The Szopienice community’s response to the consequences of lead exposure in the 1970s – attitudes and knowledge (humanistic perspective)

Abstract In the 1970s, in the Szopienice district of Katowice, Poland, symptoms of long-term lead poisoning were identified in children living in the vicinity of the Non-Ferrous Metal Works „Szopienice” . Publicly available documents state that approximately 5,000 children were initially examined in secret by the authorities of the People’s Republic of Poland. The aim of this study was to determine whether selected living representatives of the group that suffered from lead poisoning in the 1970s, as well as their family members, were aware that the health effects of exposure to harmful environmental factors occurred after a long period. During pilot field research, an attempt was made to gather information that would enable an assessment of the community’s knowledge of basic environmental medical issues. Special attention was paid to the attitudes of the selected group (those with lead poisoning from the 1970s in Szopienice) towards lead poisoning. The respondents demonstrate limited knowledge regarding the effects of lead poisoning. Consequently, there is a clear need to implement educational initiatives, particularly in the areas of health prevention and awareness-raising about the consequences of lead exposure. Notably, the respondents express a positive attitude toward the diagnostic capabilities offered by environmental medicine, including approaches focused on individualized patient care.