiver and have digestive problem, 5) Confusion and depression if they spend a day without mobile phone.

The other social problem that may occur is cyber bullying. The cyber bullying can be happened without the adult knowing and also contributes to the psychological problem. The cyber bullying happened when the other try to bully one person by tease using inappropriate picture, which to make that person angry, irritates, annoyed, and depress. By those emotions, that person will confuse and do unnecessary things, which could be the serious problems if did not prevented from the early.

2.3 The Solutions

There are solutions that need to be taken seriously to prevent and reduce the problems from the mobile phone usage. First of all, the government should responsible to explain the problems occurred from the mobile phone usage publicly which to increase the awareness of the problems. So, public will be more concerned about how to handle the mobile phone with precautions.

2.3.1 Use of Headset

The headset could reduce the potential risk of mobile phone radiation as this headset emitted less radiofrequency energy compare without using it and also the phone could be move far away from the body [3].

2.3.2 The Location of the Phone

The mobile phone is better to be put out from the pocket and placed in the bag as the study published from Journal of Craniofacial Surgery shows that phone states

radiation could decrease the bone density in pelvis. The other study also that by put the phone in the pocket can inflict the fertility to the men.

2.3.3 Limit Children's Use

Children should be limited to use the phone mobile as they are more sensitive to the mobile phone radiation, compare to the adults. Moreover, the childrens are still developing and susceptible to the radiofrequency radiation.

2.3.3 Do Not Use Phone Mobile While Driving

The accident rate caused by using the mobile phone while driving is quite high. Thus, it is needed to prohibit the use of mobile phone while driving which can distract the user and the accident may be happened.

2.3.4 Do Not Use Phone When The Signal Is Poor

The mobile phone emitted the high radiofrequency at the poor signal, thus impact the brain of the users if the phone call is made.

2.3.5 Parental Guidance

Parents should be stricter to control the usage of mobile phone by the children and teenagers. Also, parent should supervise what their children done with their mobile phones. Parents also must show their attention and care for their children, which to make them feel safe with their beloved parent. Parents should encourage their children to do more outdoor activities and try to be friendly with the neighbor and the community.

CONCLUSION

3.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, the mobile phone provides many applications to user but still there are problems that the user still needs to beware when they used the mobile phone. The current studies show that the prolonged used of mobile phone will risk the user health and precautions are needed to ensure the environment of the communities is safe from the mobile phone radiation. The social problems occurred from the mobile phone must be taken serious consideration as to prevent unnecessary things occur to the children and teenagers.

3.1 Recommendation

As recommendation, the government should make campaigns by using the media to increase the awareness of the mobile phone health and social hazard to the public. Also, more research about the problems must be developed by the researchers, especially local as to contribute more findings in the mobile phone health and social hazard and how to prevent them and make the safety environment to the people.

(2524 Words)

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http://www.safespaceprotection.com/electrostress-from-cellphones.aspx 3) Oz M. (2010). How to avoid cell phone dangers. Retrieved June 20, 2013 from http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Oz-Explains-Cell-Phone-Dangers-and-How-toAvoid-Them 4) Electro Schematic. (2010). Cell Phone Misuse, Some facts. Retrieved June 22, 2013 from facts/ 5) Kemp N. (2011). Mobile phone addiction may cause psychological problems. Retrieved July 3, 2013 from http://www.electroschematics.com/5248/cell-phone-misuse-some-

http://rosaledacurrentnews4you.blogspot.com/2011/11/mobile-phone-addictionmay-cause.html 6) Torrecillas F. L. (2007). Mobile-phone addiction in teenagers may cause severe psychological disorders. Retrieved July 9, 2013 from http://www.newsmedical.net/news/2007/02/27/22245.aspx 7) Wikipedia. (2013). Mobile phone radiation and health. Retrieved July 3 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_radiation_and_health 8) Maish. D (2013). The case for a precautionary public health policy for cell phone, smart phone and cordless phone use. Retrieved July 9, 2013 from

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja &ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emfacts.com%2Fdownload%2F Cell_phone_paper_jan_25.pdf&ei=92rlUbi_K8rNrQesoYCgDw&usg=AFQjCNHr QV2c6MDibNpyGNBte6O5vDY2Vg&bvm=bv.48705608,d.bmk

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