Enhancing Patient Adherence to Newly-Prescribed Medicine for Chronic Diseases: A Comprehensive Review and Cost-Effective Approach to Implementing the New Medicine Service in Community Pharmacies in Poland.

New Medicine Service (NMS) components are an important element to improve patient compliance with medical recommendations. NMS provides support to patients prescribed new medicines, helping them to manage long-term conditions. The purpose of this service is to provide patients with advice, guidelines, and educational materials regarding the use of new medicines to increase patient compliance and therapy safety. The NMS has already been introduced in many European countries. This review aims to identify the benefits and potential barriers to implementing the NMS in community pharmacies and to suggest solutions that would increase its effectiveness. Previous studies have primarily shown that the NMS improves patient compliance with therapy, accelerating the expected effects of the therapy. Pharmacist support during implementation of a new drug therapy substantially increases patient safety. As the experience of numerous countries shows, both pharmacists and patients express positive opinions on this service. Therefore, it seems that NMS should be an indispensable part of pharmaceutical patient care in any healthcare system. This article aims to review the implementation of the New Medicine Service (NMS) for community pharmacists in Poland and the provision of a cost-effective approach to improve patient adherence to newly-prescribed medicine for chronic diseases.

Clinical Course of 53 Previously Vaccinated Patients Admitted to the National Hospital in Warsaw, Poland with COVID-19 Between November 2021 and March 2022.

BACKGROUND Current vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) and vaccine booster programs aim to reduce hospitalizations due to severe COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). It is now accepted that vaccination does not completely prevent infection and that breakthrough COVID-19 does occur. This study included 53 vaccinated patients who were hospitalized at a single center in Poland with breakthrough COVID-19 and aimed to evaluate the factors associated with their clinical course. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study covered the period 26 November 2021 to 11 March 2022. All patients had been vaccinated against COVID-19 with one of the following 4 vaccines: the mRNA-1273 (Moderna) mRNA vaccine (Spikevax); the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA vaccine (nucleoside-modified) (Comirnaty); the Ad26.COV2.S (Janssen/J0ohnson & Johnson) recombinant vaccine (Jcovden); and the AZD1222 (ChAdOx1) (Oxford/AstraZeneca) recombinant vaccine (Vaxzevria). RESULTS The course of COVID-19 in vaccinated patients was relatively similar. The patients vaccinated more than 24 weeks earlier rarely needed a stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (P=0.021), and the occurrence of deaths was significantly lower in this group (P=0.046). Women remained in hospital considerably longer than men (P=0.011). Age and comorbidities did not affect the course of this infection. CONCLUSIONS Despite the many advantages of the COVID-19 vaccination, our observations indicate a potential risk of infection after vaccination. The assessment of the course of COVID-19 in vaccinated patients gives the possibility to compare different vaccines and indicate factors that can reduce immunity.

Long-Term Impairment in Activities of Daily Living Following COVID-19 in Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities.

BACKGROUND Long-term care facilities were severely impacted during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic. Residents surviving the disease might continue to suffer from the post-COVID syndrome, similar to community-dwelling persons. This study aimed to characterize the longitudinal evolution of activities of daily living in COVID-19 survivors from long-term institutional care. MATERIAL AND METHODS This was a retrospective study with prospective follow-up of consecutive COVID-19 survivors living in long-term care facilities. The Barthel Index was used to assess changes in functional independence before the disease, right after recovery, and 3 months later. RESULTS The study enrolled 201 residents of long-term care facilities, median age 79 years old, who survived 3 months after recovery from COVID-19. The disease caused hospitalization in 47% of cases. Early after COVID-19, deterioration in activities of daily living was higher in older, hospitalized patients with cardiovascular comorbidity. However, in the long-term follow-up, these factors did not predict functioning. Independence was severely affected in hospitalized and non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. This had implications for post-COVID care and rehabilitation since these interventions were mainly offered after hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS The findings support that residents of long-term care facilities who had COVID-19, even with a mild clinical course, may have persistent impairment in function and ability to perform activities of daily living that require support and rehabilitation.

Patient satisfaction survey of the "Healthy Heart" pharmaceutical care service - evaluation of pharmacy labelling with pharmaceutical pictograms.

INTRODUCTION: Low adherence is a major challenge in healthcare worldwide, being particularly dangerous for patients with chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and heart failure, where strict adherence is essential. Non-adherence is observed in almost half of patients, and the consequences encompass a lack of therapeutic effects, health deterioration, decreased quality of life, and even death. For cardiovascular patients, the great importance of health education and pharmaceutical education can be provided within pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies. Therefore, our study aimed at evaluating the level of satisfaction with the "Healthy Heart" pharmaceutical service, in which patients received pictograms with dosage information affixed to their medication. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was designed for patients who had been prescribed an antiplatelet medication for the first time. The patients were recruited by 577 pharmacies that took part in the study after completing a special course. Ultimately, 1590 patients were enrolled in the study. The project ran from November 2019 to January 2022. RESULTS: Most of patients had a positive attitude to the "Healthy Heart" pharmaceutical service. More than 85% of the respondents were of the opinion that the pictograms facilitated the use of the medication, and 81.7% of the respondents stated that the system of labels helped in adherence. Over 66% of the respondents thought that such labels should be included in pharmacy services, and 77.92% of the participants reported that this system of labelling medications should be offered through all pharmacies. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmaceutical labels in the pharmacists' everyday practice can largely improve patient adherence. These efforts, provided as part of their pharmaceutical services, can have a huge influence on optimisation of patient health outcomes.

Pictograms for safer medication handling by health care workers: a validation study in nursing students in Poland.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Medication use often causes errors that are dangerous to the health of patients. Previous studies indicate that the use of pharmaceutical pictograms can effectively reduce medication errors. The purpose of this study was to determine the comprehensibility, representativeness, and recall rate of nine medication safety pictograms in a sample of nursing students in Poland in order to validate these images. METHODS: A pictogram validation study was conducted in two phases among nursing students at the Hipolit Cegielski State University of Applied Sciences, Gniezno, Poland. All experimental protocols were approved by the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Ethics Board (REB Protocol No: 19/122X). All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. In phase 1, the participants' first exposure to the pictograms, the students were asked to guess the meaning of the pictograms without any additional information in order to assess the pictograms' comprehensibility. To be considered valid, according to ISO standards, the pictograms had to be correctly understood by at least 66.7% of participants. After testing all pictograms, students were given explanations and meanings of the pictograms and asked to rate the representativeness of pictograms. To do so, participants were asked to select a number on a seven-point Likert-style scale to indicate the perceived strength of the relationship between the pictogram and its intended meaning for each pictogram. To be considered valid, a pictogram had to be rated at least five on this scale by at least 66.7% of participants. Phase 2 took place four weeks later, during which recall of the intended meaning and representativeness were assessed following the same procedure. RESULTS: A total of 66 third-year nursing students participated in both phases. In phase 1, of the nine pictograms, six met ISO requirements for comprehensibility and seven met ISO requirements for representativeness. In phase 2, all nine pictograms were correctly understood and rated at least 5 by at least 66.7% of participants. Therefore, all nine pictograms are considered valid. CONCLUSIONS: The nine medication safety pictograms can be deployed, but must be combined with training and a written hazard statement to improve comprehension.

Patient satisfaction with pharmacist-administered COVID-19 vaccines in Poland: a survey study in the vaccination centres context.

BACKGROUND: Since 2021, pharmacists in Poland have been authorised to administer vaccinations against COVID-19, which is of particular significance in the efforts towards preventing the spread of the pandemic. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the patients' satisfaction with delivering vaccinations through national vaccination centres. METHODS: This study was conducted in 2021. The research tool was an anonymous questionnaire distributed to patients after vaccination. The questionnaire was developed specifically for the purpose of the study. Ultimately, 628 patients participated in this study. RESULTS: Nearly 97% of the respondents agreed that the administration of vaccinations by pharmacists had been convenient, and pharmacists possessed the relevant skills to provide this service. Almost 90% of the respondents expressed their readiness to be vaccinated by pharmacists again. Nearly all the respondents indicated that pharmacists should also provide other vaccinations. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in Poland have a positive attitude toward vaccinations administered by pharmacists in national vaccination centres.

Concerns, beliefs and attitudes of pharmacists and pharmacy students on cannabis use in Canada.

Background: Since cannabis has been legalized in Canada for medical and recreational use, there has been an increased demand on pharmacists for cannabis counselling. The objective of this study was to determine the concerns, beliefs and attitudes of Canadian pharmacists and pharmacy students towards using cannabis. Methods: An online survey was synthesized under 3 broad themes: concerns, beliefs and attitudes about cannabis, consisting of 27 questions capturing demographics and Likert scale responding to survey questions. We examined whether there were differences in responses by geographic location (i.e., Ontario, Quebec, Canada), sex or practice setting (i.e., community, hospital). Results: Across Canada, there were 654 survey respondents, with 399 in Ontario and 95 in Quebec. Approximately 24% indicated they had used cannabis since legalization, 69% indicated they believed cannabis should be available for medical and recreational use and 34% indicated their perceptions towards cannabis had become more positive since legalization. Relative to Quebec or the rest of Canada, respondents from Ontario were significantly more likely to be comfortable providing counselling to and answering questions of patients on the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis use. Examining sex differences across Canada, male respondents were more comfortable than female counselling patients on the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis. Conclusion: The current results reinforce the perceived need by pharmacists and pharmacy students for targeted education, and future research in cannabis education should consider potential gender differences in attitudes and beliefs surrounding cannabis therapy.

Challenges for Polish Community Pharmacists in Provision of Services to Immigrants and Non-Polish-Speakers in 2018.

BACKGROUND International patient services in community pharmacies are becoming increasingly common. The growing number of immigrants, as well as the developing trend of medical tourism, make it necessary to provide these people with access to healthcare services, including pharmaceutical services in generally accessible pharmacies. Serving non-Polish-speaking patients, however, requires both fluent specialist knowledge of a foreign language and interpersonal skills. These skills can greatly influence the proper use of medications by patients. This study aimed to investigate the reported challenges for Polish community pharmacists in the provision of services to immigrants and non-Polish-speakers in 2018. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 98 pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians from community pharmacies in Poland. The research tool was a questionnaire sent to pharmacy staff in cooperation with pharmacy councils in 2018. RESULTS Analysis of the data gathered using a 5-point Likert scale showed that the participants rated the preparedness for international patient services in pharmacies as medium (mean 2.76±1.33). The mean foreign language knowledge score was 2.99±1.29. The participants indicated a low possibility of acquiring these language skills (mean 2.53±0.91), and emphasized that patients from abroad rarely asked about the use of the medications (mean=2.20±1.06). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that in 2018, pharmacy staff in Poland did not feel adequately prepared to provide comprehensive pharmacy services for immigrants and non-Polish-speakers, with concerns of non-compliance with medications due to poor communication.

Syphilis: then and now.

Getting to know the history of syphilis should begin with an attempt to establish the original source of its spread throughout the world. The dispute about the origin of syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by Treponema pallidum (subspecies pallidum), had not been resolved even as late as in the twenty-first century, and to this day the supporters and opponents of the thesis that syphilis was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus' sailors have been fighting without solid and sustainable foundations. The French named syphilis "the Neapolitan disease", while the Italians called it "the French disease".

Community pharmacy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has proved that community pharmacies play a pivotal role in providing medicines, information and safety measures to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. PURPOSE: The study aimed to get to know opinions of pharmacy staff and owners on the functioning of the community pharmacy during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To collect opinions about functioning of the community pharmacy during the pandemic, we conducted cross-sectional study among pharmacy staff and owners of pharmacies. RESULTS: The study group included 456 respondents mostly associated with independent pharmacies (55.7%), from cities less than 100,000 inhabitants (38.8%). The number of patients as well as filled prescriptions increased during the pandemic. Respondents provided patients with advice on cold (81.6%), sore throat (77.0%) and acherelated complaints (68.6%). Most of participants (64.5%) declared that they informed patients about COVID-19. The safety measures in community pharmacies included: a safety regulations poster during the pandemic (97.1%), handwashing in accordance with recommended guidelines (96.3%) and using protective gloves by the pharmacy staff (89.9%). According to 60.7% of participants, the community pharmacy was properly prepared for the pandemic by the owner, however, respondents from independent pharmacies indicate this more frequently (p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Respondents are aware of the role of community pharmacies in the healthcare system during the pandemic, nevertheless, more attention needs to be paid by public authorities and governmental institutions to patient safety in the community pharmacy.

The state of the health of the oral cavity and health behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To compare the patients' self-evaluations of oral hygiene and oral health with the results of the clinical examination expressed using both the DMFT index (DT, MT, FT) and the API index; and to evaluate the relationship between the patients' general health behaviors and their oral health status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Material and Methods: 78 first-time dental patients (40 females, 38 males; Mage=40,7, SD=14.4) participated in the study. Prior to the initial dental visit, a questionnaire consisting of statements measuring self-rated oral health, hygiene and the patient's knowledge about the oral cavity and the Health Behaviour Questionnaire (HBI) was administered. DMFT index, dental treatment index (DTI), and Approximal Plaque Index (API) were assessed upon intraoral examination. RESULTS: Results: The analyses revealed that the self-declared level of knowledge about the oral cavity was significantly related to the API (p=0.004), to the number of DT (p<0.001) and to the number of FT (p<0.001). There was a correlation between the patients' declared state of the oral cavity and number of DT (p<0.001) and FT (p<0.001). The total HBI score correlated positively with FT (p=0.049). Health behaviours were related to the self-evaluation of oral care (p≤0.19), oral condition (p≤0.001), and knowledge of the oral cavity (p≤0.008). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between the self-declared condition of the patients' oral cavity and their oral care and DMFT index. The higher the level of a patient's declared health behaviours, the better both the self-evaluated, and objectively assessed, state of the oral cavity.

PHARMACEUTICAL CARE IN OPINION OF POLISH MEDICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL STUDENTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY.

Pharmacy students should have a sufficient level of knowledge, skills, and attitude to practice pharmaceutical care effectively in the routine practice in the community pharmacy. Moreover, the strong cooperation between pharmacists and physicians is strongly needed in the process of providing pharmaceutical care. The aim of the study was to investigate the opinions of students of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy from Medical University of Gdansk on pharmaceutical care and cognitive services and aspects of interprofessional collaboration between physicians and pharmacists under the conditions of Polish healthcare system. A crosssectional questionnaire was given at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Medicine at the Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. Both, pharmacy and medical students expressed positive attitude towards pharmaceutical care. Medical students declared that pharmacists should be empowered to refill the prescriptions for medicinal products of the Rx category used in chronic diseases and have access to patients' medical records. However, in the opinions of students of the pharmaceutical faculty, physicians did not support the concept of pharmaceutical care. Pharmacy students identified obstacles to effective implementation of pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies, i.e., lack of time or lack of knowledge in the field of soft skills. Both, students from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk supported the idea of implementation of pharmaceutical care into Polish community pharmacies. Moreover, they recognized the process of evolution of pharmacists' competencies to more clinical role. Therefore, more representative studies are strongly needed to improve the development of pharmaceutical care in Poland.

The pharmaceutical care in asthma - Polish and global perspective.

The pharmaceutical care is a pharmacist's contribution to the care of individual patients and leads to optimize the use of drugs. The pharmaceutical care may improve adherence, clinical effectiveness of providing therapy and improve the health-related quality of life. The conducted literature review confirmed that pharmaceutical care and advanced pharmaceutical services are clinical effective in asthma. The implementation of pharmaceutical care under Polish conditions is currently insufficient and remains challenging for the future. Herein we should admit, that the polish government has recently put an effort to appoint specially dedicated team establishing a program of reimbursed pharmaceutical care. This move should be considered as a new phase for amendments community pharmacy in Poland. The experience of different health care systems, including for instance United Kingdom, Australia or Canada, might be used in the process of changing Polish perspective. Herein, we have reviewed the literature and highlighted the services creating the program of pharmaceutical care in asthma. This unique work describes the complex nature of optimal pharmaceutical services emphasizing the strong necessity of multidimensional approach in this field.

Emergency contraception - A narrative review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Emergency contraception includes several methods of contraception that can be used after unprotected sexual intercourse, after failure of any used method of contraception or in case of sexual abuse, to prevent pregnancy. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to analyze the available methods of emergency contraception, their mechanisms of action, efficacy, forms of administration, clinical applications and possible adverse effects. MATERIAL AND METHOD: PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane datebases were searched for articles from 2010 to 2024 about emergency contraception. RESULTS: The analyzed types of emergency contraception included single oral dose of ulipristal acetate, single oral dose of levonorgestrel and intrauterine system releasing levonorgestrel or copper intrauterine device. Taking emergency contraception in the optimum time according to the drug characteristics allows for avoiding pregnancy in more than 90% of cases (depending on the type of emergency contraception and time from unprotected intercourse). The analyzed literature shows that intrauterine copper intrauterine device is the most effective method of emergency contraception, also together with intrauterine system releasing levonorgestrel leading to the lowest rate of adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Taking emergency contraception can result in various adverse effects, therefore it should be introduced after thorough analysis of woman's medical history, including gynecological and obstetric history and potential contraindications. Additionally, the patient should receive detailed information about the drug mechanism of efficacy and potential adverse effects.

Opinions of Medical Staff Regarding Antibiotic Resistance.

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to public health, that can lead to reduced effectiveness of many therapies, increased morbidity, longer hospitalization times, increased deaths, and additional costs for health care systems. Unreasonable use of antibiotics may result from a lack of adequate knowledge about antibiotic therapy and a lack of knowledge of the risks associated with antibiotic resistance, both among medical personnel and patients. AIM: The primary objective of the study was to verify the opinion of medical personnel on the risks associated with antibiotic resistance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 2023 among 605 Polish sanitary workers. An anonymous survey designed specifically for the purpose of the study was used. The survey was made available on the Internet through the Trade Unions of Pharmacy Workers and directly to hospitals with the support of local authorities. RESULTS: The majority of respondents were women (77.36%). The largest group consisted of individuals over 40 years of age (55.04%). More than half of the respondents were nurses (56.20%), and every fourth of the respondents was a physician (23.64%). Most respondents consider antibiotic resistance to be a very serious (24.13%) or extremely serious (30.75%) problem. The problem of antibiotic resistance on a global scale was mentioned, especially in the opinions of physicians and nurses (p < 0.01), people working in the profession for over a year (p < 0.01), and people with a specialization or undergoing specialist training (p = 0.00). Similarly, these groups most often indicated that antibiotic resistance poses a problem in their workplace. The main problems of antibiotic resistance were the use of antibiotics in farm animals (36.69%), the pressure on patients to take antibiotics (38.84%), and the prophylactic use of antibiotics (43.15%). CONCLUSIONS: Medical personnel consider antibiotic resistance a somewhat serious problem, although not all agree in this regard. The risk of antibiotic resistance is much more seriously assessed by physicians and nurses, as well as by people with specializations or undergoing specialization training. Knowledge about antibiotic resistance should be further spread among all groups of medical personnel.

Evaluation of medication safety assessment tools for pharmacist-led medication reviews: the Eastern European pilot project.

Background: Pharmacist-led medication reviews (MR) are one of the key methods to support medication safety in polypharmacy patients. The aims of this study were to pilot MRs in Eastern European community pharmacies, describe medication use in polypharmacy patients, and evaluate the usability of medication safety assessment tools. Methods: The MR pilot was undertaken in Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Patients who used at least five medicines were directed to the service by their GPs. Data on drug-related problems (DRPs) and adherence were collected by pharmacists through structured patient interviews. Databases for identification of potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) named Inxbase/Riskbase, as well as an integrated tool comprising potentially inappropriate medicines (PIMs) lists EU(7)-PIM and EURO-FORTA, were applied retroactively to the MR pilot data to investigate possibilities for their use and to describe medication use and potential risks in the study population. Results: A total of 318 patients were included in the study, 250 of them elderly (≥65 years). One hundred and eighty (56.6%) participants had a total of 504 pDDIs based on Inxbase analysis. On average, there were 1.6 pDDIs per participant. Twenty-five (5.0%) of the 504 pDDIs were in a high-risk category. A total of 279 (87.7%) participants had a potential ADR in at least one of 10 Riskbase categories. One hundred and fifty-four (20.8%) of the potential ADRs were in a high-risk category. Twenty-seven pDDIs and 68 ADRs documented as DRPs during the service were not included in the databases. Using the integrated EU(7)-PIM/EURO-FORTA PIM list, a total of 816 PIMs were found in 240 (96%) of the 250 elderly participants (on average 3.4 PIMs per elderly participant). Seventy-one (29.6%) of the participants were using high-risk PIMs. Twenty-one percent of high-risk PIMs and 13.8% of medium-risk PIMs were documented as DRPs by the pharmacists during the pilot. Conclusion: Medication safety assessment tools can be useful in guiding decision-making during MRs; however, these tools cannot replace patient interviews and monitoring. Tools that include a thorough explanation of the potential risks and are easy to use are more beneficial for MRs.

The Intestinal and Skin Microbiome in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis and Their Influence on the Course of the Disease: A Literature Review.

Bacteria inhabiting the digestive tract are responsible for our health. The microbiome is essential for the development of the immune system and homeostasis of the body. Maintaining homeostasis is very important, but also extremely complicated. The gut microbiome is related to the skin microbiome. It can therefore be assumed that changes in the microbes inhabiting the skin are greatly influenced by the bacteria living in the intestines. Changes in the composition and function of microbes (dysbiosis in the skin and intestines) have recently been linked to changes in the immune response and the development of skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis (AD). This review was compiled by collaborating Dermatologists specializing in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. A comprehensive review of the current literature was performed using PubMed and limited to relevant case reports and original papers on the skin microbiome in atopic dermatitis. The inclusion criterion was that the paper was published in a peer-reviewed journal in the last 10 years (2012-2022). No limitations on the language of the publication or the type of study were made. It has been shown that any rapid changes in the composition of the microflora may be associated with the appearance of clinical signs and symptoms of the disease. Various studies have proven that the microbiome of many systems (including the intestines) may have a significant impact on the development of the inflammatory process within the skin in the course of AD. It has been shown that an early interaction between the microbiome and immune system may result in a noticeable delay in the onset of atopic diseases. It seems to be of high importance for physicians to understand the role of the microbiome in AD, not only from the pathophysiological standpoint but also in terms of the complex treatment that is required. Perhaps young children diagnosed with AD present specific characteristics of the intestinal microflora. This might be related to the early introduction of antibiotics and dietary manipulations in breastfeeding mothers in the early childhood of AD patients. It is most likely related to the abuse of antibiotics from the first days of life.

The Course of COVID-19 among Unvaccinated Patients-Data from the National Hospital in Warsaw, Poland.

INTRODUCTION: Studies to date indicate the relatively high effectiveness of vaccinations in preventing severe COVID-19 symptoms. However, in Poland, 40% of the population remains unvaccinated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the natural history of COVID-19 in unvaccinated hospital patients in Warsaw, Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study evaluated data from 50 adult patients from the National Hospital in Warsaw, Poland, in the period 26 November 2021 to 11 March 2022. None of these patients had been vaccinated against COVID-19. RESULTS: Analysis showed that the average hospitalisation time for these unvaccinated COVID-19 patients was 13 days. Clinical deterioration was observed in 70% of these patients, 40% required the intensive care unit, and 34% subsequently died prior to the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant deterioration and high mortality rate in the unvaccinated patients. For this reason, it seems prudent to take measures to increase the vaccination coverage level of the population against COVID-19.

Exploring the Role of Pictograms in the Comprehension of Pain.

Introduction: Pain is both difficult to see and to articulate and this is challenging for both patients and clinicians. The aim of this study was to develop and test pictograms to describe different pain qualities. Methods: 22 pictograms were developed for evaluation based on pain qualities of the short form McGill Pain Questionnaire, version 2 (SF-MPQ-2). An online matching survey was conducted and disseminated via social media in 2021. Results: An overall matching of 66% or higher between pictogram and pain qualities descriptors was considered a proper matching. This study was carried out internationally (males = 57, age=41y.o. ±16; females = 155, age=41y.o.±17) and in Poland (males=49, age =35y.o.±17; females = 164, age=35y.o.±16). There were 14 pictograms that did not achieve 66% matching in any country. 8 pictograms mutually in all subgroups achieved a matching score of ≥66% regardless of geographic location, sex, income, or education level. Discussion and Conclusions: These 8 pictograms can be used clinically once they have been redrawn to improve consistency, and future research in the design of pictograms representing pain qualities of the SF-MPQ-2 should focus on design improvements for the remaining 14 pain qualities with poor comprehensibility.

Assessment of Awareness and Knowledge about Osteoporosis in Relation to Health Prevention among Patients Treated in Osteoporosis Clinics.

The increasing incidence of osteoporosis indicates that the disease is a serious public health problem, with about 200 million people being affected worldwide. The aims of this research are to assess the awareness and knowledge about osteoporosis in relation to risk factors, health condition, supplementation used, socio-demographic factors and other variables among osteoporosis patients. The study was conducted in 2016-2018 in osteoporosis clinics in Poland. The study involved 312 patients with a diagnosis of osteoporosis. In the diagnostic survey method, the authors' own questionnaire was used. The results indicate that the more frequent the symptoms associated with the disease, the lower the general self-assessment of the health condition of the respondents (rho = -0.682, p < 0.001). In addition, almost half of the respondents stated that their knowledge of osteoporosis is negligible. Moreover, the use of dietary supplements significantly differentiated respondents in terms of health self-assessed (p < 0.001), and it is noteworthy that users of dietary supplements assessed their health significantly better. We also saw a statistically significant relationship between the self-assessment of knowledge about osteoporosis and the use of dietary supplements (p < 0.001). Accordingly, significantly more respondents rating their knowledge as good or very good used dietary supplements. The conducted study demonstrates the need to educate patients and implement educational programs at central and provincial levels to improve patient knowledge concerning the disease. Supporting adaptation to chronic diseases and appropriate therapeutic management may contribute to improved osteoporosis treatment and enhanced patient quality of life.