Research of scientists from Warsaw University of Life Sciences in a prestigious journal
A research team of three employees from the Institute of Sociological Sciences and Pedagogy of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences conducted a study on self-treatment of Poles during the pandemic. Its results were published in the international journal “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health” (Impact Factor 2,849).The study was carried out after the fourth stage of defrosting the economy (June 8-15, 2020). The authors were interested in the answer to the question whether the three-month blockade and the related change in the functioning of the Polish health care system (including through the popularization of telemedicine or easier access to prescriptions) caused changes in the behavior of Poles related to self-medication.
The results of the research indicate, inter alia, that almost half of the respondents (45.6%) engaged in at least one behavior related to self-treatment. 16.6% of respondents took preventive medications, and 16.8% took prescription medications without consulting a doctor. Worryingly, many respondents declared that they did not act this way before the pandemic.
More details on the research carried out and the issues of self-healing of Poles in the context of the pandemic in the article: Self-Medication-Related Behaviors and Poland’s COVID-19 Lockdown.