Attitudes toward folk medicine among medical students in Poland: the impact of gender, place of residence, and year of study

Introduction. Europe is the region with the greatest proportion of deaths (16%) attributable to tobacco smoking worldwide. Medical students and physicians should set an example of tobacco-smoking abstinence for their patients. Aim. The aim of the study was to compare opinions on behaviors and attitudes of Czech and Polish medical students about tobacco smoking and the position of a physician in anti-smoking counseling. Material and methods. The Global Health Professions Student Survey (GHPSS) was conducted among 707 medical students in Czech Republic in 2011 and among 1164 medical students in Poland. Results. Twety percent of polish and 25,7% of Czech medical students declared current tobacco smoking. Eighty-one percent in Poland and 60% in Czech Republic felt that physicians should be trained in smoking cessation techniques but only 27% of the medical students in Poland and 2,8% in Czech Republic , declared that such a course had been realized during the course of their education. Conclusion. Over a fifth of Polish students and a quarter of Czech students declared themselves as active smokers. It is worrying that about half of Polish students were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, while only one-fifth of Czech students declared such exposure. Polish and Czech students agreed that the doctor will play an important role in the patient’s smoking cessation process and that physicians should give advice on quitting smoking.

Introduction and objective. Depression is a common mental disorder that affects over 264 million people worldwide. Medical students are at a particularly high risk of this disease. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of depression among Polish medical students and to determine predictors of this disease that are related to student’s lifestyle. Material and method. A total of 1023 medical students took part in the study. The research tool included a Polish version of the PHQ-9 questionnaire and author’s questions which concerned sociodemographic characteristics of the investigated group and analyzed factors. Answers were collected in the April of 2020. Results. About a half of the students (51.61%, 95% CI: 48.50 – 54.72) were found to have major depression (PHQ score ≥ 10). 30.21% of the students had mild depressive symptoms, 26.00% – moderate depressive symptoms and 15.05% – moderately severe depressive symptoms. 10.56% of the participants had symptoms of severe depression. A statistically significant relationship was found between major depression and: frequent feelings of loneliness, not doing sports regularly, not getting enough sleep, not participating in social meetings often enough, having problems with maintaining stable body weight, using alcohol in order to relieve stress or negative emotions and being non-religious. Conclusions. Depression among medical students in Poland is common. There are many lifestyle-linked predictors which are associated with this disease in the above-mentioned group. It is crucial to take actions aimed at reducing the high prevalence rates of depression among medical students in Poland, such as introducing routine screening for depression and creating resources that would enable students to obtain help.

This study explored perceptions of the nursing profession held by medical students in Poland. Specifically, this study aimed to: (i) elicit medical students' opinions about the nursing profession; (ii) identify what skills and abilities they perceive as important for nurses and (iii) ascertain what nursing functions are considered a major component of the nurse's job. A cross-sectional study, based on the social construct of role theory, was conducted in medical universities from 2005 to 2006 in three cities situated in different regions of Poland: Białystok, Bydgoszcz and Kraków. A total of 900 medical students, 300 students in each region, in medical school years 1, 3 and 6 completed the Professional Nursing Image Survey. The most favourable nurse characteristics were: 'professional reliability', 'demonstration of good technical skills' and the personal characteristics of friendliness and courteousness. Medication administration, recording vital signs and administering intravenous therapy were most frequently identified as a major part of the nurses' role. In conclusion, the opinions of Polish medical students suggest that nursing therapeutic activities trump independent nursing practice activities.

Objectives:Medical students experience numerous demands during the education process, which determine their quality of life (QoL). In particular, the first years of medical studies are a challenge for students. This paper aims to identify and evaluate the quality of life with simultaneous assessment of their determinants in Polish medical students in Poland during longitudinal observation.Material and Methods:The authors analyzed data collected from the first follow-up of the cohort study named POLLEK (Polski Lekarz – The Polish Physician) conducted among medical students at the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland. The QoL was assessed using the abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Test – Bref (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Students were followed at 2 points of time: in their first year of studies – the academic year 2021/2022 (T1) (N = 427), and then in their second year – the academic year 2022/2023 (T2) (N = 335).Results:Changes in QoL indicators were analyzed using paired data. A significant decrease in the QoL scores in the somatic and psychological domain in T2 was observed, while scores in the environmental domain showed an increase by T2. In addition, it was found that better self-rated health (SRH), higher physical activity (PA), and better socioeconomic status (SES) were the key determinants of higher quality of life domains across both T1 and T2 domains.Conclusions:In conclusion, although the overall QoL remained stable throughout the observation period, the QoL in the somatic and psychological domains deteriorated among medical students between T1 and T2. However, there was a slight improvement in the environmental domain during the second year. The observations suggest that medical schools should actively promote a balance between schoolwork and the personal life of medical students, and courses on coping with difficult, stressful situations. These activities should be introduced at an early stage of medical education.

Introduction: Depression and anxiety disorders are much more common among medical students than in the general population. Due to additional risk factors, foreign students may be particularly vulnerable. Despite this, there is still an insufficient number of studies analyzing the prevalence of mental disorders among foreign medical students, especially in Poland. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess and compare the prevalence of anxiety and depression disorders between domestic and foreign medical students in Poland. Material and methods: An anonymous internet survey containing questions about socio-demography and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire was distributed among students. Based on the field of study and country of origin, participants were divided into 3 groups – Polish medical student group (PMG, n = 214); foreign medical student group (FMG, n = 59) and control group, which were Polish students of other faculties (CG, n = 476). The study groups were compared using the χ2 test. Results and discussion: The prevalence of depression disorders was 30%, 31% and 28% (PMG, FMG and CG, respectively). No statistically significant difference was observed between the study groups (P = 0.77). The prevalence of anxiety disorders was 57%, 90% and 59% (PMG, FMG and CG, respectively). Anxiety disorders were more common among FMG as compared to PMG and CG (P < 0.01 in both cases). Conclusions: The prevalence of depression and anxiety among medical students in Poland is high. Foreign medical students appear to be particularly vulnerable to anxiety disorders.

Introduction. Due to high prevalence of diabetes mellitus all over the world it is essential for students who will become doctors of different specialties to possess a basic knowledge of it in this field. This pilot surveybased study was designed to assess diabetes related knowledge among faculty of medicine students from all of the medical universities in Poland. Materials and methods. Students were invited to fulfill the questionnaire during Students’ Diabetology Conference and via the Internet (social media). The survey consisted of questions about respondent’s age and personal history of diabetes and diabetes related knowledge (etiology, symptoms, risk factors, complications and treatment of diabetes mellitus and additionally a section concerning gestational diabetes). Results. A total number of 1200 medical students from Poland (70% women; mean age [SD] 22.12 [1.83] years of age) completed the survey. Mean test result was 66.62%. The best score was observed in the group of students enrolled in the 5th and 6th year of study, and those with diabetes mellitus type 1. Conclusions. The study outcome proves that knowledge about diabetes mellitus among surveyed medical students in Poland is insufficient, therefore persistent improvement in transmitting it during the course of medical education is essential.

Background: The literature indicates that medical students in Poland, much like their counterparts globally, face higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression compared to the general population. Because of stigma and confidentiality concerns, they tend to avoid seeking help, which delays timely and appropriate support. Moreover, the availability of mental health support (MHS) for medical students remains an ongoing issue. Methods and Objectives: The study focused on assessing the availability of Mental Health Services (MHS) at the top five universities in Poland offering MD programs, as per the 2023 Perspektywy University Ranking: Jagiellonian University Medical College (KR), Medical University of Warsaw (WA), Wroclaw Medical University (WR), Medical University of Gdansk (GD), and Medical University of Lodz (LD). Our analysis involved the examination of information pertaining to MHS on the official university websites. Furthermore, during the academic year 2022/2023, a concise, open-ended questionnaire regarding the availability of MHS was dispatched to the Dean's offices of the aforementioned universities. Results: All universities offer free MHS in Polish and English, and WR additionally in German. Most programs provide hybrid support. MHS consists of short-term interventions and is limited to five hours per student in LD, and three visits per student in WR. Other forms of support include well-being programs like coaching, psychoeducation, biofeedback training, stress management training, mindfulness sessions, and yoga. Two universities reported an increased demand for psychological support due to COVID-19. Conclusions: All major medical universities in Poland offer mental health support (MHS); however, the extent of their services varies. To optimize the impact of these programs, it is imperative to institute quality standards and ensure sustainable funding. Further investigation is necessary to assess the effectiveness of the provided MHS. Implementing comprehensive MHS in medical education institutions is crucial for the well-being of future healthcare professionals.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe Latinos' use of folk medicine and the values associated with it in the context of mainstream health care. The research questions focused on the meaning of folk medicine in the Latino culture and how participants made decisions regarding the use of folk medicine or modern biomedicine. Interviews were conducted with six Latinos living in a New England city who had used folk medicine. Three themes were identified: being sick, healers and healing, and faith and believing. The participants in this study valued their cultural folk medicine and folk healers. However, none relied exclusively on folk medicine. All used mainstream health care providers for specific purposes. A major reason for not using mainstream health care providers more frequently was the perceived lack of holistic care and the use of medicines that are not natural.

(1) Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly in 2020, medical universities have been affected by a particular crisis. Due to the increased risk of SARS CoV-2 transmission, the authorities of medical faculties all over the world, including Poland, started to minimize direct contact between students. The objective of the paper is to identify and assess determinants of the quality of life among medical students in Poland before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: We analyzed data obtained in a cross-sectional study performed among three groups of students tested in three consecutive research periods: period before the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period and the COVID-19 pandemic period following lockdown. (3) Results: The total number of participants was 1098. We identified that the research period before the COVID-19 pandemic was the risk factor for lower quality of life in terms of the somatic and environmental domains. It was also confirmed that determinants such as poor financial situation, low frequency of physical activity and bad self-declared health status harmed the QoL scores in all domains. (4) Conclusions: The obtained results confirmed that better financial situation, higher physical activity and better self-declared health status were statistically significant factors improving the quality of life of first-year medical students in Poland. The findings of our study also showed that the declared somatic and environmental domains of QoL among medical students were better during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Our observations confirmed that the immediate implementation of e-learning could protect against the deterioration of mental health and quality of life in first-year medical students during possible future epidemic crises.

Background: In psychiatry, gambling is classified as an addiction-related disorder and is characterized by a persistent, problematic pattern of behaviour that leads to significant distress and functional impairment. This study aims to explore the prevalence, underlying motivations, and potential academic impact of gambling behaviours among medical students in Poland. Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted among students from multiple medical universities across Poland. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Respondents who reported any past or current gambling activity were additionally asked about their motivations and potential academic consequences. Results: The study included 281 participants. Active or past gambling was reported by 55% of respondents, with men significantly more likely to gamble currently. Women were predominantly non-problem gamblers, whereas men more often scored within the “some problems” range on the SOGS. Motivations also differed: women emphasised financial gain, while men cited fun, socializing, and competition. Lottery and scratch cards were most popular overall, though men preferred skill-based and casino activities. Conclusions: Although participants showed relatively low levels of gambling involvement, their risk of developing pathological gambling was comparable to that of the general population. Gender influenced involvement in different gambling patterns.

The mental health of medical students is a crucial concern in contemporary medical education. This manuscript reports the availability and shape of psychological support for medical students in Poland in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian crisis. A survey comprising 10 questions was distributed to 22 medical schools in Poland, with a 59% response rate. The findings reveal that psychological support programs are predominantly managed by internal university units. Funding sources vary, with some universities utilizing internal budgets and others leveraging European funds or external projects. The support modalities are primarily hybrid, catering to student preferences. Limitations exist in the number of consultations, although some universities provide extended support based on student needs. Assistance is offered in multiple languages, with additional programs like stress-reduction workshops and mindfulness training being available in several universities. A notable increase in demand for psychological support post-COVID-19 was reported, with some universities establishing their programs during or after the pandemic. The commentary highlights the rising need for mental health services among medical students and underscores the importance of flexible, inclusive, and well-funded support. The effective functioning of these programs aligns with the broader objective of fostering a resilient and emotionally balanced healthcare workforce.

The COVID-19 pandemic underlines the importance of targeting the groups with the highest risk of vaccine hesitancy, understanding their fears, and alleviating them. As the pandemic situation is very dynamic due to the appearance of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, concerns might also change over time. This is the first study to evaluate the vaccination rate and state of knowledge among medical students in Poland, comparing English and Polish divisions. We collected the data in 2 months. A total of 1,521 surveys were collected as follows: 273 students from the English division and 1,248 students from the Polish division answered the survey. The questionnaire was aimed at investigating students' awareness, knowledge, and apprehensions toward the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines. The results were obtained for the following statements: good knowledge about ways of transmission is not statistically significant in determining if a student is vaccinated. Moreover, a year of study is not statistically significant in determining if a student knows all ways of COVID-19 transmission. Interestingly, the correlation between the statement “Keeping up to date with the upcoming vaccines is important for my role as a future health care worker” and being vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 showed that 45.5% of unvaccinated students did not update their information about the vaccines and rated 1 out of 5 for this statement (p < 0.001). Even though the pandemic will not last forever, the obtained knowledge about the role of individual interests can be applied in many different life situations as this feature is statistically significant.

Background: Studies have shown that ignoring burnout in medical students lead to worsened disease condition and paying less attention to its progression. We aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout and its relationship with demographic factors in medical students during internship in Qazvin University, during 2014-2015. Methods: 130 medical students participated in this study. They completed demographic questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory at the beginning and end of their internship course. The relationship between each of the three components of burnout and demographic characteristics were analyzed. Job burnout scores were compared between the beginning and end of the internship course. Results: in this study, a significant relationship was not observed between the prevalence of burnout and demographic variables (age, sex, marital status, place of residence, and smoking). The prevalence of burnout was significantly more at the end of internship course (P<0.05, X2=24.09). With respect to the components of burnout, we found that the participants’ scores in the three subscales of the burnout questionnaire was significantly higher after the internship course compared to before it (emotional exhaustion t=-3.25, P=0.01; depersonalization t=-3.98, P<0.05; personal accomplishment t=-2.11,P=0.036). Conclusion: the study showed that the prevalence of burnout syndrome and its components among medical students was high during internship. Due to the high cost of burnout, implementing appropriate strategies for reducing it is essential. Keywords: MEDICAL STUDENT, BURNOUT, INTERNSHIP

The aim is to study the attitude of medical college students to the issues of tobacco smoking. 100 students (11 boys, 89 girls) of senior courses of Cheboksary Medical College were anonymously surveyed using the questionnaire developed by Tamaki et al., consisting of 20 questions on various aspects of tobacco smoking. Mathematical and statistical processing was carried out with the help of descriptive statistics and  2-distribution (table 2×2). 37% of college students smoked at least once, young men did it more often than girls. At the time of the survey, 17% smoked periodically. 43% were exposed to passive smoking, significantly more frequent these were men; 20% of respondents faced it every day, on average – 2.1±2.8 days a week. Staying in public places with smoke from cigarettes was marked by 25%, bars, discos – by 20%, places of residence – by 10%, others – by 11%. Young men were more exposed to secondhand smoking in public places and bars, discos than girls. Most commonly (78%) unfamiliar people smoked in the presence of students; as for smoking students their fathers smoked more often. 77% agreed that medical students shouldn't smoke, 5% didn't consider it a problem, 18% thought that they could smoke if they wanted. 90% were against smoking in society, 90% were against smoking among patients (10% didn't object), 71% were against smoking among medical professionals – (29% did not object). 96% agreed with the statement that health workers should be an example of healthy lifestyle for the population agreed and 87% agreed that their freedom from tobacco smoking can have a positive influence on patients. 98% of students received information about the harm of smoking during their studies. 97% believed they could give comprehensive advice to smoking people. Comparing the responses of medical college students and prospective physicians showed a similarity of opinions on most of the questions asked. Smoking among medical students is largely due to the close environment of smoking people from among relatives and friends. They are more often subjected to secondhand smoke at home (residence). These students are more tolerant of other people's smoking, including patients and health workers, which reduces the effectiveness of anti-smoking interventions.

Background Empathy is essential for effective doctor-patient communication. It enables doctors to understand patients' emotions and concerns, facilitating personalized care and support. Empathy can be cultivated through various methods and training programs. Objective The study aims to assess the effectiveness of a multimodal intervention involving interactive lectures, peer role-play, and guided reflection in enhancing empathy levels among second-year medical undergraduate students in India. Methods This study utilized a questionnaire-based, pre- and post-test interventional design. Seventy-nine second-year medical students were included after obtaining their informed consent. The students received the intervention through an interactive lecture on communication skills, role-play on selected case studies, and guided reflection. The empathy levels were assessed using the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) before and after the intervention. The Mann-Whitney U test was utilized to compare pre-test and post-test TEQ scores. A univariate analysis of variance was conducted to explore the relationship between demographic variables and post-test TEQ scores. Statistical significance was considered at p ≤ 0.05. Results The TEQ score improved significantly (p=0.009) after the intervention. The univariate analysis indicated that gender, style of education, and place of residence did not have a statistically significant impact on post-test scores. Conclusion The study demonstrates that a multimodal intervention significantly enhances the empathy level of medical students, highlighting the potential of focused interventions to reduce gender disparities in empathy levels. There were no significant differences in empathy scores based on gender, place of residence, or schooling, suggesting the intervention's benefits may apply to all medical students.