The health of the general public is influenced by many factors such as personal behaviors, geographic area, and economic status. Some determinants, such as technology, can have both positive and negative effects on a population. It is important to recognize that technology is a broad and far-reaching (thing), and that the positive and negative effects should be considered together. Technology, though clinical, preventative, or environmental applications can save lives and make entire populations healthier, but at the same time it can be a detriment to public health by becoming an unintended side effect or distraction.
Technology Can Improve General Public Health Technology is serving a major role in the health of the general public, mainly …show more content…
But even technologies that do not act directly on specific individual ailments have great impact on public health. For example, online immunization records assist people in managing one of the most important aspect of their health and of the health of the population in general. Immunization is one of the most important triumphs in the history of public health. The progress and success made in making vaccination widespread is evidenced by the near-eradication of infectious disease that wiped out large portions of communities decades ago. But with increasingly complicated immunizations and schedules, it can be difficult for people to keep track of their vaccinations, which could result in missed or incomplete immunizations. Using technologies such as online resources to track and manage immunization records leads to healthier individuals, as well as healthier populations where the incidence of infectious is reduced because more people maintain their proper vaccinations. In addition, public health uses advances in engineering technology to construct …show more content…
Factories and cars release harmful toxins, or greenhouse gases, into the air that contribute to global warming, the agriculture industry uses chemical pesticides which runoff into and contaminate water supplies, and the increased use of natural gas and fossil fuels deplete energy resources. These environmental factors are known to contribute to the detriment of human health, especially by leading to different chronic diseases such as cancer. As outlined in the U.S. government’s Healthy People 2020 goals, the areas of outdoor air quality, hazardous wastes, and community health are priorities. Fortunately, there are many ways to combat these damaging effects of pollution such as using more efficient energy resources or limiting the waste of
Technology Can Improve General Public Health Technology is serving a major role in the health of the general public, mainly …show more content…
But even technologies that do not act directly on specific individual ailments have great impact on public health. For example, online immunization records assist people in managing one of the most important aspect of their health and of the health of the population in general. Immunization is one of the most important triumphs in the history of public health. The progress and success made in making vaccination widespread is evidenced by the near-eradication of infectious disease that wiped out large portions of communities decades ago. But with increasingly complicated immunizations and schedules, it can be difficult for people to keep track of their vaccinations, which could result in missed or incomplete immunizations. Using technologies such as online resources to track and manage immunization records leads to healthier individuals, as well as healthier populations where the incidence of infectious is reduced because more people maintain their proper vaccinations. In addition, public health uses advances in engineering technology to construct …show more content…
Factories and cars release harmful toxins, or greenhouse gases, into the air that contribute to global warming, the agriculture industry uses chemical pesticides which runoff into and contaminate water supplies, and the increased use of natural gas and fossil fuels deplete energy resources. These environmental factors are known to contribute to the detriment of human health, especially by leading to different chronic diseases such as cancer. As outlined in the U.S. government’s Healthy People 2020 goals, the areas of outdoor air quality, hazardous wastes, and community health are priorities. Fortunately, there are many ways to combat these damaging effects of pollution such as using more efficient energy resources or limiting the waste of