The paper aims in discussing the conditions of deliberation between doctor and patient in the sociological perspective. Structural approach directs our attention to power relations in interaction of this type. What is a main barrier in replacing the paternalistic model with Shared Decision Making one is an asymmetry of power relation. Basing on literature review author comes to conclusion that the most important for patient participation is not necessary participating in decision, but taking a part in deliberation process that preludes it.

 

Effective doctor-patient communiaction plays very important part in health care. A doctor’s communication and interpersonal skills encompass the ability to gather information in order to facilitate accurate diagnosis, counsel appropriately, give therapeutic instructions, and establish caring relationships with patients. There are many barriers to good communication in the doctor-patient relationship, including social needs of keeping personal distance and the tendency to shorthen it.


 

Prohibition or prescription? An effective message of health recommendations

The presentation will be dedicated to a particular form of communication on health aspects, related to the way of conveying health recommendations by a specialist doctor to a sick person, which determines the patient’s participation in the process of treatment. The doctor-patient dialogue is dependent on individual predisposition of both the physician (e.g. emotional intelligence) and the patient (e.g. coping strategies, anxiety level, point or interval strategies, dependency-autonomy dimension, and preferences and competencies developed during disease). The importance of verbal and nonverbal communication in the doctor-patient relationship, particularly, the efficacy of different forms of communication, such as denied versus direct, controlled by the patient versus taken automatically, will be discussed. Typical communication errors and recommendations allowing to avoid errors, will be indicated. As an example of a particularly difficult situation, placing high requirements in terms of communication skills, the talk/conversation with the family of the deceased – a potential donor for organ transplantation, will be presented.
 

Colloquial way of thinking about health and disease

Public health policies aiming to create a healthy lifestyle of society are supported by mass communication. It can be improved by the knowledge of media recipients ways of thinking. The paper is an attempt to synthetic analysis of what Poles think about health issues – how they value it, how they perceive health and illness, what health depends on, how they judge their attitude to knowledge about the impact of lifestyle on health, how they assess their own health care and how their knowledge translates into actions. The material are results collected from numerous surveys conducted over the past several years in Poland, including those implemented by the author. Due to difficulties in comparing detailed statements, general picture of social awareness shown is of a general nature. The analysis revealed many inconsistencies in thinking about health issues – although it is generally depended on the individual and their lifestyle, it is also quirk of fate, even though it is generally highly respected value, its good condition is not that valued. The analysis revealed too many mental obstacles to healthy living – including rare thinking about their impact on health, the belief of healthy living, numerous excuses of passive attitude to health. It also showed the uncertainty of medicine authority and subjective judgement criteria in this area. The complexity of the colloquial thinking about health suggests the need to make good use of interactive media channels, including direct doctor-patient relations and online communication.
 

Assertiveness and stress, self-efficacy, job satisfaction experienced by doctor

This article presents the results of research on the relationship between the doctors’ level of assertiveness and their: occupational stress, job satisfaction and self-efficacy. It was assumed that doctors with a high level of assertiveness will have a higher level of job satisfaction and self-efficacy and the lower level of stress. In the study completed in October 2013 one hundred doctors employed in hospitals in Lower Silesia attended. The results obtained by the two groups of subjects: with the high and the low level of assertiveness were summarized. Statistical analysis of the results confirmed the initial hypothesis depicting the importance of assertiveness in the effective fulfilling the professional role of the doctor.
 

Sick politician, celebrity, plain Smith. Limits of permitted dissemination of information on the state of patient’s health

Issues concerning the health constantly absorb the attention of the media and their audience. It is a common phenomenon, whose bond with making tabloidisation media would be a gross simplification. Certainly where reference is made to the health problems of people known from the circle of show business, the interest is not usually the result of other reasons, such as human curiosity. However, if we begin to make considerations about the health of the incumbent president or prime minister, the situation is quite different, and the reason justifying the publication of these data we find more. The same is true when we consider the cases of injured sportsmen included in the national team, the occurrence of which may prevent participation in major sporting events. The publication is an attempt to synthesize selected issues relating to the legal principles to provide information on health status. In this publication there were taken issues such as medical secrecy, a protection of the right to privacy and personal data against usually conflicting interests of the medical community and the media.
 

Social reception of health and medical care (in the light of polls carried out in Poland during the years 2009–2014)

The main goal of the analysis is to present the current stage of the social consciousness and knowledge of the Polish society in the last five years on the selected topics connected with the health issues, like: 1) perception of the health of individual and pro-health behaviors, 2) psychical mood, knowledge about the psychical illness and psychical condition as a health category, 3) participation of citizens in the health services and health insurance, 4) opinions about the functioning of the health system on the country level, 5) opinions about the functioning of
the health system on the regional level, 6) opinions and evaluation of the health system financed by the state and private sector.
 

The development of digitisation goes hand in hand with simultaneous strong intertwining of the technology of communication with daily life. New media and the resulting opportunities play an elementary role both in the media sector and in the social space. At the same time, technological progress brings new effective forms of contact with recipients and media users. The following questions should be posed: Do the occurring changes support education and social transformation, including the health care sector, or do they create cognitive dissonance? What is the role played by TV series in this process? TV series become channels of access to mass recipients and the ideas, values and information they present take a form which is acceptable and absorbable by recipients. In the era of the inflow of information and unprocessed facts, such a “familiar” message becomes effective and efficient.
 

Doctor’s image – television serial vs. reality

Problems connected with health and disease are very popular and often present in serials in television stations in Poland. Large ratings such programmes are proof that there is a big interest and popularity this kind of subject matter with polish society. Author of this article considers what kind of consequences this can have, especially when we are talking about a perfect image of a doctor. Author analyses image of a doctor, which is created in polish serial “Na dobre i na złe” and looks for an answer, what kind of image about this occupation is created in viewers’ awareness. Finally, by comparing the real image of a doctor with created one, author considers what kind of influence have medical serials on relations and communications between patients and doctors.
 

Between the market and social responsibility of media. An analysis of selected magazines devoted to health issues

Treating mass media as an education channel, the Authors of the article tried to find an answer to the question if polish media meet the expectations of public health and health promotion. Data used as the background to the thesis come from press market analysis and readership researches. Also non-representative research on health-journalists has been presented. The Authors focus on health press market seeking for information who is the publisher and who is the editor of health communications. Who is the target of such communications? In whose interest the certain contents are created?

Media portryal of the elderly

As a result of human life becoming longer, almost one in three pensioners in developed countries has about 20 years of life at the moment of retirement. That requires “learning how to be old”, i.e. building the quality of life at that stage of life. Education in its widest sense is the area where a lot can be done. Education includes here both the formal and institutionalized learning and the incidental knowledge conveyed by mass media.
Therefore, an interest in mass media, as an educational channel preparing people for old age, is on the rise.
As old age is difficult to accept in our culture, various age groups push back the thought of becoming old, the organized education with its clear target groups does work adequately. Members of the potential target of information campaigns, educational programs, or other methods of persuasive communication do not identify themselves with the elderly. Widely available media
On the basis of conducted research (a questionnaire and analysis of content of selected magazines and newspapers – both stages completed with a review and statistical analysis), presents what various age groups, expect from media, as well as the correlation between expectations of readers resulting from the research and the content offered through media. In accordance with the evaluation, the educational role of media under consideration is not fulfilled satisfactorily.

Influence of zachodniopomorski media on the prevention of the breast cancer on the comparative background

It was noted that multimedia programmes are very important in the promotion of health, and that thanks to media publications there is an increase in the number of women requesting prophylactic examinations and an increase in knowledge about cancers. These activities are still not enough, because organisations and institutions promoting health are not cooperating closely enough in creating joint campaigns. A change in thinking patterns and activities would enable an increase in the knowledge of cancer with patients by making available a new offer ensuring an increased number of programmes, with simultaneous savings in funds, while maintaining standards of the highest quality and the participation of medical authorities.

 

Ideologization of health iconographic messages in times of People’s Republic of Poland: in search of visual stereotype

An attempt has been made in that paper to describe the ways of health subject area posters to instil ideological premises connected with social realism to People’s Poland’s society. For this purpose posters created in the first post war decade of PRL (until 1956) have been analysed. Examining the text and visual substance and the stylistic structure of posters allows to notice – in most of works – elements connected with the ideological premise of the social realism. It was recorded as characteristic graphic and rhetoric symbols for the epoch when the posters were created. To the most important features of social realism output, art formula that to the largest extent effected the end image of analysed creations, belongs the rule of typicality in composition of posters. It required from its creators to elicit in their posters characteristic features of the socialist world and man. Not all works were equipped in content unequivocally associated with the new political system. Some of them could be used also today to promote pro-health behaviours.
 

The goal of this article is an analysis of the function, which NGOs perform in the health system in Poland, as well as their participation in universal-social debate concerning health. The object of this paper, is Communications strategy of the Rak’n’Roll Foundation, one of the Polish NGOs with the highest level of recognition, operating in the sphere of health. On the basis of the author’s own research, she describes the activities undertaken by the Foundation to create and develop mutual relations with the media and analyze how it is represented in the media, as well as the efficacy of its own means of communication. She raises the question as to whether the communication activities of the “Rak’n’Roll” Foundation aim to improve the health care system (support) or does it rather contribute to an “overloading of the system” (that is a situation where the demands of individuals exceed the ability of the state to act) or perhaps they don’t have any greater significance on an institutional level?
 

Health communication strategies of the European Union

Public health is one of the priorities of the European Union. The EU institutions complement and encourage the member states to take action for protecting and improving health. Promotion of health is of particular importance for contemporary European society and for that reason the EU health communication strategies, directed to the EU citizens, were analyzed. The European Antibiotic Awareness Day was presented as an example of a public health campaign conducted in the EU. The study explores: the role of press, radio and television and the significance of new media in the EU communication strategies concerning health; the citizen empowerment and the activity enhancement (especially engaging the patient in health communication); as well as health education.
 

Social campaigns promoting health in Poland – case studies

In spite of the short tradition of social marketing in Poland, it is possible to find its traditions in the idea of the health promotion. Promoting health behaviors, persuading to change lifestyle, more frequent preventive examinations and above all increasing the knowledge and the health awareness of Poles are the main objectives of social campaigns involved in communication about health. The problems most frequently taken: cancer, civilization diseases, risky sexual behaviors. Most of the campaigns aimed to increase public awareness of specific diseases, so that the recipient was aware of the need of the control tests, symptoms of illness as well as the possibility of curing. The study reveals the importance of changing the language used in the context of a particular disease, underlining the benefits of pro-health attitudes, and innovative approaches towards the recipients.

 

Health communication: Creating “an environment of hope”

Creating “an environment of hope” (or: “communities of hope”) in health communication could be an interesting alternative social support in the post-modern reality. Living in a society of risk (U. Beck), we experience uncertainty, anchored in a new culture (W. Bonß). We struggle with the experience of a civilization of fear and anxiety (J. Kozielecki). Is it possible in this situation to build and shape interpersonal relationships (doctor-patient-relatives) and intrapersonal that will promote health and talking about him? The article is a description of how to communicate about health in the context of creating communities of hope. It outlines human functioning in postmodernity, indicates his/her expectations of health workers, psychologists and those who are closest to them in a situation of healthcare and health, diseases and treatment communication.

From the viewpoint of pharmaceutical companies, the employed tools of communication in the realm of public relations is a very important element of communication with many groups of their milieu, internal as well as external. Especially in the example of the second category, PR activity is often the only available means of communication of these organizations and their milieu, as the existing legal regulations essentially limit the possibility of realizing their communications activities, including those linked with the promotion of their own products, and especially advertising of these products. The goal of this article is to analyze selected communication strategies executed by pharmaceutical companies on the Polish market over the last two decades, and their market conditioning, as well as delineating their basic typologies.

Communication dysfunction. Definition of sexual health in the opinion of World Health Organization and Catholic Church

The main goal of this article is to present different meaning of homosexuality in opinion of WHO and Catholic Church. In the past catholic media presented that homosexuality is a sin. On the other hand, we can see an effort of WHO, which was trying to redefine the issue of sexual health and give the homosexuality a new meaning – wellness. However Catholic Church hold its ground and still considering homosexuality with the sin. This conclude in communication dysfunction.

 

New aspect of communication about health or the media phenomenon of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity

Health is one of the most significant elements in our lives. It is a subject of numerous debates both in social and media space. Communication on health most often incorporates a form of interpersonal debate during everyday meetings, however its broader dimension should be born in mind as well. The mass character of media transmission causes that problems which refer to health and generally understood healthcare system, becomes a crucial element of social participation within this field. An example of social actions that aim at saving lives of people with diseases and conducting actions that promote health and prophylaxis is the operation of the Grand Orchestra of Christmas Charity (pl. Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy – WOŚP) together with the great final organized annually. Its pro-social character and innovative way of communication presented during the actions, in both traditional and electronic media, caused that it has become a national symbol of unity and social involvement of people and companies to the benefit of the sick. Currently, the GOCC is the strongest and best recognizable brand not only in Poland but also abroad, and the way of communication presented by its establisher and at the same time main strategist Jurek Owsiak, has become a tradition permanently placed in the calendar of media events. This article aims at showing the phenomenon of the Grand Orchestra of Christmas Charity and its input into new forms of communication about health.
 

Communicating in A&E. A case study

Creating an effective communication strategy within the health sector and outside – in its environment, requires overcoming barriers caused by the lack of communication links between its elements and stakeholders. For the case study the project devoted to minimizing incidents of violence and aggression on A&E departments in the UK was selected. These institutions resemble Polish Hospital Rescue Branches (SOR) because of their work and the specific problems they face. The implemented solution aims at facilitation of communication in the health facility and belongs to the latest developments of this kind. The evaluation process which took place at the end of 2013 confirmed the undoubted success of the project.
 

Biomedical engineering – The medicine’s partner in communication about medical’s innovations

Paper presents opportunities to take advantage of knowledge of higher technical personnel with Biomedical Engineering specialty as a partner of both doctors and medias representatives in the health communication. It was shown that such partnership is necessary when building patient’s trust for the innovations in medicine. It was also proven how underestimated factor in health communication is properly handled documentation and allowing patients to access it remotely. Conclusions was backed by specific examples of innovations in medicine and means to inform patients about them.