Problem In Poland Research Articles

Occupational burnout among active physiotherapists working in clinical hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in south-eastern Poland.

Occupational burnout, which is more and more commonly encountered among medical professionals and investigated by researchers worldwide, may in particular affect health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to assess the risk of occupational burnout among physiotherapists working actively in clinical hospitals in south-eastern Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic. The level of burnout among the studied physiotherapists was assessed using the Polish version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory by Maslach (MBI). The study was conducted from 20 March to 3 May, 2020 among physiotherapists working professionally during the COVID-19 pandemic in the south east of Poland, during which time health services related to therapeutic rehabilitation were suspended. The study was conducted among 1,540 physiotherapists with a license to practice who worked in clinical departments. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 106 physiotherapists were qualified for the study. The current findings show that during the COVID-19 pandemic physiotherapists present high burnout rates in all three dimensions: EE (Mean 32.31; CI 29.47-35.15); DP (Mean 16.25; CI 14.48-18.03); PA (Mean 26.25; CI 24.41-28.10). As for gender-related effects, higher burnout rates were observed in the male workers, compared to the females, in all three domains: EE (Men: Mean 34.70; CI 29.90-39.50 -Women: Mean 31.03; CI 27.45-34.60); DP (Men: Mean 18.78; CI 15.98-21.59 -Women: Mean 14.90; CI 12.64-17.16) and PA (Men: Mean 24.54; CI 21.32-27.76 -Women: Mean 27.17; CI 24.90-29.44). The highest burnout rates, presented by the physiotherapists working in the profession for more than 20 years, were identified in the domain of EE (Mean: 35.30; CI 30.51-40.10) and in those with 10-15 years of experience, in the domains of DP (Mean: 18.31; CI 14.89-21.73) and PA (Mean: 23.97; CI 20.13-27.81). The highest rate of occupational burnout, reflected by the scores in all three domains (EE, DP, PA), was identified in Department I -Intensive Care and Anaesthesiology Department: EE - (Mean: 40.89, CI 35.27-46.52); DP - (Mean: 21.39, CI 17.90-24.88); and PA - (Mean: 23.07, CI 20.04-26.10), compared to the other departments. The subjects who rarely participated in courses or training programs showed the highest burnout rates (EE- Mean: 33.55, CI 29.33-37.77; DP- Mean: 16.71, CI 13.99-19.43; PA- Mean: 25.45, CI 22.47-28.43). Occupational burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic is noticeable among physiotherapists working in clinical departments. The current findings show high burnout rates in all three domains: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA). A comparative analysis of these findings with reference to related studies published before the pandemic shows that the burnout rates among physiotherapists may have significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, given the scarcity of scientific evidence related to this specific problem in Poland and worldwide, it is necessary to continue research in occupational burnout affecting physiotherapists, particularly during the second wave of the pandemic, in order to gain a better understanding of the possible effects of social isolation and greater personal work-related health risks on the mental health of these medical professionals.

Przemoc w rodzinie jako społeczne zagrożenie bezpieczeństwa i porządku publicznego

Violence in the family should be considered as one of the biggest social problems in Poland. It occurs not only in families commonly regarded as pathological. Therefore, it should not be associated only with poverty or alcoholism or other addictions present in the family. Violence in the family exists also in affluent and seemingly happy families. The effects of this phenomenon cause many negative consequences not only for the members of the perpetrator's family, but also for society and, more broadly, the entire state organisation. This problem requires decisive action on the part of the state and certainly should not be underestimated. The aim of this article is to analyze selected legal regulations concerning the prevention of domestic violence and other issues essential from the point of view of the impact of issues essential from the point of view of the impact of domestic violence on the safety of individuals who experience it, as well as the general public. Therefore, the following will be analyzed: the relation between the use of violence in the family and violation of specific criminal law norms functioning in the Polish legal system, negative effects in the area of health of persons experiencing violence in the family, the scale of violence in the family in Poland and the difficulties connected with its precise determination and evaluation of this phenomenon by the Polish society.

Social and legal aspects of non-alimony towards children in Poland

Non-payment of alimony by parents for their children is a serious problem in Poland, which has negative social and economic consequences. It results in the inability to satisfy the necessary needs for their proper development and thus deprives them of prospects and a chance for a dignified life. This article begins by explaining the concept of non-alimony and presenting the scale of the phenomenon to gain awareness of the size of this social problem. In the following part, an analysis was carried out on the social aspects of non-alimony. This issue was described from the point of view of the situation of mothers who were forced to take over the entire burden of supporting their children, without the support of former partners. The consequences of the economic abandonment of children by one of the parents are also presented. The social aspect has also been discussed through the prism of the social campaigns conducted over the last few years to shape the correct attitudes of parents. Due to the fact that in Poland the phenomenon of non-alimony is considered primarily in the legal context, the subsequent part of the article presents a synthetic analysis in this respect. It focuses on the changes that the Polish legislator has introduced into the domestic legal system over the last 3 years. The discussion of this issue began with the offence of non-alimony regulated in Article 209 of the Penal Code, due to its amendment in 2017. It was supposed to become an effective tool to mobilise obliged parents to fulfil their obligation to support their children. Further amendments to the legislation were also reviewed in order to further improve the effectiveness of the enforcement of maintenance support.

A study on implementation of food-related policies in Poland using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index

Abstract Background Existing studies indicate obesity and diseases associated with diet and sedentary lifestyle as leading health problem in Poland that cannot be solved without explicit public intervention. The purpose of this study is to evaluate actions to create a healthy food environment, undertaken by public authorities in Poland. Methods We used the Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) to describe the Polish national food environment policy. We analysed available government documents, studies, reports, legal acts and other relevant materials to compile a evidence document, which has been then validated with government officials. In the next stage (March 2020), national policies will be subject to assessment in reference to international best practices by independent experts through an online Delphi study. Results of the survey will be then used during a national workshop (April 2020) in order to formulate and prioritize actions. Results For 15 out of 47 indicators we found no evidence for government actions that would meet the criteria set out in the Food-EPI definition. In case of the other 6 indicators it was observed that the existing solutions are non-binding and result from government-independent policies. The lack or limits of government involvement was observed in particular in the domains related to food promotion, food provision, food in retail, and Health in All Policies. Results from the online study and the workshop will be presented during the conference. Conclusions The preliminary results obtained through the review of the evidence point to the need for intensified government activities in the area of shaping food policy in Poland. Full conclusions will be formulated after the study is completed. Preliminary findings of the Food-EPI project suggest the need for strengthening food environment policy in Poland.

Traumatic Knee Injuries: Analysis of Reporting Data from the Period 2016-2018 Using API Interface of Polish National Health Fund Statistics.

According to WHO statistics, injuries are among the main causes of contemporary health problems. Injury statistics have been showing a continuing upward trend over years. This is due to numerous factors, such as technological progress, increased life expectancy, change of lifestyle, growing popularity of sports and changes in working conditions. The structures affected by injuries within the knee joint include the ligaments, menisci, articular cartilage and patellar retinacula, with the most common injuries being those to the ligamentous apparatus and menisci. The main objective of this paper is to determine the number of patients hospitalised due to a primary knee injury. Determination of the number of patients hospitalised due to a primary knee injury was performed using the API Interface of National Health Fund (NFZ) Statistics-Benefits Version 1.0. The process of acquiring information on the number of patients consisted of four stages: preparation of a list of primary diagnoses according to ICD-10 classification, analysis of the ordinances of the President of NFZ concerning the conclusion and implementation of contracts on hospital treatment to select products that could be used to bill hospitalisation of patients with selected types of diagnosis, generating medical data using the API Interface of National Health Fund Statistics-Benefits and analysis of reporting data obtained. According to data reported to NFZ, a total of 101,773 patients were hospitalised due to traumatic knee injuries over the period of three years (2016-2018), which gives an average of ca. 34,000 patients annually. 1. Knee injuries represent a very serious health problem in Poland. 2. Knee injuries most frequently affect the ligaments and menisci. 3. It seems necessary to develop a complete nation-wide database with up-to-date information on injuries in Poland that would enable providers to adapt medical services to the current needs of the patients.

Optimal Labor Income Taxation in Poland - the Case of High Income Earners

In this paper we present solutions to the optimal taxation problem in Poland in the case of high income earners. We characterize the actual data provided by the Polish Tax Authority and show that it is thick-tailed in the upper end of the distribution. Specifically, we show that income distribution in Poland can be approximated with a Pareto distribution with parameter equal to 3:44; which makes the Saez’s formula applicable. We show that the value of the optimal marginal tax rates in Poland ranges between 16% and 60% for high income earners depending on the value of the elasticity with respect to the wage. Moreover, we show that the value of the optimal marginal tax rate for high income earners can be close 60% when one accepts - an empirically viable - relatively low value of the elasticity of labor supply with respect to the wage.

Characteristics of illegal inland fishing according to the opinions of Polish fisheries guards

Abstract Poaching is still a great problem in Poland. Officers of the fisheries guard from three regions in northeast Poland rich in natural inland waters were surveyed. The most frequent type of poaching encountered by the officers was that practised by recreational fishers using rods (ranking of 4.4 points on a scale of 0–5) followed by poaching stemming from poverty or unemployment (3.4 points), and poaching by professional fishermen was ranked the lowest (1.5 points). Organized poaching was identified as the most dangerous for ichthyofauna (42% of responses), followed by poaching by recreational fishers (28%) and poaching stemming from poverty or unemployment (23%). According to the officers surveyed, the species that were targeted by poachers most frequently were the predators: pike, Esox lucius (98% of responses), European eel, Anguilla anguilla, pikeperch, Sander lucioperca and perch, Perca fluviatilis.

Cryptocurrencies: Some Remarks from the Perspective of Polish Employment and Tax Law

AbstractIn view of the fact that technological progress is in a constant state of change, current research efforts are directed towards blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. Starting with the description of the way blockchain technology operates, the notions of decentralisation, proof-of-work consensus, and practical immutability are explained. Further, the article examines the possibility of using cryptocurrency in order to pay remuneration, realise partial non-cash payment of remuneration or grant an award to an employee. This article presents evidence that demonstrates that remuneration in the framework of the employment relationship in Poland cannot be paid in cryptocurrency, which contributes to the performance of the protective function of labour law. The article concludes that a collective labour agreement could include a clause allowing the employer to realise partial non-cash payment of remuneration in cryptocurrency. Similar provisions could be introduced in labour law, but the Polish legislator has never adopted such a measure. The authors highlight, however, that an award can be paid in cryptocurrency even in the full amount. Next, the authors research the new tax regulations in force in Poland since 1 January 2019 and explain why it is conceptually more convincing to classify revenues from cryptocurrency trading as revenues from money capital and revenues from capital gains than as property rights. The article presents a definition of the disposal for valuable consideration of a virtual currency. The purpose of this article is also to study how high is the income tax on income earned from the disposal for valuable consideration of virtual currencies. Moreover, an overview of the legislation related to tax-deductible expenses is provided. Finally, some reflections on the cryptocurrency trading in the context of the pursuit of an economic activity are given. The review especially highlights the Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 on the common system of value added tax, and the judgment of the CJEU of 22 October 2015 (Skatteverket v. David Hedqvist[2015], case C-264/14), which has impacted the approach to the VAT problem in Poland.

Changes in mortality and years of life lost due to lung cancer in Poland, 2000\u20132016

BackgroundThe aim of the study was to evaluate trends of mortality and the number of years of life lost due to lung cancer in Poland, in the period 2000–2016.MethodsThe study material was 375,151 death certificates of all inhabitants of Poland who died in the period 2000–2016 due to lung cancer. In order to calculate the number of years of life lost, the authors used indices: SEYLLp (Standard Expected Years of Life Lost per living person), SEYLLd (per deaths), APC (Annual Percentage Change) and AAPC (Average Annual Percentage Change).ResultsThe standardized death rate (SDR) due to lung cancer decreased in the analyzed period from 74.5 to 68.3 per 100,000 population (AAPC = −0.6%). The most rapid decrease was noted in the years 2008–2011 (APC = –2.2%). With regards to males, SDR decreased from 148.8 to 114.5 (AAPC = –1.7%), whereas in females, it increased from 25.7 to 37.6 (AAPC = 2.3%). The SEYLLp index, calculated per 100,000 inhabitants, increased from 1189.9 in the year 2000 to 1250.5 in the year 2016. The trend and pace of changes fluctuated. In 2000–2008, the SEYLLp index was increasing at a pace of 0.7%. This growth was followed by a decrease at a pace of −1.2%, noted in 2008–2011. After the year 2011, the indices started to grow at an annual pace of 0.4%. AAPC in the whole study period was 0.3%. Increased mortality in females was responsible for the increase in the number of lost years of life. SEYLLp values in this sex group increased from 464.8 in the year 2000 to 774.7 in the year 2016 (APC = 3.3%).With regards to males, SEYLLp values, calculated for 100,000 male population, decreased in the analyzed period from 1961.1 to 1758.3.ConclusionsLung cancer still poses a serious epidemiological problem in Poland and the number of years of life lost due to this cause reflects social and economic implications of premature lung cancer-related mortality. There is a great need to educate, particularly women, and show effective ways of quitting smoking.

Transformation Towards a Market Oriented Economy – an Impetus or Hindrance for Organized Crime in Poland?

This article deals with the phenomenon of organized crime that has emerged as an urgent and serious problem in Poland during the transformation period. The solid background for organized crime group activity was created during the communist time. Due to the strong position of the police (that time called militia), and the security body, organized crime was not so well developed. After 1989, the organized crime groups (OCG) started to be more active, both in the domestic and the international market. The patterns of organized crime group activity were presented. So the main objective of the paper is to reveal the evolution of OCG activities and their scale in Poland. The organized crime groups have proven to be skillful in the exploitation of legal loopholes. The OCG became less violent, and focused more on economic crimes.

Drug shortages as a result of parallel export in Poland – Pharmacists’ opinions

IntroductionDrug shortages are recognized as a global problem. However, studies concerning drug shortages in Europe are scarce. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to conduct an analysis concerning drug shortages in Polish pharmacies and to collect pharmacists' opinions about parallel trade and 'reverse traffic' of medicines. MethodsThe study was conducted between October 2015 and July 2016 using a specially designed anonymous questionnaire consisting of 10 questions. The tool was delivered to pharmacists. From over 1800 distributed sheets, 435 were included. ResultsAccording to Polish pharmacists' opinions, shortages are most frequently associated with anticoagulants and antidiabetics and are an increasing problem in Poland. In respondents' opinion, fines for 'reverse traffic' should be high and restrictive and manufacturers should be obliged to build stocks for a certain period. Conclusions: Drug shortages concern several groups of medicines, often without generics. Solutions incorporated in Poland and aimed to reduce shortages seem to be ineffective. Reduction of drug shortages should be a priority of all stakeholders, because it is not only a Polish problem, but it is a common European issue.

Factors determining health behaviours of the 50+ population with cardiovascular diseases.

The biggest threat to life are cardiovascular diseases which are a serious problem in Poland, Europe, and worldwide. Therefore, it has become important to have proper health behaviours which significantly eliminate the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. The main aim of this study is to present factors that determine health behaviours of the 50+ population with cardiovascular diseases. The study was carried out among 411 individuals aged over 50 with cardiovascular diseases. The method used was a diagnostic survey. The study involved an authors' survey questionnaire and the Inventory of Health-Related Behaviours (IHB). A detailed statistical analysis was carried out in the R programme, version 3.5.1. The most common disease in the study group was coronary heart disease - 63.75%. The majority of respondents showed (via Inventory of Health-Related Behaviour [IHB]) that the level of their health behaviours was moderate - 41.12%; the highest level of health behaviours in the study group were related to health practices, while a slightly lower level was observed in the area of positive mental attitude. Statistical significance was also found between the level of intensity of health behaviours and age, gender, BMI, place of residence, education, professional activity and marital status of the respondents. Anti-health behaviours were predominant among the respondents; significant demographic and social factors determining health behaviour were determined, such as age and gender; a high level of health behaviours was found in the group of women with higher education and correct body mass, living in cities and married.

Trends of mortality due to breast cancer in Poland, 2000\u20132016

BackgroundThe aim of the study was to assess trends in mortality and the number of lost years of life due to breast cancer in the female population in the years 2000–2016, with consideration given to differences regarding the level of education and place of residence.MethodsThe analysis was based on a database of the Central Statistical Office of Poland, containing information gathered from 92,154 death certificates of all Polish female inhabitants who died in the period 2000–2016 due to breast cancer. The SEYLLp (Standard Expected Years of Life Lost per living person), the SEYLLd (per deaths), the APC (Annual Percentage Change), the AAPC (Average Annual Percentage Change) were calculated to determine years of life lost.ResultsThe mean age of women who died from breast cancer increased in the study period from 64.7 years to 69.7. The SEYLLp index (per 100,000) increased to 776.8 years in 2016 (AAPC = 0.5%). The most unfavorable changes were observed in the group of women with secondary education. In 2004, the SEYLLp values started to grow at a rate of 2.3% and since 2011, they have been higher than amongst women with elementary education. In the years 2000–2016, the authors observed that SEYLLp was steadily declining (APC = -1.0%) in the group of inhabitants of rural areas, whereas with regards to city dwellers, the SEYLLp index has been increasing since 2004 (APC = 0.5%), which has resulted in increased disproportions regarding the place of residence.ConclusionsThe results of this study showed that breast cancer is becoming a serious epidemiological problem in Poland. There is the need to intensify activities among women at highest risk group and it should be the starting point for making key decision in combating breast cancer.

Septic shock caused by community-acquired urinary tract infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae ESBL+: A case report

Introduction: Septic shock is defined as a life-threatening organ failure caused by an abnormal response of the body to infection. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) constitute about 10%–20% of all community-acquired infections and about 40%–50% of hospital-acquired infections. In patients with impaired immunity they may lead to sepsis. Strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae are often multidrug resistant, and therapeutic chances are limited where they occur. Aim: The aim of this paper is to discuss the most recent guidelines in diagnosing and treating sepsis, referring to a clinical case report. Case study: The study presents a case of septic shock in a 44-year-old female patient in a community-acquired UTI caused by K. pneumoniae extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL+). Results and discussion: The course of septic shock proved fatal. As the stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) was short, this precluded implementing full diagnostic procedures and identifying the source of infection. A post mortem examination was performed to establish the cause of death and aetiology of the infection. Conclusions: K. pneumoniae ESBL+ has become a growing epidemiological problem in Poland and all over the world. This pathogen increasingly often leads to community-acquired infections and its multidrug resistance makes the applied therapies ineffective. Diabetes, one of the modern lifestyle diseases, impairs resistance and accelerates rapidly progressing septic shock with multiple organ failure. Late diagnosis of sepsis, because of considerable metabolic and cellular changes, brings about tragic results. Despite implementing new diagnostic methods and therapies, the mortality rate in sepsis still remains very high.

REGIONAL LABOUR MARKET AND DEPOPULATION – AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION IN THE PODKARPACKIE VOIVODESHIP

Currently, the aging population is an important phenomenon facing Europe. This studyfocuses on demographic changes and their importance for the labour market that are becominga more noticeable problem in Poland. The conditions of depopulation have a significantimpact on the size of labour demand and supply.The article characterizes selectedfactors that determine the phenomenon of depopulationand its impact on labour market changes. The main aim of this study is to present the situationon the Polish modern labour market (using the example of Podkarpackie Voivodeship) withinthe context of assessing the dynamics of changes in selected parameters in relation to theprocess of current and future depopulation. The researchers used the desk research methodand descriptive statistical analysis to analyze the data. In addition, there was an analysis ofthe following demographic measures: age dependency ratio, total fertility rate (TFR),population growth, and net migration. Additionally, the authors describe the statisticalmeasures related to the labour market such as e.g. registered unemployment rate. The timerange includes the years 2012–2018 and forecasts from current time until 2050.

Epidemiology of suicides in Poland in 1990-2018 - changes and new trends.

In Poland, the problem of suicide attempts has not been the subject of acomprehensive analysis. We examined the magnitude of the phenomenon and suicide trends over the past 3 decades, focusing on the number of suicide deaths and attempts, the method and place of suicide, gender, age, day of the week, and state of mind. We used official nationwide data collected by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) and the National Police Headquarters (NPH) for the years 1990-2018. The final statistical data collected by the CSO was verified on the basis of medically certified deaths. Despite the correlation between the information from the CSO and NPH on the classification of suicides, in the opinion of authors', the published data is underestimated or incorrectly categorized. There were 187,502 suicide attempts in Poland between 1990 and 2018, 75.8% of which resulted in death. In 2018, the suicide rate in Poland was 13.6 per 100,000 people and was higher than in 1990 (9.7). The highest risk for suicides is observed for men aged 45-54 years, at the turn of winter and spring, on Mondays, and in rural areas. The critical period is Mondays at the turn of winter and spring. Hanging is the most commonly used suicide method. Based on the collected statistical data, it should be stated that suicide attempts have for many years been asignificant social problem in Poland, for which no systemic solutions have been introduced.

Zombie nad Wisłą. Na marginesie powieści Igora Ostachowicza i Jacka Dehnela

This article is an attempt to answer the question why zombie motif is so popular in contemporary Polish literature. The author analyses two novels (Noczywych Żydow by Ostachowicz, Ale z naszymi umarlymi by Dehnel) in which zombies appear. In Ostachowicz’s novel they symbolize Jewish people, who were killed during the 2nd World War. In his story the writer indicates the fact that Polish society has forgotten about their existence. Whereas in Dehnel’s novel zombie symbolizes fascism which is rising in contemporary Poland. It is worth mentioning that both writers use post-apocalyptic genre to talk about fears and prejudice of Polish society. What is more, the writers indicate that violence is now a huge problem in Poland. This convention seems to be the most adequate to discuss about moral condition of society.

“All they want is money!” The deliberative theory approach to the inclusion of nurses’ self-interests in the 2016 strike in the Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw

The Polish healthcare system suffers from a growing deficit of nurses, whose population is ageing at an alarming rate. This deficit is correlated with the relatively low social, economic and political position of this female-associated profession. A looming crisis requires comprehensive, sustainable and long-term solutions, which could be achieved with deliberative governance, an approach that re-evaluates the dominant models of health policy-making and the way they process legitimate self-interests. This paper examines some of the challenges to the inclusion of nurses’ self-interests into public deliberation and policy-making. It is based on an analysis of the 2016 nurses’ strike at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw. The example will lead me to some political theory considerations that support the recent rehabilitation of self-interests within deliberative democratic theory as well as a systemic appreciation of the role of strikes. Using the original framework of three inputs of governance (emotions, self-interests and expertise), I present a theoretical synthesis of the three identified non-deliberative strategies for the treatment of self-interests: compartmentalisation, instrumentalisation and officious exclusion. In the end I argue that the difficulty in solving many health problems in Poland might come primarily from faulty policy-making practices that enforce suboptimal solutions.

The Genetic Basis of Piebald Coat Colour in Hucul Horses in the Context of White Markings and Crypto-Tobiano as a Breeding Problem in Poland

Abstract The aim of the study was to analyse the genetic basis of piebald coat colour in Hucul horses and to verify their coat colour in breeding records. Tests were performed with DNA purified from the whole blood samples of 242 Hucul horses with different coat colour patterns. DNA was analysed to identify an inversion in ECA3 (PCR). The results confirmed that the inversion on ECA3 is a direct factor determining piebald (tobiano) colour in the analysed Hucul horses. No inversion was observed in any of the solid coloured horses, but it was present in all the piebald ones. It was also identified in 18% (11 of 61) of the horses from the group of horses qualified in the passport as solid coloured with white markings. In fact, these horses had the tobiano gene that is phenotypically identifiable as crypto-tobiano, which may give the false impression of having white markings and lead to error when describing a horse. This is an important issue, in particular with regard to the breed standard, which eliminates Hucul horses with white markings from breeding.

Kazanie Skargi Jana Matejki w kontekście ówczesnej wiedzy o epoce i poglądów na dzieje Polski

Autorzy zajmujący się twórczością największego malarza dziejów Polski, Jana Matejki, długo nie prowadzili systematycznych badań licznych odniesień do konkretnej materii historycznej w jego dziełach, ignorując ten ich aspekt, któremu artysta przypisywał szczególną wagę. W przypadku Kazania Skargi, jednego z najwybitniejszych jego dzieł, zmianę w tym zakresie przyniosła książka Jarosława Krawczyka Matejko i historia, ale autor skupił się tylko na jednym motywie: walce szlachty z tronem Zygmunta III. Publikowana tu rozprawa pokazuje, że niemniej ważne w treści obrazu są problemy unii religijnej oraz podporządkowania Polsce Rosji na początku XVI wieku. To poszerzenie interpretacji opiera się na próbie sprecyzowania, jaka wiedza o tych sprawach była dostępna artyście. Niewątpliwie szczególne znaczenie miała dlań inspiracja przyjaciela, Józefa Szujskiego, który wtedy opublikował traktujący o tej epoce tom Dziejów Polski. Ujęcie problemów tego okresu w tej książce oraz w obrazie wykazuje daleko idącą zbieżność, zaś istotą przesłania Kazania Skargi jest (znany także z innych dzieł Matejki) motyw utraconej przez Polaków wielkiej szansy dziejowej. Chodziło o szansę opanowania i ucywilizowania Moskwy, a konsekwencją jej utraty było powstanie ­imperium – przyszłego zaborcy Polski.