Paulina Miśkiewicz

Publications of Paulina Miśkiewicz

• Effective protection from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in Poland: The World Health Organization perspective.

  Authors: Dorota Kaleta, Kinga Polańska, Piotr Wojtysiak, Anna Kozieł, Magdalena Kwaśniewska, Paulina Miśkiewicz, Wojciech Drygas

  International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health. 01/2010; 23(2):123-31.

  Tobacco is the single greatest preventable cause of death in the world today, killing approximately half of the people who use it. Several strategies have been proved to reduce tobacco use. However,Tobacco is the single greatest preventable cause of death in the world today, killing approximately half of the people who use it. Several strategies have been proved to reduce tobacco use. However, more than 50 years after the health effects of smoking were scientifically proven, and more than 20 years after evidence confirmed the hazards from exposure to second-hand smoke, few countries have implemented effective and recognized strategies to control the tobacco epidemic. This paper summarizes the World Health Organization recommendations for effective protection from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke along with the existing tobacco control programs and legislation in force in Poland.

• [MPOWER--strategy for fighting the global tobacco epidemic]

  Authors: Dorota Kaleta, Anna Kozieł, Paulina Miśkiewicz

  Medycyna pracy. 02/2009; 60(2):145-9.

  It is estimated that tobacco use may cause death of 5 million people in 2008, which is higher than the number of deaths attributed to tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS and malaria taken together. By 2030,It is estimated that tobacco use may cause death of 5 million people in 2008, which is higher than the number of deaths attributed to tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS and malaria taken together. By 2030, the number of deaths related to the tobacco epidemic could exceed annually even 8 million. Despite many difficulties, a growing number of countries undertake intensive actions aimed at tobacco control. The objective of this paper was to discuss the major objectives of the MPOWER Report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The MPOWER package consists a set of six key and most effective strategies for fighting the global tobacco epidemic: 1) Monitoring tobacco consumption and the effectiveness of preventive measures; 2) Protect people from tobacco smoke; 3) Offer help to quit tobacco use; 4) Warn about the dangers of tobacco; 5) Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and 6) Raise taxes on tobacco. It is proven that these strategies implemented in the compatible way, effectively decreases tobacco use. In addition, MPOWER comprises epidemiological data, information on implemented tobacco control measures and their efficiency. MPOWER is the only one document of a somewhat strategic nature that is a source of information on the spread of tobacco epidemic, as well as of suggestions concerning specific actions for supporting the fight against this epidemic.

• [Global Adult Tobacco Survey in Poland--the aim and current experiences]

  Authors: Dorota Kaleta, Anna Kozieł, Paulina Miśkiewicz

  Medycyna pracy. 01/2009; 60(3):197-200.

  Poland is one of the countries, where smoking is widely spread and smoking-induced diseases have become a significant health and socio-economic issue. Since 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO)Poland is one of the countries, where smoking is widely spread and smoking-induced diseases have become a significant health and socio-economic issue. Since 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in cooperation with partner organizations have been working on the implementation of the global control system known as the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS). This system expands the opportunities of individual countries in the area of designing, implementing and evaluating comprehensive anti-tobacco programs. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) has been incorporated into the GTSS system in 2007. The aim of the work is to explain and promote the objectives of GATS and the process of its implementation in Poland based on current experiences of the WHO Country Office for Poland. GATS concentrates on monitoring of tobacco use by adults (aged over 15 years). It is a representative, national survey of households, standardized on a global scale. GATS is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies as a part of the Bloomberg Global Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. Two executive agencies, the M. Skłodowska-Curie Institute of Oncology, Warsaw and the Warsaw Medical University, have been assigned to implement the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in Poland. The prepatory works for pre-testing and further stages of the survey implementation are currently under the final phase. Data gathered by GATS will enable us to learn more about the use of tobacco by the adult population in Poland. They will also indicate the most effective methods of the tobacco control in our country.

• [Pictorial health warnings on tobacco products packages as a part of tobacco epidemic control]

  Authors: Dorota Kaleta, Anna Kozieł, Paulina Miśkiewicz

  Medycyna pracy. 01/2009; 60(5):399-403.

  The use of tobacco products has been described by the World Health Organization as the risk factor responsible for six out of eight causes of death in the world. Informing about the harm of smokingThe use of tobacco products has been described by the World Health Organization as the risk factor responsible for six out of eight causes of death in the world. Informing about the harm of smoking may be presented in many ways like media campaigns, text warnings, or graphic warnings placed on tobacco products. The aim of this article is to describe the role of graphic warnings placed on tobacco products in light of tobacco control. In this work, the available current data, including researches and reports of WHO, have been used. Graphic warnings may be a very valuable source of knowledge about health consequences of smoking. They are also much more visible, draw attention much better compared with text warnings and more clearly communicate the threats of tobacco use. They also have a stronger impact, are better memorized and better motivate to quit smoking. Pictorial warnings are also approved by the society. Smokers themselves perceive them as more effective than text warnings. Moreover, this kind of labeling makes tobacco products less attractive. The introduction of legal regulations enforcing these types of warnings does not cost anybody but the tobacco companies. This kind of solution helps to gain public acceptance for other methods of tobacco control like totally free tobacco smoke places.

• [Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)--implementation process in Poland].

  Authors: Dorota Kaleta, Anna Kozieł, Paulina Miśkiewicz

  Przegla̧d lekarski. 01/2009; 66(10):888-9.

  In the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control ( FCTC) is stated a need to develop national, regional and global program of control, mechanisms, determinant factors, consequences of using tobaccoIn the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control ( FCTC) is stated a need to develop national, regional and global program of control, mechanisms, determinant factors, consequences of using tobacco products and inhaling tobacco smoke. One of crucial elements of global control system of tobacco use--Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) is Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). Poland is amongst several countries which were invited to conduct GATS. The aim of his work s to describe the objectives, aims, and implementation GATS Project in our country. It will base on current experience of WHO Country Office in Poland. GATS is a representative households survey created to systematically monitor various types usage of tobacco products including smoking but also other forms of usage amongst adults (over 15 years of age). The main objective of GATS is diagnosis of current state and reasons for development of the tobacco epidemic amongst adults Poles. This diagnosis is necessary to determine actions in health and socio- economic policy priorities in order to minimize the usage of tobacco products. Researches in GATS Project are to be completed by the end of 209 and data analysis and final report in 2010.