Factors associated with the use of public eHealth services in Poland - a 2022 nationwide cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Poland is an example of a European country that has made significant progress in digitizing healthcare during the last 5 years. There is limited data on the use of eHealth services by different socio-economic groups in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic The aim of the study was to characterize public attitudes towards the use of e-Health services in Poland, as well as to identify factors associated with the use of e-Health services among adults in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire-based survey was carried out during 9-12 September 2022. A computer-assisted web interview methodology was used. A nationwide random quota sample of 1,092 adult Poles was selected. Questions on the use of 6 different public eHealth services in Poland and soci-economic characteristics were addressed. RESULTS: Two-thirds of participants (67.1%) had received an e-prescription in the last 12 months. More than half of the participants used the Internet Patient Account (58.2%) or the patient.gov.pl website (54.9%). One-third of the participants had teleconsultation with a doctor (34.4%), and approximately one-quarter of participants had received electronic sick leave (26.9%) or used electronic information about treatment dates (26.7%). Of the ten different socio-economic factors analyzed in this study, educational level, and place of residence (p<0.05) were the most important factors associated with the use of public eHealth services among adults in Poland. CONCLUSIONS: Living in rural areas or small cities is associated with a lower level of public eHealth services utilization. A relatively high interest in health education through eHealth methods was observed.

Use of the Internet for Health Purposes-A National Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey among Adults in Poland.

The Internet is one of the most popular information sources. This study aimed to assess the public attitudes towards the use of the Internet for health purposes as well as to identify factors associated with the use of the Internet for health purposes among adults in Poland. A web-based cross-sectional survey was carried out between 9 and 12 September 2022 on a nationwide random-quota sample of 1092 adults in Poland. The study questionnaire included 10 questions on Internet use for health purposes. The most common reason for the use of the Internet for health purposes was searching for information on drugs and their effects (69.9%). Almost two-thirds of participants used the Internet for searching for health information (64.9%), for doctors/medical services (63.4%), or for medical facilities (65.3%). Over half of the participants used the Internet for checking online reviews of doctors (55.2%) and 43.5% of the participants ordered drugs or dietary supplements online. Out of 9 different socioeconomic factors analyzed in this study, having higher education, being female, as well as living in cities from 100,000 to 499,999 residents were the most important factors (p < 0.05) associated with the use of the Internet for health purposes. This study confirmed a high level of adoption of medical Internet in Poland.

Overall survival (OS) in patients after chemotherapy for cervical cancer in Poland in years 2008-2015.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze cervical cancer prevalence as well as treatment methods, and its effects and assessment of overall survival of patients after chemotherapy for cervical cancer in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were collected from the registry of the National Health Fund (the only public payer in Poland). The data of patients treated in 2008-2015, who were shown to the payer with the diagnosis of malignant neoplasm of cervix (C53 according to the ICD-10 classification), were included in the analysis. The annual and eight-year prevalence rates were calculated. The overall survival was calculated for patients treated with chemotherapy. RESULTS: In the analyzed period (2008-2015), 83,100 women were diagnosed with C53, of which 33,300 (40%) were reported in the group of hospital treatment. The median age of patients was 59 years (58.8 ± 12.87). The highest prevalence rate was observed in 2008 (16.94 patients/100,000 inhabitants). The highest annual and period (2008-2015) prevalence rates patients per 100,000 inhabitants were observed in the Podlaskie (17.03 and 115.53 respectively) and Pomorskie (14.19 and 101.43 respectively) voivodeships and the lowest in Dolnoslaskie voivodeship (10.47 and 78.87 respectively) and Podkarpackie voivodeship (10.79 and 71.29 respectively). Mean survival time was 55.12 months and its median 45.46 months. Annual survival time was observed in 76.79% of patients, 2-year in 60.61%; 3-year in 53.08% and 5-year in 46.65%. CONCLUSIONS: In the years 2008-2015 in Poland, the incidence of cervical cancer was even 4 times higher than the EU average, and the mortality was as much as 70% higher than the average for EU countries.

Analysis of incidence and overall survival of patients with vulvar cancer in Poland in 2008-2016 - implications for cancer registries.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the incidence and overall survival rate of patients with vulvar cancer in Poland, based on the reporting data from the National Health Fund. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The incidence of vulvar cancer in Poland in 2008-2016 (9-year follow-up period) by voivodship and the number of patients undergoing combined hospital treatment were analyzed. For the group of patients treated systemically, overall survival (OS) probability was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier estimation method. RESULTS: In the period 2008-2016 in Poland, the diagnosis of malignant neoplasm of the vulva (C51% group) was made in 29,702 patients. The mean annual prevalence rate per 100,000 inhabitants was 8.3 ± 1.2 for Poland. The largest numbers of patients were reported in Mazowieckie and Slaskie voivodeships and the lowest in Opolskie and Podlaskie voivodeships. The median overall survival of patients treated with the combined method in 2008-2016 in Poland was 64.7 months (95% Cl: 58.0-70.0). One-year survival rate was observed in 77.6% of patients, 2-year in 64.4%, 3-year in 58%, over 5 years - 54.22%. CONCLUSIONS: In the years 2008-2016 in Poland, based on the data reported to the National Health Fund, the incidence of vulvar cancer was 4 times higher than the statistics of the National Cancer Registry, the WHO or the USA, which indicates either substantive or reporting errors. In Poland, 54% of patients treated with the combined therapy survive over 5 years which is a much lower result compared to highly developed countries.