Interpersonal communication plays a key role in the treatment process. It affects not only the patient’s satisfaction with the course of treatment, but also allows the achievement of the best outcome in the therapeutic process. The process of patient empowerment and putting them in the role of a partner in the therapeutic process makes it possible to build a relationship based on trust, kindness and empathy. The aim of the study is to show the relationship between a patient’s sense of safety and access to health information, friendly and empathetic treatment by medical staff and a relationship based on trust. The study is conducted on patients from public hospitals in Wrocław by using the author’s questionnaire. One of the five most important factors according to respondents is the sense of safety, as reported by more than half of the patients (54.4%)—this is the opinion of more than half of the patients (54.4%). The respondents assessed the quality of patient care as an average of M = 41.1/50 points. There is a strong positive correlation between the sense of security and the access to information (rho = 0.642), kind treatment (rho = 0.623), trust in medical staff (rho = 0.758) and satisfaction with hospital stay (rho = 0.758).
Background/Objectives: Paramedics are routinely exposed to high psychosocial strain due to the demanding and unpredictable nature of emergency medical work. This study aimed to examine psychosocial and behavioral factors—working hours, stress, burnout, and physical activity—associated with self-reported work ability among paramedics in Poland. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between July 2023 and January 2024 among paramedics—whether active in Emergency Medical Services or holding a second degree and employed as a nurse—using the Polish version of the Work Ability Index and a stress and burnout assessment tool recommended by the European Commission. Statistical analyses, including Spearman correlation and group comparisons, were performed with a significance level of α = 0.05. Results: Work ability correlated positively with physical activity and negatively with age, stress, and burnout (p < 0.05). The strongest association was observed between stress and burnout (ρ = 0.837). Paramedics working in ambulance services reported significantly higher stress and burnout levels than hospital personnel (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002), although work ability did not differ by workplace. Conclusions: These findings indicate that psychosocial stress, burnout, and low physical activity substantially reduce work ability among paramedics, emphasizing the need for targeted preventive strategies—such as stress management, promotion of physical activity, and regulation of working hours—to support the health and sustainability of the emergency medical workforce.
Introduction: Patients are increasingly aware of ways to manage their own health—especially regarding chronic diseases—along with the fundamental factors that should be present in well-organized and patient-oriented healthcare organizations. Due to the fact that the image of healthcare organizations depends on patients’ opinions, healthcare organizations are continuously improving and transforming their processes to increase patient satisfaction. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between patients’ opinions about the public hospitals in which they were treated and selected factors, including socio-demographic characteristics, previous hospital experiences, sources of information, and satisfaction with hospitalization in Poland. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients hospitalized in eight public hospitals in Wrocław. A self-developed questionnaire included two sections: (I) opinions about the hospital (11 items) and (II) expectations and satisfaction (12 items). Questionnaires were distributed in person. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and chi-square tests. Results: Hospital image was shaped mainly by interpersonal factors, particularly staff kindness (82.9%), access to specialists (75.4%), and a sense of safety (54.4%). Women were more likely than men to seek information about hospitals before admission (47.6% vs. 39.3%; p = 0.021). A positive correlation was found between patient expectations and satisfaction with hospitalization (ρ = 0.425; p < 0.001). Media exposure played a minor role in shaping hospital image (22.1%), while personal recommendations and previous experience were the dominant sources of influence. Conclusions: Patients’ assessments of hospital image are determined primarily by relational and communication factors rather than infrastructural or technical aspects. Sociodemographic characteristics, such as gender and previous contact with the institution, may moderate these perceptions. The findings highlight the need to strengthen patient-centered care models, improve communication competencies among health professionals, and develop transparent institutional communication strategies.
Background/Objectives: Hypothyroidism, including subclinical hypothyroidism, may affect mental health in children and adolescents through disturbances of neurotransmission and dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid and stress axes. Anxiety disorders are common in this population and frequently coexist with somatic symptoms overlapping those of hypothyroidism, complicating diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the association between levothyroxine treatment for hypothyroidism and the need for psychiatric interventions in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using data from the TriNetX global research network. Patients aged 5–18 years with diagnoses of hypothyroidism (ICD-10: E03) and anxiety disorders (ICD-10: F41) were included. Two propensity score–matched cohorts were analysed: patients treated with levothyroxine (n = 1861) and untreated patients (n = 1861). Outcomes included psychiatric hospitalisations, use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic-like antidepressants, frequency of psychiatric and psychotherapeutic consultations, and the occurrence of suicidal ideation and self-harm. Results: Levothyroxine treatment was associated with lower odds of SSRI use (OR = 0.58; p < 0.001), fewer psychiatric consultations (OR = 0.48; p < 0.001), and lower recorded use of psychotherapy (OR = 0.75; p = 0.029). Suicidal ideation and self-harm were recorded less frequently in the treated group (OR = 0.53; p = 0.001). No significant differences were observed in psychiatric hospitalisation rates. Use of tricyclic-like antidepressants was uncommon and did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: Among children and adolescents with comorbid anxiety disorders, levothyroxine treatment for hypothyroidism is associated with lower recorded utilization of certain psychiatric services and lower recorded rates of suicidal ideation and self-harm. Due to the retrospective design, causal inferences cannot be made, and the findings should be considered hypothesis-generating, requiring confirmation in prospective studies with standardised psychiatric outcome measures.