“My Health – Adult Health Assessment”

The “My Health – Adult Health Assessment” program is an important element of Poland’s preventive healthcare system. Its primary goal is to provide all adults 20 years of age and older with comprehensive health assessments, conducted at specific intervals: every five years for those aged 20-49, and every three years after age 49. The program includes screening tests, cardiovascular risk assessments, and medical consultations, enabling early detection of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. The program was introduced in May 2025, replacing the previous “Prophylaxis 40+” program. The goal is a comprehensive health assessment, early detection of chronic diseases, and individualized cardiovascular risk assessment. The program responds to global challenges related to insufficient physical activity and the rising incidence of NCDs (Table 1).

The program’s advantage is its universality – it covers the entire adult population, not just those over 40, as was the case with the “Prophylaxis 40+” program. A definite advantage is its systematic nature, resulting from clearly defined testing frequency. Another important advantage is its comprehensiveness, as the program is not limited to individual tests but allows for a comprehensive health assessment and the implementation of preventive measures. This increases the chances of early diagnosis of chronic diseases and improves patients’ quality of life. The program also aligns with the WHO’s global strategies for reducing NCDs through the promotion of healthy lifestyles and early diagnosis, addressing the challenges associated with insufficient physical activity and the rising incidence of lifestyle diseases [17].

At the same time, the program has certain limitations. Expanding its scope to the entire adult population could lead to an increased burden on the healthcare system, lengthening waiting lists for tests, and requiring additional staffing and financial resources. There is also a risk of low participation – some people, despite the availability of tests, may not use the program, limiting its effectiveness. The financial costs associated with implementing the program and persistent socioeconomic inequalities also pose challenges, which may reduce the availability of tests among people from smaller towns or with lower levels of education. The “My Health – Adult Health Assessment” program is an important step towards universal and comprehensive preventive healthcare in Poland. Its effectiveness will depend on effective patient participation, adequate funding, and educational activities that increase public awareness. The program has the potential to significantly improve the health of the population and reduce the burden of chronic diseases, provided it is effectively implemented and provides equitable access to testing. The analysis indicates a balance between the program’s strengths (universality, comprehensiveness, compliance with global recommendations) and its limitations (costs, risk of low participation, system burden).

Cancer screening programs

Cancer screening programs, such as cytological tests in the prevention of cervical cancer and mammography for breast cancer prevention, are a key element of the healthcare system in Poland and throughout the EU (Table 2). Their main goal is the early detection of cancer, which significantly increases the chances of effective treatment and reduces mortality from these diseases.

The primary advantage of screening programs is the possibility of early diagnosis, which allows for the detection of the disease at an asymptomatic stage, thus enabling the implementation of rapid and effective treatment. Tests are free and available for specific age groups (breast cancer (mammography) – 45-74 years, cervical cancer (cytology/HPV) – 25-64 years [9]), which increases their population potential. These programs also have educational significance – they raise public health awareness, encourage regular screenings, and promote preventive care as a lifestyle element. An additional advantage is that they are consistent with the recommendations of international health organizations such as the WHO and the European Society of Oncology, ensuring their high quality of content.

At the same time, screening programs have their limitations. Screening attendance is often too low, which reduces their effectiveness in the population – many people choose not to use the tests despite their availability. There is also a risk of false positive or false negative results, which can lead to unnecessary patient stress or a delay in diagnosis. Programs also require significant financial and organizational resources, which places a burden on the healthcare system. Socioeconomic and geographic inequalities are an additional problem – people from smaller towns or with lower levels of education are less likely to participate in screening, limiting their availability and effectiveness. Cervical and breast cancer screening programs are an extremely important tool in the fight against cancer, as they enable early detection and improve patient prognosis. However, their effectiveness depends on high attendance, adequate funding, and educational activities that increase public awareness and address inequalities in access to screening.

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program (CHUK)

The CHUK program is one of the most important elements of preventive health care in Poland (Table 3). It is aimed at people aged 35-65 and implemented within primary health care. Its primary goal is the early detection of cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia, as well as the implementation of preventive and educational activities. The program includes screening tests, blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol measurements, as well as a lifestyle assessment. This allows for the rapid identification of individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease and referral for further diagnosis or treatment.

The greatest advantage of the CHUK program is its focus on early diagnosis, which helps reduce the risk of developing serious cardiovascular diseases. The program is free and available through primary care, increasing its accessibility to a wide range of patients. Furthermore, CHUK is educational in nature, promoting a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, and a proper diet. It also aligns with the recommendations of the WHO and the ESC regarding the prevention of cardiovascular disease. A limitation of the program is its relatively low attendance rate – many patients do not attend preventive screenings despite their availability. There is also a risk that the program will not cover all at-risk individuals, especially those who infrequently use health care. Another challenge is the organizational and financial costs associated with providing laboratory tests and medical personnel. Access to testing is also unequal – people from smaller towns may have less access to testing.

Influence of socioeconomic factors and health education on the effectiveness of prevention

The effectiveness of preventive programs depends largely on social and economic conditions, which determine access to testing and willingness to undertake health-promoting activities (Table 4).

Socioeconomic factors play a key role, as individuals with higher levels of education and a better financial situation are more likely to participate in preventive screenings, have greater health awareness, and have easier access to medical care. Conversely, groups with lower socioeconomic status experience lower participation in preventive programs, limited access to medical facilities, and a higher risk of chronic diseases. These inequalities lead to differences in the effectiveness of preventive measures and require additional interventions, such as local initiatives or programs targeted at vulnerable groups.

Health education is the second pillar of effective prevention. Raising public awareness through information campaigns, school and media activities, and individual medical counseling increases motivation to participate in research and implement healthy habits. Education allows for a better understanding of the importance of prevention, reduces test-related anxiety, and promotes lasting lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity, a healthy diet, and abstaining from substance use. Socioeconomic factors and health education are crucial to the effectiveness of prevention because they directly influence the reach of programs and whether they actually reach the entire population and produce the desired results. Reducing social inequalities and investing in health education are essential for the full achievement of prevention goals and improving public health (Table 5).

Discussion of the review results

Preventive programs in Poland (Table 5), from adult health assessments to cancer screening and CVD, have a strong substantive foundation and are consistent with international recommendations, but their impact is limited primarily by low participation and fragmented activities. Systemic analyses indicate overloaded hospital care, underfunding of preventive care, and a lack of long-term program coordination, which weakens their population-based effectiveness and hinders the scaling of good practices. From a cardiology perspective, reviews of local, regional, and national activities from 2012 to 2022 reveal organizational and quality gaps, from insufficient monitoring to inconsistent implementation of recommendations, that translate into lower health outcomes from preventive programs [18,19]. The socioeconomic gradient remains a key barrier: people with lower social status have less access to preventive services, are less likely to participate in screening tests, and are more likely to accumulate risk factors, leading to poorer health outcomes.

Population studies and literature reviews indicate that excess risk and mortality among individuals with lower levels of education or income are only partially explained by known mediators (e.g. smoking, diet, activity), necessitating addressing broader social determinants of health. Polish survey data and health policy reports perpetuate an image of unequal access: financial, geographic, and informational barriers combine to reduce participation in screening programs and limit the effective reach of preventive care [20,21].

Health education acts as an accelerator of program effectiveness: it improves awareness, motivation, and health literacy, which increases participation in research and promotes lasting behavioral changes (physical activity, diet, and substance use reduction). Review papers and scientific commentaries emphasize that well-designed educational interventions rooted in the community, based on credible sources and multichannel communication, reduce inequalities and enhance the effectiveness of chronic disease prevention. Furthermore, research on information preferences among adult Poles shows that the choice of program information sources (e.g. primary care physician, public media, institutional campaigns) depends on sociodemographic characteristics, indicating the need for message segmentation and tailoring communication channels to different audiences [22].

At the level of systemic goals, coherence with the Sustainable Development Agenda (SDG 3) requires simultaneous investment in prevention, education, and social policies. Assessment of progress in achieving SDG 3 confirms that social and institutional factors (including anti-smoking policies, limiting harmful alcohol consumption, and activity-friendly urban planning) are critical for reducing non-communicable diseases, while health programs without such support achieve lower results. Reports on the Polish healthcare system, in turn, emphasize the need for digitization, better quality monitoring, and integration of prevention data to more effectively manage population-based interventions and increase their health value [14,15,19]. Therefore, a dual strategy is needed: strengthening the coordination and quality of prevention programs (monitoring, standards, financing) and intensive, segmented educational activities targeted at groups with lower socioeconomic status. This combination increases participation in research, reduces inequalities, and accelerates the achievement of goals to reduce premature mortality from chronic diseases.

Limitation of the study

This study is based exclusively on the analysis of secondary sources, including strategic documents, official guidelines, and publicly available reports. No primary data were collected, which limits the ability to directly assess the effectiveness of preventive programs in practice. The narrative character of the review also introduces the risk of selection bias, as the analysis depends on the availability, completeness, and transparency of institutional documents. Although a structured identification process was applied, the study may not capture all relevant initiatives or unpublished program evaluations. These limitations should be taken into account when interpreting the findings and their generalizability.