It wasn’t that bad yet. Poles assessed their health in the National Health Test

The latest report of the National Health Test of Poles – the largest health study on the Polish Internet, which has been run by Medonet since 2020 – shows that immediate changes are needed. Already every second of us has long-term health problems, and we have assessed our physical and mental health the worst in the last three years. But there are also two positive changes.

1. The results of the Polish National Health Test 2022 indicate that the past year did not have a positive impact on the health of adult Poles
2. In terms of prevention and a healthy lifestyle, we still have a lot to do if we want to live longer and in better health
3. Last year, the number of Poles who use stimulants, including designer drugs, increased
4. On the other hand, the percentage of people opting for physical activity decreased
5. More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.

The Health Index is down

What is the Health Index? It is a coefficient created for NTZP that shows, on a scale from 0 to 100%, the extent to which the respondent’s answers to the questions asked and the actions declared in them regarding disease prevention and a healthy lifestyle coincide with the recommendations of experts. And what happened to us in 2022?

In 2022, the Average Health Index was 55,1%, i.e. 0,4 pp. more than in 2021, but has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels (61,9%). This means that Poles still do not comply with the recommendations of experts in the field of disease prevention and a healthy lifestyle, and thus care less about their health compared to the time before the pandemic.

This is a disturbing observation, especially in comparison with the data from the Central Statistical Office, which say that in Poland life expectancy in 2020 has shortened compared to 2019 by almost one and a half years to approx. 77 years, i.e. a length similar to that from a decade ago. . Moreover, among the OECD countries for which data were available, only three countries in 2020 had a lower life expectancy than Poland – Lithuania, Latvia and Hungary.

Poor physical and mental condition. The worst among young adults

Poles have assessed their physical and mental condition the worst in three years (a comparison of the results of three editions of the National Health Test of Poles – NTZP2020, NTZP2021 and NTZP2022).

Currently, only 56 percent. men and less than half of women (49%) assess their physical health as very good and good. On the other hand, 9% assess their physical health as bad or very bad. women and 8 percent. men (increase by 2 pp. in each group).

The mental state has also deteriorated significantly compared to 2021 and 2020. Both the majority of women (54%) and men (65%) assess their mental health as very good and good. This result is as much as 5 pp. lower than in 2021 (and by 7 pp. lower than in 2020). What’s more, as much as 12 percent. Poles believe that their mental state (compared to their peers) is bad or very bad.

The health condition of young adults, i.e. people aged 18-24, is especially alarming. This is one of the two groups for which the average Health Index has not increased but decreased year on year – currently it is 51,2%. and is the lowest of all age groups. At the same time, it is these people who rate their physical health the worst (13% of them think it is bad or very bad) and mental health (as many as 29% of them think it is bad or very bad).

Our Diet – a return to pre-pandemic bad habits, but one good change

During the first year of the pandemic, many changes occurred in our diet. We began to eat more vegetables and fruits, and many of us also gave up or cut back on fast food and sweet drinks. Unfortunately, the following months showed that these healthy habits were with us only for a while. How is it now?

Every fifth Pole eats fast food several times a month, and 3 percent. people eat them even several times a week. Sweetened drinks are drunk daily by as much as 13 percent. Poles, by 3 pp. more than a year ago (and the same as in 2020), and 13% of them reach for them several times a week. respondents. More Poles also consume energy drinks. The percentage of people who drink it is now 33 percent. and increased year on year by 2 pp.

Vegetables, like fruit, are eaten by only one in three of us! This year’s data clearly shows that the increase in daily fruit and vegetable consumption that we saw in 2021 was only temporary and we are now back to the pre-pandemic state. Both the consumption of vegetables and fruit increases with age and with the level of education. It is also higher for women than men.

There is also good news. Although Poles still choose meat meals most often (26%), this percentage is decreasing year by year. What’s more, we eat red meat much less often than in 2021 – among people who have meat in their diet, already 15 percent. declares that they do not use red at all, 5 percent eats red meat every day (1 percentage point less than in 2021), 37% consumes it one to three times a week. (6 pp. Less than in 2021), while 42 percent. it is decided once or twice a month (9 pp. less than in 2021).

More cigarettes and boosters

The percentage of active smokers of all tobacco products has increased and amounts to an average of 30%. – (by 3 pp. More than in 2021). 22 percent Poles are classified as heavy smokers (an increase by 3 pp. Compared to 2021), 8%. he uses tobacco products occasionally.

Thus, last year’s decline in interest in tobacco products was short-lived and was probably caused by the COVID-19 pandemic due to limited access to health care, the impact of tobacco on lowering immunity and deteriorating health, as well as the course of the COVID-19 disease, strongly associated with respiratory problems. .

26 percent Poles managed to quit smoking. Among active smokers, as much as 56 percent. tried to quit, but the trial was unsuccessful, 23 percent. has not tried to quit yet, but plans to do so in the future.

As much as 9 percent 18-24-year-olds and 12 percent 25-34-year-olds tried designer drugs – that’s about 3 pp. more in each of these groups compared to 2021. In total, 5 percent have experience with legal highs. Poles (1 pp. More than in 2021 and 2020).

Physical activity – it’s bad

Although in the first year of the pandemic, despite the restrictions involving the closure of sports and recreational facilities, Poles increased their physical activity (data from NTZP2021), in 2022 these positive changes were reversed.

Currently, as much as 53 percent. Poles do not play any sport (6 pp. More than in 2021). What’s more, as much as 12 percent. people do not leave the house at all or do not walk for reasons other than health (2 pp. more than in 2021 and 2020). The largest percentage of Poles – 36 percent. – he spends up to 30 minutes walking a day. 28 percent people spend between 30 and 60 minutes walking, and 13 percent. 1 to 2 hours.

Preventive and screening tests – it’s better

Although many Poles do not perform preventive examinations regularly, in 2022 there is a significant improvement in this regard compared to both 2021 and 2020.

Over the past year, 45 percent. Poles examined the concentration of cholesterol, 44 percent. performed a general urine test, 54 percent checked the blood sugar level, 59 percent. performed a blood count, and 77 percent. blood pressure measurement. These results indicate that the easing of pandemic restrictions, together with the fear for their health two years after the pandemic was announced, effectively prompted Poles to go for research.

Many of us are chronically ill

Already 51 percent. Poles have long-term health problems, and the number of people with chronic health problems grows with age. Almost every third Pole is diagnosed with arterial hypertension, every fifth allergy or asthma, every sixth depression, and every 11th diabetes. 19% suffer from joint diseases, 12% from heart disease, 12% from neurological diseases, 5% from cancer and 3% from COPD. respondents. In 32 percent of respondents have ever been diagnosed with COVID-19.

More than half of us have had at least one telemedicine visit

During the pandemic, many Poles started using telemedicine services due to the limited availability of traditional medical visits. In the last 12 months, 51 percent. (2 pp. More than in 2021) Poles used telemedicine – 19% respondents repeatedly visited a telemedicine, and 31 percent. it did it at least once.

Among people who benefited from a telemedicine visit, as many as 85 percent. declares that this type of contact with the doctor met their expectations (although to a different extent). However, 14 percent. declared that the telemedicine visit did not meet their expectations. 3 percent people (in 2021 it was as much as 22%), among those who have not had any telemedicine visit in the last 12 months, declare that the reason was the lack of knowledge how to use this type of advice.

There is a financial exclusion in access to medical care in Poland

The pandemic, as well as political and economic events, had a strong impact on the financial stability of Poles. The results of NTZP2022 indicate that financial issues are a significant element limiting the availability of services and medical products, and the problem of financial exclusion has deepened during the pandemic.

Every fourth Pole (every fifth in 2020 and 2021) resigned from visiting a doctor at least once in his life for financial reasons, and every third (in 2020 and 2021, every fourth) did not visit a dentist for this reason. As much as 18 percent. Poles gave up purchasing a prescription drug, and 13 percent. from the purchase of medical equipment for financial reasons.

The National Health Test of Poles educates and influences behavior change

The role of the National Health Test of Poles is not only to study Poles’ attitudes to health issues, but also health education, which will lead to a change in behavior into healthier ones.

The results of this year’s survey show that as much as 36 percent. of those who participated in at least one of the two previous editions, thanks to NTZP took specific measures to improve their health – 14 percent. performed preventive examinations, 13 percent took care of greater physical activity, 11 percent. changed their diet for a healthier one, 9 percent they made an appointment with a doctor faster, and 5 percent began to take more care of their health.

REPORT – Polish National Health Test 2022

The National Health Test of Poles is the largest health survey on the Polish Internet (according to available data). In 2022, almost 230 people took part in it. people.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT of the Polish National Health Test 2022

The report of the Polish National Health Test 2022 covers such aspects as health, morbidity, preventive healthcare, lifestyle and the use of medical care.

This year’s report not only presents the results of NTZP2022, but compares them with the data collected in both previous editions (NTZP2020 carried out just before the announcement of the pandemic and NTZP2021, which took place a year later). Thanks to this, we can closely trace how the attitude of Poles to preventive healthcare has changed and how their pro-health behaviors developed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The project was held under the honorary patronage of the Vice-Rector of the Jagiellonian University for Collegium Medicum. The content of the project is supervised by the Scientific Council of the National Health Test of Poles.

We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to astrology. Is astrology really a forecast of the future? What is it and how can it help us in everyday life? What is the chart and why is it worth analyzing with an astrologer? You will hear about this and many other topics related to astrology in the new episode of our podcast.