Poland

Poland

Dear fellow caregivers,
You are welcoming a patient from Poland.
Here is a list of useful information to know in the context of his medical care.

General Information

Distance Paris ✈ Warsaw:849 miles
38.4 million inhabitants / Average salary: $1,055 per month
Literacy rate: 99.70% / Life expectancy: 77.90 years
Spoken language : Polish

Poles can be slow to interact with individuals from different cultures and countries.
● The most common diseases are: COVID-19, tick-borne encephalitis, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, typhoid and Zika.

Communication

Polish woman proudly waving her flag

Poles are generally quiet and reserved who avoid loud behavior in public.

Beliefs, Practices & Rituals

Religious parade on the occasion of the World Youth Day

● About 95% of the Polish population is Catholic and celebrates major Catholic holidays.
● Traditionally, families often go to church.

Eating habits

Family reviews

● The Polish diet is generally high in fat and meals often consist of potatoes and wheat or rye products.

Pregnancy and motherhood

Premature newborn in its incubator

● When a child is sick, Polish parents have the habit of massaging it with a greasy cream with alcohol.
Breastfeeding is an extremely common practice.
● In Poland, abortion is illegal except in cases of danger to the mother’s life, rape or incest.

End-of-life care

Happy Polish couple in front of their house

● The services of a chaplain are usually requested by Polish patients/families.
● After death, the body is taken home for a wake, followed by a church service and burial.

Exemples

This section allows us to share experiences. Feel free to share yours with the community.

Sources

Cleveland Clinic – Diversity Toolkit

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