Day 2 (Room C, July 2) - Congress Replay - The 6th Congress of Polish Statistics

Objective

The paper falls under the thematic area: History, education and dissemination of statistics. The aim is to introduce the figure and scientific achievements of Stefan Szulc, one of the distinguished Polish statisticians and demographers whose work played a significant role and gained recognition both in Poland and internationally. Professor Szulc, an outstanding scholar, educator, and President of the Central Statistical Office, is the patron of the Central Statistical Library, which in 2026 commemorates him in various ways by recalling his achievements on the 70th anniversary of his death.

Methods

Stefan Szulc left behind a rich body of scientific work as well as archival documentation related to his activities as a scholar and public official. The Archives of the Central Statistical Office hold his personal records, while the archives of the Polish Academy of Sciences contain documentation of his scientific activity and unpublished texts authored by him. The collections of the Central Statistical Library include all of his published books and articles in academic journals. In 1978, the Library published a bibliography of the Professor’s works, an updated edition is planned for 2026. Over the years, these materials have served as sources for studies on Szulc’s achievements, published in biographical works on the Polish scientific community, historical publications issued by the Central Statistical Office, and academic journals in the fields of statistics and library science, all of which are also available in the Library’s collections. Based on these sources, representatives of the Central Statistical Library aim to present the figure and accomplishments of the Professor as an important figure in the history of Polish statistics - one of the co-creators of Polish official statistics, an author and editor of significant statistical publications, a lecturer and mentor to many Polish statisticians, an author of educational publications in statistics, the organizer of the Central Statistical Office’s library, and the first post-war President of the CSO.

Results

The paper presents the academic and professional trajectory of Stefan Szulc, including: - his publishing and translation activities, - his work at the Central Statistical Office, which started in 1919 - initially as a junior officer, then as the first head of the CSO Library, followed by positions as head of the Publications and Scientific Resources Division, the Population Statistics Division, and Editor-in-Chief of CSO publications, - the initiation and organization of key publication series of the CSO that continue to this day, including the Statistical Yearbooks of the Republic of Poland, - his achievements as a long-standing university lecturer, - his impact on Polish statistics as the author of repeatedly reissued textbooks on which generations of Polish students were educated.

Conclusions

Stefan Szulc was one of the main co-creators and organizers of the statistical system in Poland, contributing to the thematic, organizational, and publishing achievements of Polish statistics. Over more than fifty years of scholarly work, he published 74 original scientific papers, one translation, and several dozen statistical publications of the Central Statistical Office, for which he served as Editor-in-Chief. His textbook Statistical Methods is still used in the teaching of statistics today. The 70th anniversary of Professor Szulc’s death provides a unique opportunity to recall the achievements of this outstanding statistician at the forum of the 6th Congress of Polish Statistics.

Keywords

history of statistics : historical demography : statistician`s biography

Objective

The aim of the presentation is to present modern approaches to promoting official statistics and disseminating knowledge about data, and to show how modern communication tools can increase access to statistical information, improve outreach to diverse key target groups, and strengthen public interest in data and its practical importance in everyday life, public life, and decision-making processes.

Methods

The presentation will showcase examples of communication and outreach activities using audio and video formats, webinars, educational initiatives, and other solutions supporting greater interest in statistics. It will discuss podcasts produced within the Office, externally created podcasts promoting survey research, short video formats published on social media, as well as webinars aimed at explaining statistical data in a simple and accessible way. Examples of modern internship programmes for students, activities engaging young audiences in discussions on the importance of data, and analytical games demonstrating the practical use of statistics in different environments will also be presented. The main point of reference will be the observation of changes in the ways statistical information is communicated and in the adaptation of language, format, and communication channels to the needs of contemporary audiences. The approach is of a review nature and is based on the analysis of examples drawn from information, educational, and promotional activities carried out with the use of modern communication tools. Their educational and promotional function will also be taken into account.

Results

The presented activities show that data and official statistics can be communicated in a way that is accessible, engaging, and tailored to the needs of contemporary audiences. Modern forms of communication increase the attractiveness of statistical content, facilitate its reception, and encourage greater interest in data, statistical surveys, and the role of official statistics. The use of podcasts, webinars, short video formats, and educational activities supports relationship-building with audiences and strengthens the presence of statistics in the social and information space. It also enhances public trust.

Conclusions

Modern communication channels can effectively strengthen the image of official statistics, foster dialogue with society, and build greater awareness of the importance of data in social and economic life. The diversity of communication formats supports better adaptation of messages to the needs of different target groups and increases the chances of sustaining interest in statistics and its practical use in everyday decision-making and in the informed interpretation of information across various areas of life.

Keywords

official statistics, data communication, podcasts, webinars, statistical education, modern

Objective

The aim of the study is to identify the minimum scale of homelessness and to estimate the volume of mortality intensity in this population based on available administrative data sources. This phenomenon is only partially recorded in statistical systems, which makes it difficult to fully capture and monitor it. Particular attention is given to identifying deaths among people experiencing homelessness and analyzing their mortality risk in relation to the general population.

Methods

The study employs an integrated approach based on three administrative data sources: (1) a dataset of social assistance beneficiaries for whom burial was provided at municipal cost, (2) an extended dataset of social assistance beneficiaries in which the number of deaths was estimated among individuals who ceased receiving benefits, and (3) a dataset of burials held by local government. A key element of the analysis was the use of proprietary algorithms enabling the identification of persons experiencing homelessness through the reconstruction of personal identification numbers (PESEL) and linkage of data across administrative registers. In cases of missing personal identification numbers, estimation approaches were applied to determine the most likely expected number of deaths in the group of individuals who disappear from the social assistance system. In the process of combining the sets, a deterministic approach was used, based on available identifiers and selected descriptive features, which enabled more precise matching of records and reduced the risk of counting the same persons multiple times. Crude mortality rates (CMR) and standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated to enable international comparisons.

Results

Approximately 1,200 deaths per year were identified among persons experiencing homelessness who had received social assistance within the 12 months preceding their death. The average age of death in 2022 was 58.1 years (SD = 11.9), indicating earlier mortality compared to the general population. The crude mortality rate was 3.76, and the standardized SMR was 3.69, with the highest values observed among individuals under 50 years of age. Spatial analysis revealed significant variation—urban municipalities record approximately four times more municipal burials of people experiencing homelessness per capita than rural municipalities. These results represent a lower-bound estimate of the phenomenon.

Conclusions

Available administrative data sources allow to identify the minimum scale of homelessness and mortality in this population but do not enable for a full estimation of its true magnitude. The lack of systematic registration of homelessness and limited availability of personal identification numbers (e.g., PESEL) significantly hinder data linkage and analysis. The findings indicate more than a threefold higher risk of death among persons experiencing homelessness compared to the general population, particularly in younger age groups. Similar values have been reported in the studies conducted in other countries.

Keywords

homelessness: mortality: administrative data: SMR: social assistance

Objective

The objective of the paper is to present a new public statistics tool that produces the data on legally disabled people in Poland. The dashboard has been developed in collaboration with representatives of the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Disabled Persons at the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. The data recorded in the dashboard derived from the public statistics research “Legally Disabled People”, which is also discussed in the paper.

Methods

The research on legally disabled people is carried out annually, on a regular basis, by the Statistical Office in Kraków, with the use of the integrated data deriving from the registers and the administrative systems.Within the research, the data from five disability certification systems in Poland have been interconnected: the Electronic National System for Monitoring Disability Certification, the old pension and disability pension systems of the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), the comprehensive pension benefits service system of the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS), the Pension Office of the Ministry of the interior and Administration and the Information System of the Ministry of National Defence. The research covers the entire population of legally disabled people in Poland, which is related to the persons holding valid certificate issued by the Disability Assessment Board (regarding disability or level of disability) or equal certificate issued by Social Insurance Institution (referring to the level of incapacity for work), KRUS (regarding incapacity for work in the agricultural farm), the Ministry of the Interior and Administration and the Ministry of National Defence (on the level of disability, issued before 12 / 31 / 1997). In the research the auxiliary data source from the Civil Register recorded in the information systems of the Ministry of Digitalisation (on deceased persons) was used as a supplementary information to update the dataset.

Results

The paper deals with the resulting statistical information on legally disabled people visualised in the dashboard, broken down by place of residence, sex, age groups, level of disability and medical conditions. The options for filtering content, sample animated graphics, charts and maps, customising the view to users’ needs, and digital access are going to be presented. In addition, other publications including the results of the research will be discussed. They refer to release news and infographics. Some of the data are available on maps and charts in the Geostatistical Portal of Statistics Poland.

Conclusions

The dashboard is a practical instrument designed not only for decision-makers, public administration, analysts, researchers, journalists, members of non-government organisations and businessmen, but also for everyone interested in the issues affecting about four million legally disabled people in Poland. The data, available in the form of interactive maps and charts as well as in ready-to-download files, can be used by local government bodies, for example, in order to diagnose the regional needs or for the purpose of planning appropriate support for disabled people, including elders, e.g. within the framework of individual assistance programmes or supporting benefits.

Keywords

disability, disability certification