Objectives: Monitoring tobacco use is one of the most important tobacco control interventions recommended by the World Health Organization. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cigarette smoking, e-cigarette use, and heated tobacco use in a nationwide sample of adults in Poland, as well...

Objectives: Herpes zoster (HZ), caused by varicella zoster virus reactivation, affects a significant portion of the population, leading to substantial morbidity. Vaccination is highly effective in preventing HZ, yet awareness and uptake remain low. This study assessed awareness and willingness to vaccinate against HZ in Poland following the introduction of a reimbursement policy. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional survey (September 2024) using a computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) method collected data from 1137 adults. Factors associated with HZ vaccine awareness and willingness were analyzed using logistic regression models. Results: Only 47% of respondents reported awareness of the HZ vaccine. Television was the primary information source (52%). Factors associated with awareness included chronic disease status (aOR = 1.35, 1.02–1.80, p = 0.04). Willingness to vaccinate was reported by 63.7% of eligible participants, with factors such as the absence of children (aOR = 1.30, 1.01–1.69, p = 0.04) and moderate financial status (aOR = 1.51, 1.04–2.18, p = 0.03) being associated with higher willingness. Conclusions: Significant gaps exist in public awareness and willingness to vaccinate against HZ in Poland. Multifaceted strategies, including targeted media campaigns, enhanced physician engagement and improved access, are needed to increase vaccination rates.

Introduction Urbanisation is a global process leading to development of urban infrastructure and thus an increase in the population of urban areas. Health threats, including epidemics of infectious diseases that may break out in growing urban areas, can spread quickly and their effects could spread outside of the local territory. Purpose To outline the relationship between globalising, post-modern urbanisation processes, in particular the specific form of extended urbanisation, and the risks posed by infectious diseases that could give rise to new epidemics or pandemics. State of knowledge Health risks occurring at the local level of an urban area react to, and simultaneously affect, health situation occurring at an indefinite distance from the original site of the event. An important impact on the situation are the expanding or newly emerging urban areas, which cause negative changes in social conditions, and the increase in spatial mobility of the global population, which facilitates the spread of infectious diseases. Summary Understanding 21st century urban trends is the key to improving collective health. Adopting a "public health perspective" regarding values and attitudes towards social phenomena and reality, as well as the necessary methods of conduct, seems to be one of the main challenges of the current era in which people around the world, regardless of the country's development status and level of resources, currently live in within one “ecosystem of infectious diseases”. Planned and controlled urbanization, taking into account the achievements of modern epidemiology, including molecular epidemiology, will help will help along the remediation of the cities of the future.

Prevalence and Drivers of Missed Healthcare Appointments in Poland: Insights From a 2025 Survey - Article abstract #951944

Introduction and objective: Diabetes, with its medical complications and societal consequences, is one the most difficult concerns for modern society. The purpose of this narrative review is to characterize the selected public health challenges and opportunities resulting from diabetes in...

Introduction and objective: The number of patients diagnosed with diabetes is constantly increasing. Opportunistic screening for diabetes, based on blood glucose tests, can result in early diagnosis and mitigation of its complications. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of...