, Igor Grzesiak
, Patrycja Rzucidło-Zając
https://doi.org/10.21697/ejhp.1709.04
Infectious diseases remain one of the most pressing challenges to public health in Poland, as illustrated by the crises of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering cultural, social, and political influences, this study investigates the health attitudes of Poles toward these epidemiological threats. While research confirms that health has become the highest priority for Poles, apprehensions about cancer continue to overshadow fears of infectious diseases such as HIV and COVID-19. Paradoxically, despite relatively low levels of anxiety about infections, there is a troubling gap in voluntary HIV testing and a tepid response to COVID-19 and other vaccination campaigns. An examination of these health attitudes exposes barriers to persuading the public to embrace preventive behaviors and reconsider their health-related choices. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has illuminated systemic vulnerabilities in public health infrastructure, there is a growing need for intensified educational campaigns aimed at
enhancing health awareness and rebuilding trust in immunization. These findings reinforce the key importance of multifaceted health strategies that address not only medical, but also psychological and educational angles to effectively confront future health crises.
English
Język Polski