There are two nationwide studies which have already turned into two social campaigns aiming to promote healthy lifestyle and preventive health care, raise public awareness in the field of pharmaceutical care, as well as increase pharmacists’ authority. The Aflofarm Foundation and an independent research agency BioStat have just completed another project together.

In 2019, initiated by the Aflofarm Foundation and the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber in cooperation with the BioStat Research and Development Center, the "Pharmacist in Poland" report was published being one of the vital elements of the extensive image campaign "Pharmacist At First". In 2021, the same two organisations , i.e. the Aflofarm Foundation and BioStat, published another report "Poles one year after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic outbreak" which indicated the most important changes in the field of physical, mental health and social and family relations of Poles during the pandemic.

Both campaigns were held based on comprehensive research for both the Aflofarm Foundation and the BioStat agency aimed to reliably and holistically highlight problems and challenges related to pharmaceutical care and the effects of the pandemic. Both organisations did their best to promote important values in these campaigns and translate them into raising people’s awareness as well as popularising knowledge in the field of health care and medicine.

Pharmacist At First

The range of questions covered by the research conducted by BioStat for the “Pharmacist At First” campaign included, among others: do you ask control questions in order to ensure patients understand medical advice? how do you choose your pharmacy? do you think a pharmacy serves as an important place to ask for advice and counsel in all health issues, beside doctoral appointment? 380 pharmacists and 1067 patients took part in the research. It was the first such a comprehensive research related to the image and role of pharmacists as well as pharmaceutical care. The whole action was initiated by the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber and the Aflofarm Foundation.

- The role of approx. 27 thousand of pharmacists in Poland is immense, yet underrated. Masters of pharmacy are essential when it comes to protection, prevention and health improvement of patients, though still marginalised by many. The campaign, run jointly with the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber, aimed to highlight the role of a pharmacist. Research, which was conducted by an independent agency BioStat, was a starting point for the follow-up actions intended to popularize knowledge of pharmaceutical care and promote a positive image of a pharmacist. The action has been carried out under the auspices of the Minister of Health - Tomasz Furman, Chairman of the Board (COB) at the Aflofarm Foundation.

Poles one year after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic outbreak

After a very successful campaign „Pharmacist At First”, followed by a knowledge portal for pharmacists ”With a Pharmacist In Mind”, the Aflofarm Foundation initiated a new campaign which aims to review the outcomes of the pandemic a year after its outbreak in terms of physical health and well-being of Polish people. Again, the research, being a core part of the campaign, was carried out by the BioStat Agency.

The research was conducted using CATI and CAWI research methods in 1000 respondents, and the key findings include:
• 58.3% of infected people continue to experience the effects of the infection
• 49.7% of respondents admitted their family relations have not changed during the pandemic, while 14.4% responded their relations improved
• Respondents have reported increased nervousness (52.3%), back pain (44.4%), headache (36.4%) and decreased vision (36%) or mental problems that needed to be consulted with a psychologist or a psychiatrist (14.4%)
• More than a half of Polish people poorly rated the accessibility to primary care physicians and medical specialists during the pandemic, but as many as 61% of respondents positively commented on e-prescriptions and telehealth appointments.

- There is no need to convince anybody that last year was very distinctive and left its mark on all aspects of our life. Social impact of COVID 19 will continue to last for another few years. For many of us it was a challenging year that forced us to reorganize and revise our lives. The pandemic brough about digital revolution in health care. Polish people had an opportunity to learn at an accelerated pace what telemedicine is and how it works. The high rate of online telehealth appointments indicates that they relatively quickly got used to the new form of medical services – Rafał Piszczek –Chairman of the Board in the BioStat Research and Development Centre.

Valuable partnership, fruitful cooperation, spectacular outcome

- Trust was one of the most crucial factors when choosing a partner that could take patronage over the research. We were interested to cooperate with a reliable, solid, experienced and trusted partner who will take an in-depth approach to investigate the problem. Being aware that the effects of conducted research and campaign are a valuable source of knowledge for doctors, pharmacists, media and partners, we did our best to ensure high quality of the report, its accessibility, transparency and clarity, thanks to our close cooperation with the BioStat Research and Development Centre - Katarzyna Liberska-Kinderman, Head of PR&Communications at the Aflofarm Foundation.

The Aflofarm Foundation keeps addressing important issues related to medicine, health and pharmacy which have an important impact on promotion of preventive health care as well as educating people in important health issues. Such actions undertaken jointly with reputable and trusted partners have multifaceted impact on the market, shed light on important social problems and support development of new solutions that may, in the near future, affect the system of preventive health care, medicine or pharmacy.