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Currently, the eyes of the whole world are turned to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is civilization diseases that are called the epidemic of the 80st century for a reason. They spread globally, are not contagious, and at the same time lead to disability and are the cause of over XNUMX% of premature deaths. Is it possible to control them and how?
The prevention of civilization diseases does not work
During the Economic Forum organized in Karpacz, during the panel devoted to civilization diseases, the invited guests thought about how to implement disease prevention projects so that they would reduce the number of people at risk and exposed to health complications.
Prof. Adam Witkowski, Head of the Institute of Cardiology The Primate of the Millennium, Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński, rightly noticed that prevention in Poland, especially the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, does not work.
– One billion people in the world suffer from hypertension. In 2009, 33 percent. people were unaware that they had high blood pressure, so they were left untreated. 10 years later, the percentage of these people was the same. It means that we make a mistake in reaching people – said the professor and added that we do not pay attention to primary prevention in children, who then become sick adults.
Justyna Marynowska, vice-president of the National Chamber of Laboratory Diagnosticians also added that there is practically no secondary prevention in Poland, which is a popular model in Western countries.
Infectious diseases affect the treatment of non-communicable diseases
Dr. Artur Zaczyński, Deputy Medical Director at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw, pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the treatment of chronic diseases.
– Due to the pandemic, we inhibited planned procedures that improved the quality of life and survival of patients.
A big problem during the pandemic is the fact that some patients did not report to their doctor for fear of becoming infected, or they came too late. In the case of chronically ill patients, treatment procedures were postponed, which resulted in blockages in the queues for scheduled surgeries.
– The queues have become longer and, unfortunately, we have examples of patients who died while waiting for treatment – said prof. Adam Witkowski.
As all the participants of the panel, as well as its leader, prof. Andrzej Fal, Head of the Department of Allergology, Lung Diseases and Internal Diseases, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, infectious diseases, which will be more and more, will affect the treatment of non-infectious diseases. That is why it is important to develop appropriate procedures, but most of all to implement effective prevention and prophylaxis.
The editorial board recommends:
- Patients have difficult contact with doctors. All because of the pandemic
- What are patients complaining about during a pandemic? Results of the research of the “My Patients” foundation
- Report: One in three chronically ill Poles does not use medications on a regular basis