Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are commonly defined as adverse events resulting from the provision of healthcare. The reduction of risk arising from the spread of pathogenic microorganisms in the hospital environment is a considerable challenge in the context of the proper functioning of the medical services sector. The financial costs of hospitals resulting from HAI are a serious problem for the Polish healthcare system. The spread of strains with a high level of drug resistance in individual hospitals is associated with the local epidemiological situation. In 2015-2017, there was a high increase in the number of infections caused by New Delhi strains. The highest increase due to this strain occurred in Mazowieckie and Podlasie provinces. The dynamics of infection caused by New Delhi strains throughout Poland in 2015-2016 indicated an increase of 278.7%. In 2017, the phenomenon of antibiotic abuse in all regions of Poland was 24% higher than the EU average. One of the reasons is the insufficient number of diagnostic tests ordered by both general practitioners and doctors representing hospital care. In 2016-2017, the average number of microbiological tests in diagnosing hospital infections performed annually within the entire territory of Poland was 50% lower than in European Union countries and the number recommended by WHO. Increased, and at the same time inappropriate antibiotic therapy led to a build-upof drug resistance among bacterial species of significant clinical importance. The current epidemiological situation imposes the necessity for constant HAI control and broadly understood rationalization of the guidelines of hospital antibiotic policy.

Background: Patient safety is defined as an activity that minimizes and removes possible errors and injuries to patients. A number of factors have been found to influence patient safety management, including the facilities available in the practice, communication and collaboration, education regarding patient safety and generic conditions. This study tested a theoretical model of patient safety interventions based on safety antecedents. Methods: Medical professionals were surveyed using a questionnaire developed by Gaal et al. The results were analyzed with SPSS 20 and AMOS. A hypothetical model of direct and indirect effects on patient safety in a primary care environment was created and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: SEM proved to be an effective tool to analyse safety in primary care. The facilities in the practice appear to have no significant influence on patient safety management in the case of female respondents, those below mean age, those who are not GPs (general practitioner) and respondents not working in counselling centres. Conclusions: The integrated safety model described in the study can improve patient safety management.

Almost all European citizens rank patient safety as very or fairly important in their country. However, few patient safety initiatives have been undertaken or implemented in Poland. The aim was to identify patient safety strategies perceived as important in Poland and compare them with those identified in an earlier Dutch study. A web-based survey was conducted among primary healthcare providers in Poland. The findings were compared with those obtained from eight other countries. The strategies regarded as most important in Poland included the use of integrated medical records for communication with specialists and others, patient-held medical records, acceptable workload in general practice, and availability of information technology. However, despite being seen as important, these strategies have not been widely implemented in Poland. This is the first study to identify strategies considered by primary care physicians in Poland to be important for improving patient safety. These strategies differed significantly from those indicated in other countries.

Digital technologies have revolutionised trade. The purchasing activity shifted from the physical space of brick-and-mortar shops to the virtual environment of the internet, and consequently a new group of consumers emerged – e-consumers. Understanding the factors influencing online purchasing decisions has become of key importance for both researchers and business practitioners. E-commerce has been dynamically developing, which motivates companies to seek effective strategies for engaging e-consumers in the purchasing process and building their loyalty to brands and products. The aim of the study presented in this article is to assess the influence of selected factors on the purchasing behaviour of university students shopping online. The study was carried out in November 2021 on a sample of 620 students from several universities in Poland majoring in economics, finance and accounting, IT and management. Respondents were selected by means of a stratified random sampling method, taking into account their age, gender and place of residence. Data were collected using a standardised questionnaire survey. To identify the factors influencing respondent’ purchasing behaviour and determine their impact on purchasing decisions, a structural model was developed using the maximum likelihood method, and the relationships between endogenous variables were analysed. The analysis demonstrated that the availability of product information, product quality and warranty have the greatest impact on the purchasing behaviour of the respondents. Statistical tests confirmed the significance of these dependencies, indicating that the influence of the above-mentioned factors on purchasing decisions is not random. The results of the study might be useful for producers designing marketing strategies and adapting the range of products to customers’ expectations.