Policy In Poland Research Articles

Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes in Poland.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive inherited monogenic disease in Caucasians. As medical technology progresses and the quality of patient care improves, the survival time of patients with CF has increased, which results in more frequent comorbidities such as cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD). CFRD is the result of abnormal glucose metabolism characterized primarily by insulin deficiency, exacerbated periodically by insulin resistance. The aim of our study was to analyze the epidemiology of patients with CFRD in Poland on the basis of data collected from six CF treatment centers. Analyses were performed on 1157 CF patients who were treated at one of the six CF care centers. CFRD was diagnosed according to standard criteria. All data including demographics, types of CFTR mutations, CFRD duration, and microorganisms in the sputum were obtained from the patients’ medical history. Our study indicates that the prevalence of CFRD in Poland is 12.9%. CFRD was most often diagnosed between the ages of 11 and 20 (60% of patients), while 23% of patients were diagnosed between 21 and 30 years of age. Furthermore, we observed that approximately 3–5% of patients under the age of 10 had CFRD. We found out that the type of mutation did not affect the frequency of CFRD development. Factors that increased the risk of developing CFRD include underweight and chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Due to the extended lifespan of CF patients, the number of CFRD patients is currently increasing. We believe that the results of our study may complement information from other studies or may be useful in planning health policy in Poland.

Let it Flow, Our Energy or Bright Future: Sociotechnical imaginaries of energy transition in Poland

Despite global commitment to work together in tackling climate change, transitions do not occur similarly in different parts of the world. While the EU is setting an ambitious goal of decarbonising its energy system by 2050, Poland remains a member opposing those changes. Although most Poles declare their understanding of the necessity of decarbonisation and support for that process, both current and former governments have not treated this problem as a sufficient stimulus to a substantial energy policy change.Using the lens of Sociotechnical Imaginaries (Jasanoff, Kim, 2015), we explain that resistance to implementing fast changes into the Polish energy system is founded on the complex set of shared imaginaries linked to policy, scientific and lay knowledge. Based on a qualitative analysis of strategic documents of the energy policy in Poland published after 1989, the interviews with key actors in the energy sector, and analysis of government funding programmes for science, we mapped the dominant and alternative SIs of the energy transition in Poland. The analytical framework was based on a sociotechnical imaginaries circulation model used to explain their actions in the Polish energy transition.The study's outcome shows that the dominant SI of an energy system in Poland relates to the preservation of the existing system focused on energy security, a significant role of hard coal and lignite, and prosumers as supporters for the centralised energy system. The alternative imaginaries (associated with decentralisation, energy democracy and renewables) are getting traction and becoming more important.

Reduction in the prevalence of tobacco use accompanying legislative changes in tobacco policy in Poland in the years 2010-2019.

Tobacco use is one of the most serious public health problems. Each year, it contributes to preventable disability and death of 8 million people worldwide. The aim of the study was to determine the change in the prevalence of tobacco and e-cigarettes use among Polish adults in the years 2010-2019 and the potential impact of legislative interventions on tobacco consumption in Poland. The research was based on an analysis of secondary data obtained from a cross-sectional study as part of the public opinion monitoring in Poland. The study was carried out in 2 editions (2010 and 2019) on representative samples of approximately 1000 Polish residents >18 years of age. The proportion of traditional cigarette smokers decreased from 30.4% to 26.0% in the years 2010-2019 (p < 0.05). In the male group decreased from 40.3% to 31.0% (p < 0.001); among females, the values remained at the same level (21.3%). The greatest change in the percentage of current smokers was recorded in cities with ≥500 000 inhabitants (from 30.3% to 17.1%) and <100 000 inhabitants (from 31.5% to 24.6%) (p < 0.05). The total support for the new legal regulations increased from 73.9% to 89.8% (p < 0.001). The use of e-cigarettes in 2019 declared only 1.9%. The percentage of adult traditional cigarette smokers decreased significantly between 2010 and 2019 (mainly among men). Among women, the percentage of cigarette smokers remained the same. The most significant declines in cigarette smoking were also observed among residents of the largest cities (≥500 000 inhabitants). During the same period, there was a further increase in the acceptance of legal restrictions on smoking cigarettes in public places. E-cigarette use among adults is a niche phenomenon in Poland, but it is much more prevalent among women than men. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(4):393-405.

Assumptions of the Energy Policy of the Country versus Investment Outlays Related to the Purchase of Alternative Fuels: Poland as a Case Study

Nowadays, the importance of activities for the protection of the environment is growing. This approach has a major impact on the current energy and mining policy in Poland. On the one hand, the energy policy has imposed several restrictions to which the Polish economy will have to adapt; on the other, however, it raises great social opposition from professional groups that will be at risk of changing or losing their jobs and income, which implies extensive restructuring processes. These processes involve the decarbonisation of the economy and include, among others: sustainable production and consumption, sustainable municipal management and high quality of life in the city, waste management, sustainable transport, and energy management. The aim of the article is to indicate the importance of investment outlays and costs incurred when purchasing alternative fuels that would replace hard coal in Poland. It is part of the process of adjusting to the requirements of the new energy policy adopted by Poland as an EU member. In order to ensure energy security by abandoning coal mining, disproportionately high investment outlays for such a transformation would have to be incurred, as well as significant resources that would have to be allocated in the future to the purchase of alternative fuels. The result of the scenario methods used is the proposition of the proprietary RCAES index, which is to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to alternative fuels, which the authors will fill in the gap existing in this area.

SOCIAL ECONOMY ACTORS IN POLAND'S CLIMATE POLICY

Climate policy is considered one of the most difficult among public policies due to its complexity, urgency and strong economic impact. Social economy actors have the potential to play an important role in the functioning of this policy. This article presents the role and describes the activities of social economy actors in programming, implementation, scenario planning and evaluation of climate policy in Poland. The article also indicates the products and services produced by these entities in different areas of this policy.

SOCIAL ECONOMY ENTITIES IN HEALTH POLICY

The purpose of this article is to analyze the sectoral health policy with particular emphasis on the activities of social economy entities. This paper deals with the characteristics of health policy and address the problem of the role of social economy entities in health policy programming and its implementation. The paper presents and refers to numerous examples of activities of social economy entities that have an impact on creating health policy. It should be noted that social economy entities play an important role in the process of inventing and implementing changes in health policy in Poland.

The biotechnology sector in a latecomer country: The case of Poland

This paper offers a detailed firm-level analysis of innovation strategies, exporting activities and employment and sales dynamics of Polish biotechnology companies. The study is based on the unique dataset provided by three runs of the Polish edition of the Community Innovation Survey (CIS). Poland is a latecomer in the biotechnology industry, as are all the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs). In addition, the Polish biotechnology sector faced relatively unfavorable starting conditions: no partners in the pharmaceutical industry and, unlike some other CEECs, little government support. Nevertheless, biotechnology companies have developed in several Polish industries. It is shown that these companies implement innovation strategies that are typical for the biotechnology sector; however, they do not cooperate much with their clients. The innovation expenditure of biotechnology companies is distinctively higher than that of other companies. In addition, government and EU grants play a crucial role in funding the R&D activities of Polish biotechnology companies. This reflects the change in the innovation policy in Poland, but also raises the question of the sustainability of these efforts. Biotechnology companies are strongly export-oriented but, contrary to expectations, their dynamics are average: when controlling for firm characteristics and export performance, biotechnology companies neither outperform nor underperform other companies in terms of sales or employment growth.

Agent of Influence and Disinformation: Five Lives of Ante Jerkov

One of the most interesting thematic areas in intelligence studies is the study of the activities of the numerous double agents that had a significant impact on events and processes in the history of human conflicts and wars. Being a double agent is a highly demanding activity on both personal and professional levels. Examining the Cold War archives of former communist secret policies in Poland and Croatia, the authors integrated data showing that Ante Jerkov, an Italian journalist of Croatian origin with a parallel Ustasha and communist background, was an agent of influence and a source of information for at least five different intelligence and counterintelligence agencies. He worked for several agencies simultaneously. Additionally, he participated as part of a more comprehensive network of journalists who offered and sold information to different secret services in Rome/the Vatican during the Cold War. This article is a short biography of Ante Jerkov and his life in intelligence lies and deception.

Cluster Policy in Poland—Failures and Opportunities

The EU has been leaning towards evidence-based policymaking with the aim of ensuring coherence between industrial, environmental, climate, and energy policy. It focuses on supporting the development of a business environment which would enable sustainable growth, job creation, and innovation. It is generally agreed upon that, at the current level of development, the EU should focus on boosting innovations and theory and practice deliver an array of suggestions on how to achieve this goal. Among them clusters and cluster-led development play a prominent role. Poland inherently follows this belief and has introduced cluster policy to its policy mix by supporting cluster initiatives and cluster organizations. The objective of the paper is to investigate the evolution of cluster policy in Poland, identify its success factors, and propose recommendations for cluster policy. This case study of cluster policy in Poland is based on a series of in-depth interviews as well as secondary data. The conclusions resulting from this case study indicate that adoption by the government of a cluster policy at the national level and implementation of a comprehensive strategy for cluster development at regional and national levels is a basic condition for cluster policy success. Positive results can be achieved if public intervention is continuous and tailored to the needs of cluster organizations at different development stages with particular emphasis on the internationalization of cluster activities, which was a key measure highly evaluated by the respondents. The paper touches upon the timely issue of the future direction of cluster policy. The debate on it is accompanied by another debate on how to build an economic ecosystem capable of reaching sustainability goals.

Geodziedzictwo obszarów chronionych, ich ochrona i promocja turystyczna na przykładzie Parku Narodowego Gór Stołowych w świetle analizy dokumentów

Geodziedzictwo obszarów chronionych, ich ochrona i promocja turystyczna na przykładzie Parku Narodowego Gór Stołowych w świetle analizy dokumentów

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic crisis on inflation and interest rate policy in Poland

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic crisis on inflation and interest rate policy in Poland

What Works for Whom? Youth Labour Market Policy in Poland

This paper compares the relative effectiveness of selected active labour market policies available to young unemployed people in Poland over the 2015-2016 period. We use rich administrative data and propensity score matching techniques to control for the non-random selection of unemployed individuals into alternative interventions. We find large negative employment effects of participating in public works programmes, particularly among disadvantaged individuals. The differences in effectiveness between other interventions are rather small, and most become insignificant over time. We also show that vouchers that allow unemployed individuals find on-the-job training providers themselves are more effective than on-the-job training schemes in which the unemployed individuals are directed to the training providers by the public employment services (PES).

The Russian guarantee of the statehood of the szlachta-controlled Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian policy in Poland at the beginning of the uprising of the Bar Confederation (1768)

The article deals with the policy of Russia in Poland in the 18th century, aimed at establishing the dependence of the szlachta republic on St. Petersburg. This policy was also implemented in the initial period of the uprising of the Bar Confederation, which broke out after the ratification by the Sejm in February 1768 of the Russian-Polish treatise on the guarantee of the statehood of the gentry republic and the equalization of the class and political rights of the Catholic and the dissident (Protestant and Orthodox) szlachta. Based on the materials of the Archive of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire, the author considers the attempts of the Russian ambassador in Warsaw N. V. Repnin to enlist the support of the Polish king and magnate groups (primarily of the “family” of the Czartoryskis) to convene a new Sejm, which was supposed to declare the confederation illegal. The failure of attempts to convene the Sejm and the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768–1774 predetermined the failure of the policy of St. Petersburg to achieve a solution to the crisis that had arisen through a compromise with the magnate tops. At the same time, the political efforts of Russia during the preparation of the Sejm in the autumn of 1768 objectively contributed to the stabilization of the Polish statehood and, to a certain extent, its political modernization.

Karbokrytyka: wstęp do kulturowej komparatystyki węgla

Carbocritics: Introduction to Cultural Comparative Analysis of Coal The article introduces the concept of carbocritics – a reflection on the environmental, ecological and humanistic aspects of modern thinking about hard coal, the prospects for its use and the dangers of burning it and processing it in relation to human health and nature. Reaching for the resources of carbon humanities, I try to show that comparative cultural studies are a natural, overriding perspective of studying the representation of natural resources in visual arts and verbal narratives, thriving and successfully used especially in times of crisis, such as the aforementioned period of introducing the European Green Deal policy in Poland. The use of cultural comparative studies and carbocritics is illustrated by the analysis of poetry of Tomasz Pietrzak, Dorota Szatters and Jakub Pszoniak, authors who are biographically related to Silesia, who in the years 2014–2017 published books partly on environmental and carbon issues.

Dyrektywa o godzeniu ról zawodowych i rodzinnych – czy okaże się punktem zwrotnym dla polityki rodzinnej w Polsce?

Dyrektywa o godzeniu ról zawodowych i rodzinnych – czy okaże się punktem zwrotnym dla polityki rodzinnej w Polsce?

Changes taking place in the contemporary model of family policy in Poland – Analysis of the phenomena

Changes taking place in the contemporary model of family policy in Poland – Analysis of the phenomena

Ageing policy in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poland is engaged in the implementation of activation programmes for seniors at governmental as well as non-governmental levels. Among these programmes may be mentioned, 'Active+', 'Senior+', 'Care 75+', and 'Senior Caritas'. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for the inclusion of seniors into social life, and concern about their health. An important challenge for social and ageing policy is the provision of proper standards of care and health protection, especially during an increased sanitary regime. The aim of the study was analysis of the ageing policy strategy and the quality of life of seniors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted by the method of analysis of data in the area of national initiatives concerning activation programmes for seniors implemented during 2020-2021. The starting point was the well-established definition of the quality of life by the WHO. The analysis performed showed a multitude of factors determining the needs of seniors at the time of the pandemic, which often differed from those observed earlier. The latest studies of the quality of life of the elderly in Poland demonstrated that nearly 60% of respondents assessed their psychological condition as worse than before the pandemic. Another problem was the issue of physical activity, which was limited by more than 62% of seniors, and difficulties with access to health care system services. It seems necessary to implement forms of assistance which could be adjusted to the changing epidemiological conditions, in order to improve the quality of life of persons who, in the near future, will constitute a considerable percentage of Polish society.

Photovoltaic Solar Energy from Urban Sprawl: Potential for Poland

Urban sprawl is a process that shapes contemporary urban spaces. Generally, this process is associated with negative effects due to the generation of high costs. However, not all the effects of urban sprawl should be considered in the context of the increasing costs of the use of space; some of them should be regarded as cost cutting factors, for example, the possibility of the use of roofed areas in generating energy from sunlight. Solar energy is believed to be one of the sources of clean energy that reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. However, solar energy generation necessitates the development of large areas for the purpose of installing photovoltaic modules and substantial funds for creating large solar farms. For this reason, a significant role in state energy policies is played by small dispersed installations mounted on the roofs of buildings. There is a gap in existing research on the assessment of urban sprawl in terms of the potential use of rooftops for solar installations in suburban areas. This research gap has not yet been filled, either conceptually and methodologically. Hence, the contribution of the research to the development of the current state of knowledge involves the identification of economic and environmental benefits of usually negatively perceived urban sprawl. The proposal of a method for the identification of suburban housing potential for solar energy generation constitutes another addition to the state of knowledge. The main objective of this article is to analyse the energy generating potential of buildings located in suburban and urban areas characterised by the confirmed occurrence of urban sprawl phenomena. CityGML data were used to conduct an analysis of the exposure of roofs to sunlight using algorithms based on vector data. The authors estimated the dynamics of changes in time and referred the existing photovoltaic installations to the total potential of a selected area. The use of the energy potential of the analysed roofs of buildings was used to evaluate the external costs and benefits of spatial planning. The discussion presented the current conditions of the energy sector and energy policies in Poland and the EU. In addition, recommendations were proposed for local spatial policies concerning the mitigation of the effects of suburbanization in the context of developing the system of PV micro-installations.

The local‐level impact of human capital investment within the EU cohesion policy in Poland

AbstractThe goal of this study is to examine the effects of investment in human capital, as funded by EU cohesion policy, on economic development in Poland at the local (LAU 2) level, that is, at the level of municipalities. We found evidence that human capital investment has a positive effect on local revenues. This effect is stronger than what is observed for the assistance programmes not related to human capital. The impact of intervention on migration balance is in turn not significant. We also observed that the effectiveness of the assistance within the cohesion policy depends on existing regional preconditions for development.

Regional responses to macroeconomic and regional policy in Poland

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate regional impact of macroeconomic and regional policy impulses, using our newly developed multi-regional computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for three, structurally distinctive Polish macro-regions.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, we build an interregional social accounting matrix for Poland and use it to develop a small scale, three-region CGE model, reflecting the size of regional economies and cross-regional differences in industrial structures, while also explicitly accounting for the dynamics of main economic relationships across regions, such as interregional flows in commodities, labor and capital. The model is subsequently use to simulate regional effects of various policy impulses.FindingsWe demonstrate important cross-regional differences in the transmission mechanism of macro-level policies, which either affect regional output and its individual components (as in the case of imposing shocks to VAT or PIT rates) or are limited to the components, while preserving a rather uniform impact on output (as in the case of imposing shocks to wages). Furthermore, we contribute to the regional policy equity-efficiency trade-off debate, by illustrating quantitatively how, due to structural differences, spatially targeted expenditure measures might promote either regional convergence or aggregate output growth at the country-level.Originality/valuePrior to our study, regional CGE models have not been used to simulate spatial distribution of aggregate shocks in Poland or in any other CEE country. Another originality of our study lies in comprehensive evaluation of various policy impulses, from the perspective of their impact on the respective region, spillovers to the other regions and its overall, country-level effect.