Effects of Technological Advancements on Peoples Health in the Last 30 Years - Essay Example

? Bashayer aldosari Esuse3 First draft Effects of technological advancements on people’s health in the last 30 years Introduction Technological development has played a crucial role in improving people’s lives and health. The medical field accounts the most benefits from these technological developments. In the early days, diseases were mysteries and people knew nothing and some knew little about them. Some believed that diseases were curses. People had no clue about the causes of diseases, diagnosis, prevention and their treatment (Carlisle & Scientific American 2005). It was not until scientists became interested in knowing what causes these diseases. Some postulates have been published by different scientists also seeking unravel the disease mystery. For example, a scientist by the name Robert Koch(a microbiologist) postulated the “GERM THEORY OF DISEASE “ which clearly suggested that diseases were caused by very minute organisms that cannot be seen under our naked eyes and are omnipresent (Neil &Warner 2003). This discovery gave insight to more research on diseases. Over the last thirty years, we’ve seen a trend in technological development that has helped people deal with serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, communicable diseases and many more others. The field of molecular and cell is among the major developments in biological sciences. The genome project involves the application of the DNA technology in clinical practice. This technology has enabled scientists to isolate genes of disease causative agents. This has also led to progress in sequencing of their genomes and soon most genome sequences of infectious agents will be available. This technology has helped medical practitioners detect, diagnose and define any mechanisms of mutation/variability among these causative agents. This technology has also played an important role in testing drug efficacy just in case of mutation in their genomes. The application of DNA technology to control diseases has not been restricted to infective agents only but also to carriers. Technology has led to the manufacture of better drugs for curing these diseases. Impact of Technology Today’s spectacular advancements of technology in medicine is saving peoples’ lives and curing diseases that were considered incurable over thirty years ago. The development and improvement of technology has greatly improved our lives leading to a far better, easier and comfortable way of life (Carlisle & Scientific American 2005). The real impact technology has made is in the medical sector. Many lives have been saved through the use of technology to understand disease causes, diagnosis and treatment. There is dependence on technology to manage peoples’ lives. For instance, the invention of wheelchairs has enabled physically handicap people to move from one place to another. They can access work places easily. Orthopedic shoes have been invented to aid those with walking difficulties walk. Spectacles and contact lenses have enabled the visually-impaired people improve their sight and therefore can manage their lives. The invention of life support machines has helped hospitalized patients to manage and support their lives. The real impact technology has made is in the medical sector. Numerous diseases that were considered incurable can now be cured. For instance, heart attack can now be managed through the invention of thrombolytic drugs (Neil C et al, 2003). These drugs are known to dissolve the blockade that caused the attack. Surgery has been invented as an alternative to these drugs where the affected arteries can be grafted. Medicine in 20th century Although medicine existed for centuries, it was not effective in the early days as it is today. People used to suffer and die of diseases because of lack of and knowledge and technology to combat them. In early 20th century, cause of many diseases were a mystery or perhaps inaccurate. This is because clinical epidemiology and control of infectious diseases had made only a limited contribution to the health of developing countries. Poverty and dysfunctional health care systems hindered the study of duties and their cure. Some traditional and religious dogmas instilled people the beliefs that some diseases were as a result of curses. In some communities, they still believe the killer diseases like AIDS is not real and is a punishment from God to with ill behavior (Carlisle & Scientific American 2005). Lack of prosper knowledge and understanding of some diseases contributed to this problem. Some causative agents also proved to be difficult to study. For instance, HIV was and is still difficult to isolate from the host and be grown in laboratory cultures for study. Due to ethical issues, it is still impossible to use humans as research models thus making some diseases a mystery (Neil &Warner 2003). Surgeries were much more invasive but less successful due to lack of modern equipment and supplies. Some patient could succumb to death due to excessive bleeding due to lack of proper anticoagulants. There are diseases that were considered impossible to cure in the 20th century. Diabetes a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism characterized by impaired inability of the body to produce insulin hormone to regulate the sugar (glucose) levels in the blood (Belfiore & Mogensen 2000). Cancer-a disease characterized by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body was believed to be incurable. Ebola is considered to be incurable and very fatal resulting in death hours after contracting it. However, today technology has changed medicine and helped doctors find answers for many medical mysteries and treatments for diseases they will never cure. New treatment and discoveries have been made. The production of synthetic insulin through the recombinant DNA technology is injected to patients suffering from diabetes type 1(Guthrie D.W et al, 2002). This has helped regulate the sugar levels. It has been discovered that those with type 2 can control it with diet and exercise. Cancer can also be treated if discovered early (Schottenfeld, 2006). The discovery of chemotherapy has enabled cancer patients to manage the disease. Discoveries about HIV/AIDS have helped increase the lifespan of HIV patients through the introduction of antiretroviral drugs. Treatment in the western world has suggested that through bone marrow transplant, HIV/AIDS can be cured. Discoveries of diseases that were a mystery before have been made. HIV/AIDS was discovered to be caused by the HIV after being seen as a mystery for a long time. Diseases like Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, and Asthma have also been discovered together with causative agents. New discoveries New technologies were invented in making surgeries. Laparoscopy in endoscopic surgery was invented in diagnosis of the abdominal cavity diseases. This new operative approach was used in the treatment of gallstones, bile disorders, and other abdominal complications. The surgical was invented by Mathlida Scott- the knife had a detachable blade and was patented. This knife made surgery a success. To decrease the chances of mistakes made by medical doctors, robot surgeons are being invented. Robotic surgery is the latest advancement in the surgery field. Robotic surgery has enabled surgeons to perform precise and minimal invasive surgery to enhance healing and well-being of patients (Neil &Warner 2003). This has been made possible by integrating enhanced computer technology together with the surgeon skills. It has been preferred due to shorter hospitalization, reduced complications and less risk of infection (Li- Ming Su, 2011). Nano composite lenses are being invented to help diabetics monitor their sugar levels. They are contact lenses that color in response to dips in the wearer’s glucose levels. These Nano composite hydrogel lenses will help do away the blood glucose meters thus rendering the obsolete. The new device is made by embedding nanoparticles in hydrogel (Carlisle & Scientific American 2005). These particles will react with tears and change color according to the glucose levels in the tears. The chemical reaction will cause the lenses to change thus alerting the wearer of an increase or decrease in blood glucose levels (Belfiore & Mogensen 2000). This will help diabetics make necessary adjustments to their diets. There are efforts that are underway to mimic the reproductive capability (Neil &Warner 2003). Artificial wombs are being invented to enable women who lost their wombs to cancer, be able to conceive and become mothers. In USA and Japan scientists are using both live animals and animal cells to mimic the functioning of the womb. The will give women without wombs a sigh of relief as they will be able to enjoy motherhood. However, there are ethical issues that ought to be put into consideration before the womb transplant commence. Even though everything has its advantages and disadvantages, this advancement in technology has more of advantages than disadvantages. Life would have been difficult to deal with if some of these technological advancements were not in place. People should therefore not rest but continue making advancements in other spheres of our lives (Carlisle & Scientific American 2005). Technology is power and will always continue being. Conclusively, technology has impact our everyday life in a positive way, and it has decreased the medical mistakes that had happened before, technology has made the impossible possible and has caused a revolution not only in medicine, but in all aspects of life. References Belfiore F, Mogensen C.E, 2000. New concepts in diabetes and its treatment. Karger Publishers, 263 pages Carlisle R, Scientific American, 2005. Scientific American Inventions and Discoveries. John Wiley & Sons,512 pages Colin A. Hempstead, William E. Worthington, 2005. Encyclopedia of 20th-century technology. Taylor & Francis, 933 pages Guthrie D.W et.al.2002. Nursing Management of Diabetes Mellitus. Springer Publishing Company,524 pages Jeff U, 2012. Diabetes Management in Primary Care. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 752 pages Li-Ming Su, 2011. Current Clinical Urology: Atlas of Robotic Urologic Surgery. Springer, 273 pages Neil C, PhD, Warner K, 2003. Impact of Technology on Successful Aging. 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