Fear of COVID-19 among employees of large companies and vaccination against COVID-19 - a cross-sectional study (Silesia, Poland)

Introduction and Objective. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the functioning of the entire globe. By the end of December 2020, the disease had been diagnosed in more than 82 million people worldwide, and nearly 2 million people had died. The main preventive measure was to develop an effective vaccine as soon as possible, which Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Gamaleya Center managed to do in late 2020. The first vaccines arrived in Poland after the end of December 2020, but their appearance was not without controversy. The aim of this study was to compare respondents' opinions on COVID-19 vaccination with the results of the assessment of fear of infection. Material and methods. The opinions of 300 employees of large companies on COVID-19 vaccination and fear of SARS-CoV-2 (FCV-19S) infection according to Ahorsu were checked. Results. It was shown that 54% of the respondents express a willingness to vaccinate whenever possible, while 42% are not interested in vaccinating. In favor of the willingness to vaccinate is the option to return to the standard of living before the COVID-19 pandemic - 72%, and the desire to protect those around them from possible infection - 46%. Among opponents of vaccination, the predominant opinion is that the vaccine has not undergone enough testing and is not safe for health - 68%. Discussion. COVID-19 vaccination is one of the major medical successes of recent years and a safe way to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is worrying that those who opt out of vaccination indicate that they do not have enough information about vaccination (44%), and this is an issue that needs to be changed quickly. Conclusions. Those who express a willingness to vaccinate are more likely to have a higher level of fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection than those who have not expressed a willingness to vaccinate. Nearly half of non-vaccinators indicate that there is too little information about vaccination

Do local governments in Poland care about the physical activity of the local community? Health promotion activities targeting physical activity organized by local government units

Introduction. When it comes to physical activity, activities at the local government level are extremely important, including, among other things, investing in the development of recreational and sports infrastructure in municipalities and counties, as well as implementing and financing health programs aimed at promoting physical activity among the population. Also, activities at the central level, implemented by the ministries of education, health, or transportation, aiming to implement policies that encourage the public to move, have a significant impact on the level of physical activity among young people. Objective. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of implementation of public health tasks by local government units in Poland, with a particular focus on activities in the area of physical activity. Material and methods. The study was conducted from May 13, 2020, to October 31, 2021. (18 months) in electronic form. The research group consisted of 1,118 representatives of local government offices of two levels: municipal (962 offices; 91.9% of the total) and district (91 offices; 8.1% of the total). According to the state at the time of the survey (as of 01.01.2021), Poland is divided into 16 provinces, 314 counties 2,477 municipalities (302 urban including 66 cities with county rights, 652 urban-rural and 1,523 rural). The survey covered 41.5% of municipalities and 29% of districts in Poland. Results and conclusions. The vast majority of local governments declare that they undertake activities in the area of physical activity, and these activities are often undertaken in cooperation with other local governments. Local governments very rarely implement health policy programs that include interventions in the area of physical activity, and among the reasons for not implementing such activities they usually point to financial and staffing problems

The role of academic sport in health promotion - the example of the Academic Sports Association in Poland

Academic sports are physical activities in which members of the academic community participate: students, doctoral students, research, teaching or administrative staff of higher education institutions. The academic community is extremely diverse, but as a rule, it is rarely associated directly with physical activity, but rather with the advancement of knowledge and the development of science. All the more reason why the promotion of physical activity in this community is extremely important for maintaining the psychophysical well-being of members of this group. The AZS is the most numerous academic organization in Poland, with nearly 33,000 members. The Association's Academic Championships of Poland and community leagues are the primary system of rivalry between universities in the country. Among the objectives of AZS are those relating directly or indirectly to the promotion of health, including: the dissemination of physical culture and tourism, raising physical fitness and improving health among the academic community, working for the rehabilitation of the disabled or counteracting social pathologies, particularly addictions that threaten the environment of young students. These goals are pursued through various types of programs and projects, including sports activation of the academic community within the framework of sports sections, especially within the framework of general sports, organized sports competitions both at the university, regional, national or international level. Academic sports are also often the only available opportunity for physical activity during college, where physical education classes usually last no more than a year in the five-year cycle of study

The role of local government units in increasing access to therapeutic rehabilitation services for patients with musculoskeletal diseases

Chronic diseases of the osteoarticular and muscular system belong to a group of health problems that lead to a limitation of the organism's efficiency, making it difficult or impossible for individuals to function normally. Of the forms of treatment used for chronic diseases of the osteoarticular system, rehabilitation is by far the most common. These activities are mainly financed by the National Health Fund, as well as by social insurance. A complementary role is played by local governments that finance medical rehabilitation for their residents in the form of health policy programmes, implemented as public health tasks. An important argument in favour of rehabilitation at the self-governmental level is the long waiting time for medical rehabilitation services financed by the National Health Fund.           The aim of the paper was to show the role of local government in increasing access to therapeutic rehabilitation services for patients with musculoskeletal diseases. The paper discusses such issues as the importance of musculoskeletal diseases for the efficiency of individuals, organization and financing of guaranteed services in curative rehabilitation, as well as increasing access to these services at the local government level

Physical activity promotion at the local government level among the local community

Physical inactivity is a major public health issue. For the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, and a number of malignancies, regular physical activity is a critical protective factor. Along with helping to maintain a healthy weight and overall wellbeing, physical activity has positive effects on mental health, including the avoidance of cognitive decline and the symptoms of despair and anxiety. Local governments all across the world have responded to this problem by launching population-level projects that give locals access to exercise opportunities. Local governments, through the implementation of their own tasks of health promotion and protection, carry out public health tasks as defined by the Law of 11 September 2015 on Public Health. These tasks include activities in the area of physical activity.           The aim of the article was to show the role of local government in promoting physical activity among the local community. The article discusses such issues as WHO recommendations for physical activity as well as activities undertaken by local governments in the area of health promotion in the form of health policy programs and activities carried out in cooperation with NGOs

Electronic forms of entertainment in the context of physical activity and addiction risk – a knowledge review

A new way of spending leisure time browsing the Internet, using social networking sites, and playing games has created a new health problem: cell phone addiction. So-called phonoholism or netholism is most thriving among young people, who prioritize entertainment in the real world, which most often necessitates physical activity, over entertainment in the virtual world, which requires a more static approach. However, some companies have gone against the traditional use of phone games by creating multimedia city games that require a dynamic-movement approach. The aim of this review is to gather current theoretical knowledge about electronic forms of entertainment in the context of their influence on users' physical activity, creation of health potential and formation of risk of addiction to such forms of entertainment

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on indirect costs of mental illness and behavioral disorders in Poland

IntroductionIn various research, the estimation of the disease’s economic burden has been taken into consideration. But given the fact that different settings will have distinguished consequences, determining the economic burden of COVID-19 in the studied environment is of great importance. As a result, this study aimed to show the change in indirect costs of mental health problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland.Methods and ResultsIndirect costs related to mental health problems were analyzed from the perspective of the Social Insurance Institution in Poland. In 2021, they amounted to about 285.8 billion PLN (Polish currency) [61.1 billion EUR (European currency)], up 6% from the previous year. A large increase in spending on disability benefits was observed for 2019–2021 (+14.7%). Disease groups generating the highest expenditures in the structure of total expenditures on incapacity benefits in 2021 in Poland were mental health problems (16.7% of total expenditures). Expenditures on disability benefits related to mental health problems incurred by Social Security in 2021 amounted to about 7.42 billion PLN [1.6 billion EUR] and were 19.4% higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic). In the 2012–2019 period, there was a significant decrease in expenses related to inpatient rehabilitation (41.3%), while in 2020–2021, these expenses decreased several times as the epidemiological situation related to the COVID pandemic reduced access to such services.DiscussionThis is the first study on the economic burden of COVID-19 indirect costs in Poland. Calculating the economic impact is crucial, particularly when there is a large disease outbreak and countries are severely constrained by financial resources. Doing so could aid in the development of effective social security policies. As shown in this study, the indirect costs of absenteeism expenses due to mental health problems increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is necessary to take all possible measures, both in the field of primary and secondary prevention, to prevent disability and exclusion from the labor market of people affected by mental health problems, which is justified by epidemiological data and financial data on the expenses incurred by Social Security for social insurance benefits

Eating disorders as a consequence of improperly managed weight reduction - a study among women with moderate physical activity

Background: Eating disorders are a growing public health challenge. They are characterized by complexity, requiring a wide spectrum of treatment due to the diseases present, somatic complications, body dissatisfaction, and communication difficulties. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of eating disorder risk associated with poorly managed weight loss. Material and methods: the study was conducted on a group of 214 women using a questionnaire by indirect survey method through a form provided online. A proprietary survey questionnaire supplemented by two standardized questionnaires was used: EAT-26 and ORTO-15. Results: The body mass index of 149 respondents (70%) remained normal, while overweight and obese women accounted for a total of 23% - 14% (31 subjects) and 7% (19 subjects), respectively. The study using the EAT-26 questionnaire showed that among the 214 respondents, 98 women were at risk for eating disorders, accounting for 46% of the study group. A cutoff score of 20 was taken as the threshold. A statistically significant difference was noted between BMI and the risk of eating disorders (χ2=26.447; p<0.05), as well as a statistically significant difference between relationships with food and the risk of eating disorders (χ2=31.393; p<0.05). A study using the ORTO-15 questionnaire showed a risk of orthorexia among 184 female respondents (86%) in the study group when a 40-point cutoff is adopted. A statistically significant relationship was observed between the occurrence of orthorexia risk and eating disorders (χ2=4.980; p<0.05). In the group of female respondents with an identified risk of eating disorders, almost half of the respondents show a risk of orthorexia. Conclusions: The occurrence of eating disorders and symptoms indicative of orthorexia does not depend on sociodemographic factors. The appearance of ED may be influenced by the BMI of the subjects. The risk of eating disorders is influenced by relationships with food

Awareness of the costs of selected medical procedures and the use of healthcare among young adults in Poland

Aim:  The study aimed to test students' awareness of the costs of selected medical procedures. Another aim was to identify the frequency of used medical benefits both as part of public and private medical care. Materials and Methods: The research group included 246 people, both women, and men, aged 19-29, studying in Poland. An anonymous research questionnaire was used to conduct the study, which was sent to 21 universities in Poland (medical universities and physical education academies). The questionnaire asked participants to estimate the costs of treatments and investigations. The respondents were also asked which services of medical specialists they used in the last year. Results: Outpatient specialist care services under the public health care system were used by the majority of respondents (N = 200; 81.3%). Most often it was 1-2 times in the last year (54.5% of all respondents used the public health service). The respondents most often used gynecological (33%), ophthalmological (21%), and dermatological (15.5%). In turn, private medical care was used by 192 respondents (78%) out of all the respondents. Respondents revalued all assessed medical procedures by 27% for the diagnostic colonoscopy to 790% for a 20-minute massage at a rehabilitation clinic. Conclusion:  Cost awareness among polish students is poor. Lack of awareness of the costs of medical procedures (the amount that the public payer pays for specific procedures medical) that may have an impact on the use of healthcare services as well as health care expenses