Australian Catholic University: Public Health Capstone Portfolio

This portfolio presents a public health capstone project focusing on the health effects of computer usage. The student demonstrates skills in partnership building, communication, report writing, and technological proficiency, acquired during their course at the Australian Catholic University. The report critically evaluates the adverse health effects of computers, including physical and mental health issues, particularly among adults and children. The methodology involves both primary and secondary research, including surveys, interviews, and literature reviews. The research aims to determine the percentage of individuals affected by computer overuse and to recommend solutions. The student also discusses the importance of interpreting safety standards and formulating evidence-based strategies to address computer-related health hazards. The report examines the background, aim, methods, and expected results of the study, highlighting the increasing prevalence of health problems associated with prolonged computer use and the need for effective interventions.

Portfolio
Public health capstone
With the help of the course I have been able to gain skills related to interpretation of health
services. I have developed an understanding related to the application and promotion of the
health services. I have been able to gain skills that are relevant to promotion of health services.
Following are the skills that are currently in my repertoire.
Skills of building partnership and knowledge
Through my skill of identifying potential partners. I have been able to formulate partnerships
relating to development of skills that can help in development of collaborative partnerships with
the individuals who have similar philosophies as mine. With the skills I would be able to
develop relationships relating to the formulating relationships with individuals who can help in
the mitigation of issue related to the development of strategies to cope with computer related
health hazards.
Communication and report writing skills
At the Australian, catholic University, it is the role of a medical practitioner to monitor the health
of individuals and prepare report and maintain journal related to the same. Thus, with the skills I
am able to effectively write and summarise reports related to the health issue of the patient s who
have been affected by health hazards related to the use of computers. It can be said that
regardless of the field of operation, communication is crucial. Hence, with effective
communication skills I am able to interpret the needs of the patients which helps in treating the
issue with which the patients are suffering with. The skills of effective communication further
helps be in resolving inter personal issue and conflicts. The latter helps in raising awareness

against the excessive use of computer and the hazardous health effects that the people would be
subject to one excessive usage of the devices.
Technological skills
I am able to boast about my technological skills. I am able to use every peripheral of a computer
such as word, power point, maintaining spreadsheets, carrying out research through the
computer, checking databases and portraying messages with the help of audio visual mediums.
The utilisation of this skills is crucial when it comes to preparing reports and communicating by
ideas in campaigns and to my seniors.
Planning, implementation and evaluation
The skills would be useful in interpreting literature through which I would be able to arrive at
inferences which will help me in my endeavours related to health services in the field of health
services. On critically evaluating the information found in the literature I would be able to
develop the nature of actions that are required for the implementation of the results of the
information that are available from the literature. Furthermore, it can be said the input of the
practitioners in the medical field are regarded highly. Thus, I would be able to arrive at suitable
decisions while practicing in the said field.
Knowledge and program planning skills
I have the knowledge that is required for interpretation of the symptoms in the individuals to
determine whether, the individual is affected with the hazardous effects of computers.
Furthermore, developing programs for the same would be highly useful and the same would help
in solving the issues that arise as a result of the issues in the patient.

Planning on evidence based strategies
Evidence helps in uplifting a statement. Otherwise it is considered vague. Furthermore, it can be
said that evaluation of the skills help in adding weight to the issue or the point that is being
highlighted. I have the skills to make strategies based on the viability of the same. Regardless of
whether a person has been affected for the hazardous effects of computers or any other reason,
they need to be treated differently. Hence, I would have to be sure about what I am dealing with
and have to implement by actions based on the viability of the scenario. This would help in
implementation of the strategies and justification of the same. The strategies that have to be
taken have to make on the basis of the criterion that are supported by justified materials. This
would help in justifying the nature of issue and treating the patient based on empirical evidence
of the strategy.
Evaluation and research skills
The skill of research is highly important in terms of operation in the medical field. Great amount
of research goes into the activities related to operation of a medical practitioners. It is the part of
the job of a medical practitioner to trace the cause of the ailment in a patient. Hence, research
skills would highly help me detecting the causal effect of the strategies and the reasons behind
formulation of the ailment in the individuals.
Additional skills required
Interpretation of safety standards
I am still learning and thus needs to develop thorough understanding regarding the regulatory
standards of the environment. It has been found out that people of the country perceive the
Australian Catholic University as a place that has unfavourable working conditions.

Furthermore, understanding regarding the same is crucial. It would help in formulating strategies
that help in abiding by the rules established by the government. As a result of the same the
strategies that I would implement would help in gaining appreciation form the regulatory bodies
and wold help in gaining appreciation.

REPORT
Introduction
Computers can be considered as a boon for mankind (Sheopuri & Sheopuri, 2014). It has
been responsible for the innovation that the world and its people have been subject to (Roth,
Schneckenberg & Tsai, 2015). The computers were developed to ease the pressure from the
brains of people. It has been successful in doing the same. However, it can be said that people
have become way too reliant on the machines that were created to assist them in their day to day
tasks (Nafus & Sherman, 2014). It has resulted in rise of injuries people are subject to (Gupta,
Arora & Gupta, 2013). Regardless of the place where the computer is being used, it has been
causing various injuries (Dumbre, Ganeshkar & Dhekne, 2015). Some are grave while some
might turn out to be hazardous in the long run. This has resulted in increased amount of
hazardous health effects on people who use the devise. It has been found out that the numbers are
rising which is resulting in negative utility that is being faced by the people. The aim of the paper
is to critically evaluate the health effects that have been caused by computers and the
methodology of finding the results of the study.
Background
It can be said that computers have become an integral part of people’s lives (Costley,
2014). It is a source from where people derive utility. The use of the computers do not depend on
that the demographic, race, culture or other factors that differentiate people. It is a platform that
is common to people all over the word. Computers can be used by children, teenagers, young
adults and older people (Festl, Scharkow & Quandt, 2013). The nature of utility that the latter
derives from the computers is highly different (Greenwood, J., & Kopecky, 2013). It has been

found that the usage of the computers depends on the nature of utility that one expects to derive
from the usage of the machine (Olmsted, Rim & Zerba, 2013). While most adults use computers
to assist them in speeding up and organising their work, one can say that the latter have become
way too much dependent on the use of the same to a degree that they cannot perform their tasks
without it. Students need computers to study, to write their regular assignment, solve problems,
and take tests and various other purposes (Tomlinson, 2014). Gaming is an activity that was
revolutionised by gaming consoles and the popularity of the same was highlighted to as gaming
capabilities were transferred to personal computers (Hjorth & Richardson, 2014). The computer
became a hotspot for children who seemed to have forgotten that there was a world that existed
outside the computer and the games (Piaget, 2013). Even though computers were invented to
make the lives easier, it has been recognises as the epicentre of various hazardous health effects.
It can be said that excessive use of anything can be harmful and the same applies in the case of
computers (Kalmus, Blinka & Olafsson, 2015). While there are numerous benefits that the
computers provide, the number of health hazards as a result of the excessive use of the
computers. Ailments such as obesity, increased mental, stress, exposure to radiation, troubles
with vision and countless other health effects are the outcome of overuse of computers (Kim et
al., 2015). Hence, the issue is worth highlighting and discussion regarding the same will help
develop a better understanding regarding the grave situation that exists as a result of the overuse
of the computers.
Aim
The adverse effects that have been caused by the excessive use of computers is evident
(Lee et al., 2014). The role of people in corporates mainly involve use of computer day in and
out. Thus, they remain seated in the same position for hours which creates problems related to

posture. As mentioned earlier the computer were created in order to relief the people form stress.
It has happened to a degree, however, the excessive exposure to the same has resulted in
increased amount of stress on the brain (Guo et al., 2014). The eyes are the part of the body that
are exposed the most and since they are connected to the brain via nerve cells. Thus, the ultimate
pressure fall on the brain. The aim of the paper is to determine the percentage of adults who are
affected by over use of the computers and the injuries that are associated to the usage of
computers. The additional aim is to determine the percentage of children who are affected by the
over use of computers, the specific reasons behind the injuries and to recommends ways to solve
the issues that transpire as a result of the overuse of the computers.
Methods
The methodology that was used for the research was based on secondary and primary
forms of data. The research includes both qualitative and quantitative forms of research.
Quantitative data was obtained through surveys and interviews were used to derive the
qualitative information. They surveys were carried out by visiting reputed organisations. The
organisations that were visited had high amount of computer usage and thus they were deemed to
be favourable for the surveys and interviews. The surveys were carried out through with the help
of questionnaires and the interviews were recorded on mic. Various schools were visited in order
to take the opinion of the students and teachers regarding the issues. The design of the research
was of exploratory type which is a type of research which involves a high degree of open ended
questions and questions that lead to another question which leads to the crux of the matter. The
secondary research was characterised by screening of peer reviewed and scholarly journals and
articles along with internet based sources through which information regarding the same was
acquired. The data that was gathered will highly help in formulating inferences regarding the

outcomes and effect of the hazardous effects of computers on the subjects. The research was
based on the perception that the employees of the organisations and the students had regarding
the use of computers and the hazardous health effects caused by the same. Additionally, the
research was related to IAD design which would make the implementation of the same
successful and will thus the research findings would be easily compiled into results (Hockman,
2017).
Results
It is expected from the research that there will be various health issues that were inflicted
in the individuals who were subject to the excessive use of computer. The results are likely to
show that the individuals who are exposed to long durations problem sin individuals. It was
evident from secondary sources that implications such vision defects, headaches, severe muscle
problems, stress injury and exposure to radiation are the most common side effects of long
duration of usage of computers. It was found out that around 2.1 billion people in the world
suffer from obesity as a result of sticking in front of a computer all day long (Vasiljevic et al.,
2017). The posture of the people who are using the computer systems also determines the
amount of stress and injuries that are associated with the usage of the former. The students who
are engage of video games are likely to get stressed. It was found that student who play games on
computer, often sacrifice their sleep as a result of the will to play games on their personal
computers. It was found that the children are willing to sacrifice the time of sleep for the sake of
gamin as in order to balance studies and gaming and other activities. It was further discovered
that the student who stayed up at night and play games on computers would experience
difficulties in staying awake during class which resulted in inattention. Furthermore, people who
work in front of computers in ten to seven jobs are likely to get stressed or frustrated easily.

Staring at the computer screen for long hours lead to stress on the eye. Stress on the eye as a
result of the harmful effects to the radiation that is released for the cathode ray tubes of the
computer keep the nerves cell in the yes agitated and dries up the wall of the eye as a result of
which the people find it difficult to sleep at night. Furthermore, it can be said that the people who
sit in a single position for most of their shift are likely to develop problems related to the spine in
older ages. Muscular pain is common in both the children and the adults and both results in
adverse health effects.
Discussion
The main causes of the problems that are caused by excessive use of the computer can be
segregated to various forms of issues. Some of the more common causes of high amount of
usage of the computer are strain on the eye, carpel tunnelling, way too much suiting at a same
spot, restlessness, agitations, increased levels of stress, impatience, muscle and joint pain, tennis
elbow syndrome, injuries in the spine, exposure to harmful radiation, sleep disorder and
insomnia and various other forms of ailments. The aim of the research is to find out the amount
of people who are subject to issues such as the ones mentioned above.
One of the more serious issues can be detected as the loss of sleep in both adults and children. It
can be said the importance of sleep is huge and cannot be ignored. Children belonging to the age
bracket of 6-13 need minimum of 10 hours of sleep on an average, teenagers from the age of 14-
17 need approximately 9 hours of sleep every night, and the amount of sleep needed by the
individuals older than 18 is around 8 hours (Hillman & Lack, 2013). However, the research
suggested that the amount of sleep that the children, the teenagers and the adults using computers
are not even close to the recommended amount of sleep. While researching the topic, it was
found that the number teenagers suffering from sleep disorders due to excessive use of computer

re rising day by day. The research data that has been gathered from secondary sources of data
suggest that among the users of computers, regardless the age, the number of adverse health
effects such obesity and spondylitis are rising at rapid rates. Apart from people who are bound to
work on the computers, the number of people who use the computer for leisure is also rising.
They latter are also subject to the same hazardous effects that lead to health affects as mentioned
above. The following recommendations can be made in order to mitigate the problems that are
prevalent as a result of the amount of computer usage;
 Ergonomics and Posture: The main reason behind the health issues such as a joint and
muscle pain by the usage of computer are as a result of incorrect posture that the
individual was sitting at (Yap et al., 2013). The muscle fatigue and stress can be reduced
by incorporating correct postures while working on computers.
 Levelling the eyes with the screen: The angle at which an individual views the screen
determines the degree of stress that is exerted on the neck of the user. It also determines
the nature and amount of radiation entering the eyes of the individuals.
 Maintain distance from the screen: The distance that the eyes of the individual are
placed form the screen and the brightness of the screen determines the stress that is
exerted on the eyes of the individual (Jäckle et al., 2015). Maintaining good distance
from the screen prevent direct entry of the radiations in the eyes. Furthermore, it can be
said that reducing the brightness of the screen of the computer at nights help in reducing
the stress that is exerted on the eyes.
Carrying out the latter along with education regarding the same would help both the adults and
the students in avoiding the harmful effects and the hazards that are caused by the computers.

Conclusion
On a concluding note, it can be said that the increasing health hazards that are caused by
the excessive usage of computers hinder propel physiological processes within an individual.
The latter leads to health hazards such as obesity, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, spinal injuries
and many more adverse health effects. One of the major issue that were detected was the lack of
sleep in individuals regardless the age of the individuals. However, maintain correct posture,
maintain a correct eye angle and maintaining proper distance from the eye can be stated as the
ways to mitigate the problems associated with excessive use of computers.

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