This study explored the level and selected determinants of burnout among five groups of healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, paramedics, other medical and nonmedical staff) working during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. This cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2022, with the use of a self-administered mostly online survey. The BAT-12 scale was used to measure burnout, and the PSS-4 scale was used to measure stress. The sample was limited to 2196 individuals who worked with patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. A series of multivariate logistic regression models with three to nine predictors was estimated. The prevalence of burnout ranged from 27.7% in other nonmedical staff to 36.5% in nurses. Adjusting for age and gender, both physicians (p = 0.011) and nurses (p < 0.001) were at higher risk of burnout. In the final model, elevated stress most likely increased the risk of burnout (OR = 3.88; 95%CI ; p < 0,001). Other significant predictors of burnout included traumatic work-related experience (OR =1.91, p < 0.001), mobbing (OR = 1.83, p < 0.001) and higher workload than before the pandemic (OR = 1.41, p = 0.002). Only 7% of the respondents decided to use various forms of psychological support during the pandemic. The presented research can contribute to the effective planning and implementation of measures in the face of crisis when the workload continues to increase.

There is a discrepancy between the educational needs and the opportunities to obtain reliable knowledge about sexuality in adolescence. This study aimed to assess the conjunctive influence of family and school in shaping this knowledge. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively within a cross-sectional survey conducted in Poland in 2017 (18–26 yrs; N = 595). The respondents’ experiences in terms of the presence and quality of sexuality education (SE) at school and in conversations with parents about related issues were considered. Results: Of all the respondents, 31.1% had no sexuality education classes in school or rated them as useless, 41.5% never discussed sexuality-related topics with parents and both were true for 17.6%. Puberty and contraception were most frequently discussed with parents, while sexual pleasure and masturbation were discussed least frequently. The diversity of topics taken up with parents and the possibility of discussions with mothers turned out to be the most important factors for shaping adolescents’ knowledge. A relationship with the quality of sexuality education at school was additionally revealed for girls, while a relationship with talking to fathers was revealed for boys. Conclusions: Schools and families should work together to strengthen proper sexual development by meeting adolescents’ needs in the field of their knowledge on human sexuality.

Medical humanity is an essential element of medical education, and the respective courses are introduced to the curricula of medical schools worldwide. However, significant differences in this type of medical education were identified in Italy, Spain, and the UK. In Poland, this issue was not yet analyzed. The classes offered on a compulsory and not elective basis secure the uniform skills of future physicians. Therefore, we were prompted to ask a question: do Polish medical students receive equal compulsory education in medical humanities? To answer that question, we performed a content analysis of mandatory classes’ frequency, types, and content on medical humanization and communication in Polish medical schools. The study used publicly available information provided on the home pages of the universities to perform content and comparative analyses. Of 22 identified universities, 15 had publicly listed teaching programs, and nine had freely available syllabi. The names and types of courses varied from school to school. The number of hours the courses offered throughout medical education ranged from 15 to 216. In some medical schools, the classes were scheduled during the early, pre-clinical part of the study, whereas in other schools they were offered each year. The content of the courses always covered the topics of physician–patient communication but rarely offered protocols, such as the Calgary Cambridge guide. We conclude that the medical humanities represented by medical humanization and communication courses are included in the publicly available compulsory curriculum of most Polish medical schools. However, to secure equal education of future Polish physicians, there is a need to unify the medical humanities program.

Medical humanities (MH) courses are a critical element of the medical curriculum influencing the establishment of a physician in the medical profession. However, the opinion about MH among medical students remains unknown. Interviews from seven focus groups were analysed. The students attended one of three Polish medical schools in Gdansk, Krakow, and Warsaw and were recruited to the discussion focused on the impact of drug manufacturers’ presence at medical universities on socialization in the medical profession. Thematic analysis was conducted using the theoretical framework of social constructivism. The students’ opinions about the MH classes arose during the analysis. In six groups, students thought that MH courses would be helpful in their future medical practice. However, in four groups, different opinion was expressed that MH courses were unnecessary or even “a waste of time”. Factors discouraging students from the MH classes included poorly taught courses (monotonous, uninteresting, unrelated to medical practice, taught by unsuitable lecturers). Secondly, students thought that the time investment in the MH was too extensive. Furthermore, curriculum problems were identified, reflecting the incompatibility between the content of MH courses and teaching semesters. Lastly, some students stated that participation in MH courses should be elective and based on individual interests. Addressing problems recognized in this work could improve the training of future Polish physicians.

Wprowadzenie. Zagadnienia ludzkiej seksualności są niezwykle ważnym obszarem działalności edukacyjnej i wychowawczej, a potrzeby w zakresie edukacji seksualnej wydają się obecnie bezdyskusyjne. Ta konieczność wynika z szeregu współczesnych zjawisk społecznych, wśród których należy wymienić przede wszystkim przekształcanie się nowoczesnych ludzkich zbiorowości w społeczeństwa informatyczne (informacyjne). Przejawia się to w natychmiastowym i nieograniczonym dostępie do wielu źródeł wiedzy, przy jednoczesnym problemie z weryfikowaniem ich jakości i prawdziwości, a także w wysokim ryzyku natrafienia na treści szkodliwe i niebezpieczne. Nie bez znaczenia jest także zjawisko seksualizacji dzieci, rozumiane jako nadawanie im cech osób dojrzałych i atrakcyjnych seksualnie, przy jednoczesnym sprowadzaniu wartości osoby wyłącznie do jej fizyczności i wyglądu. Oprócz tego w sferze publicznej są obecne dwa dyskursy o edukacji seksualnej (konserwatywny i liberalny), silnie spolaryzowane i wzajemnie się wykluczające. Spór w tym kontekście w głównej mierze dotyczy potrzeby, celowości, założeń, wpływu, postaci, treści czy osób prowadzących edukację w zakresie seksualności. Dyskusja ta jest mocno upolityczniona i ma światopoglądowy charakter. Cel. Celem artykułu jest omówienie teoretycznych aspektów edukacji seksualnej. Przedstawiono różne ujęcia definicyjne i relacje pomiędzy edukacją a wychowaniem seksualnym, typy edukacji i ich skuteczność oraz historię wprowadzania treści z zakresu seksualności człowieka do polskich szkół. Wskazano najważniejsze cechy skutecznej i profesjonalnej edukacji seksualnej oraz zadania rodziny w tym zakresie. Materiały i metody. Dokumenty krajowe i międzynarodowe, literatura przedmiotu. Analiza treści.

Background: Medical schools teach Medical Humanities (MH) to provide students with knowledge about the human experience related to health, illness, disease, medicine, and healthcare. Due to the previously observed negative opinions about MH courses, we examined the expectations of medical students in Poland toward humanities subjects. Methods: We conducted a voluntary, anonymous electronic survey in one medical school (single-center study) and collected data from 166 medical students. The results were analyzed by comparing continuous and categorical variables between groups (gender, year of study, previous participation in MH classes). Results: The students expected to learn how to communicate with patients and their families, especially about difficult topics. They also expected the classes to be active, stress-free, and without passing grades. The preferred MH teacher was a physician, although choosing a psychologist or other qualified person as an MH teacher was also popular. Previous participants in MH courses were more likely to expect such a course to be compulsory than those who had yet to attend it. Conclusion: Considering the students’ expectations when designing MH classes could increase students’ satisfaction with MH courses.