As part of the XVIII Forum of Patients' Organizations (FOP), a report was presented "POLKI AND POLITICIANS, AND DISEASES AND HEALTH," which was produced in cooperation between the Sociomedical Research Center and the Institute for Patients' Rights and Health Education. The survey asked about concerns about diseases and health attitudes. It shows that cancer, strokes and Alzheimer's disease are the biggest fears of Polish women and men. This is followed by fear of depression and obesity, and by far the least fear of infectious diseases, i.e. HIV, influenza and COVID-19. In relation to illness, respondents are most afraid of disability, loss of income and dependence on others. Death and loneliness are also feared in connection with the disease.

The analysis observed that there is a widely varying level of fear associated with diseases recognized by the WHO as current threats to global health, while at the same time, taking into account demographic factors such as gender, age, place of residence, income and education, it was noted that insufficient preventive measures are being taken to protect against contracting these diseases. This paradoxical result of the survey suggests that, despite their relatively high fear of disease, Polish women and men have difficulty translating fear into concrete, health-promoting decisions and behaviors.

KEY FINDINGS OF THE REPORT.

CONCERNS OF POLES AND POLACKS IN THE CONTEXT OF MAJOR HEALTH RISKS.

Cancer is the biggest source of concern for Polish women and men taking part in the survey; nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of female respondents reported fears related to the disease. This group of diseases was unequivocally identified by the vast majority of people as the first in the ranking of health concerns. Regardless of age, place of residence or gender, cancer causes the most anxiety.
Next on the list of diseases most feared by male and female respondents are strokes (51 percent) - fear of contracting this disease was indicated by every second person taking part in the survey. The next most feared diseases among Polish men and women surveyed were Alzheimer's disease, feared by 47 percent of respondents, and chronic rare diseases, feared by 45 percent of respondents.
A similar percentage of respondents are afraid of contracting coronary heart disease (37 percent) and depression (36 percent). Slightly fewer (35 percent) are afraid of getting diabetes. It is noteworthy that there is significant variation in the level of concern among Poles about diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver (30 percent), obesity (25 percent) and HIV/AIDS (24 percent), which are also objects of noticeable public concern, although at a much lower level than the previously mentioned conditions.
Declaratively, respondents were least concerned about contracting the flu (20 percent) and COVID-19 (20 percent).

POLES' AND POLES' CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISEASES

The survey also asked respondents what they feared most about the disease. The results clearly indicate that the public's main concern is disability due to illness, which nearly three-quarters of respondents (72 percent) fear.
In addition to disability, respondents highlighted other issues of deep concern to them in the context of the disease. In second place was concern about finances related to treatment, which was indicated by 71 percent of male and female respondents. It is clear that economic aspects related to health care are an important part of the public's concerns.
Further down the list of health concerns, a significant concern is dependence on others (67 percent), fear of losing independence and having to rely on the help of others.
A significant number of people surveyed in the study are concerned about losing income due to illness (61 percent) and about not being able to take care of loved ones as a result of illness (57 percent).
Death, which is a natural fear in the face of serious illnesses, is feared by 56 percent of Polish women and men. A very important aspect that also appeared in the survey is the fear of loneliness caused by illness, which was indicated by 50 percent of male and female respondents.

HEALTH-SEEKING BEHAVIORS OF POLES AND POLACKS IN THE FACE OF CONCERNS.

Despite the high indications of declared fears of specific diseases and the fears that are associated with contracting these diseases, many people surveyed admitted that they do not take preventive measures to avoid them.

A positive result of the survey is that three-quarters (75 percent) of those surveyed said they had taken basic blood tests in the past year.
However, only one in two people (52 percent) have undergone preventive examinations, indicating the need for health education and the promotion of examinations aimed at early detection of potential health risks that Polish women and men are concerned about.