Although most adults in Poland undergo at least one preventive medical test during the year, regular screening remains far less common. A PZU Zdrowie study found that only 25% of men and 31% of women get preventive check-ups regularly. Experts say fear of discovering a serious illness remains one of the barriers.
Nearly 70% of Polish adults said they had undergone at least one preventive test over the previous year. Blood tests were the most common, reported by 88% of respondents, followed by urine tests at 63%. Only 31% reported cervical screening or PSA testing, 13% spirometry or a chest X-ray, 13% gastroscopy or colonoscopy, and 8% a skin examination.
Participation in cancer screening remains low
Participation is also limited in publicly funded cancer screening programmes. Around one-third of eligible women undergo mammography. In the cervical cancer programme, where high-risk HPV testing became the primary screening method in August 2026, 14.65% of eligible women participated in the first half of the year. Fewer than 17% took part in colorectal cancer screening.
Dr Milena Lachowicz, a psycho-oncologist at the Medical University of Gdańsk, told Newseria that some patients avoid screening because they fear that a test could reveal an illness. She argues that communication should focus less on mortality statistics and more on the fact that early detection can significantly improve treatment prospects.
Access to preventive screening in Poland is broad and includes mobile mammography units as well as national screening programmes. In October 2026 the system is also due to expand with a programme for early lung cancer detection using low-dose computed tomography for high-risk groups.
Lachowicz stresses that a cancer diagnosis creates a major psychological burden not only for patients but also for their families. Psycho-oncological support can therefore be important both during diagnosis and treatment.
Source: Newseria, PZU Zdrowie, Medical University of Gdańsk.
