ORIGINAL PAPER
The level of knowledge of diabetic prevention in Poland – is there a phenomenon of pluralistic ignorance?
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1
Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
(Department of Social Pathologies)
2
Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Warsaw, Poland
(Institute of Cardiology, Department of Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
3
Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
(Department of Preventive Medicine)
4
Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
(Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics)
5
Jagiellonian University of Krakow, Kraków, Poland
(Department of Epidemiology and Population Studies, Institute of Public Health)
6
Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
(Department and Clinic of Cardiology)
7
Medical University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland
(Department and Clinic of Hypertension and Diabetology)
8
Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
(Department and Clinic of Hipertensiology Angiology and Internal Medicine)
Online publication date: 2021-04-13
Corresponding author
Katarzyna Pawlak-Sobczak
Medical University of Lodz, Department of Social Pathologies, Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-759 Łódź, Poland
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(5):667-78
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The main aim of this work is to assess the level of knowledge about diabetes prevention and the consequences of untreated diabetes in
the Polish society, as well as to indicate the variables that have a significant impact on that knowledge. Material and Methods: The analysis is based on
the results of the National Multicenter Health Survey – WOBASZ II. The number of subjects surveyed was 6170, including 2760 men and 3410 women,
aged 20–74 years. Data on socio-demographic variables, lifestyle and subjective health assessment were collected using the face-to-face technique. Results: The results obtained in the WOBASZ II project showed that >85% of the respondents had an unsatisfactory level of knowledge about diabetes prevention methods and approximately to 85% of the respondents – about the consequences of untreated diabetes. Moreover, one-fourth
of the respondents were unable to identify a single way of preventing diabetes, and more than one-third could not identify a single disease caused by
diabetes. The risk of a lack of knowledge about diabetes prevention and the consequences of untreated diabetes is more common for men, people with
a low level of education, not married, non-diabetic, and without diagnosed diabetes in the family. Conclusions: The presented results indicate that
there is an prevailing lack of knowledge about diabetes prevention and the consequences of untreated diabetes in the Polish society. It is associated
with several variables like: sex, level of education, age, marital status, subjective health assessment and diabetes diagnosed in the respondent and/or
in the respondent’s family. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(5):667–78