Browsing by Author "Costa, A."
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- Developing a social prescribing local system in a European Mediterranean country: a feasibility study to promote active and healthy agingPublication . Costa, A.; Lopes, J.; Sousa, C. J.; Santos, O.; Virgolino, A.; Nogueira, P.; Henriques, A.; Seabra, P.; Capitão, C.; Martins, R.; Arriaga, M.; Alarcão, V.Background: Social Prescribing (SP) is an innovative strategy to respond to the non-clinical health needs of the population. A Social Prescribing Local System (SPLS) can be defined as a set of joined community, health, and social organizations to foster SP-oriented activities. This study aimed to develop and assess the feasibility of an SPLS implemented in a Mediterranean country, to promote health and wellbeing and contribute to active and healthy aging. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was followed, including three sequential components: 1) Cross-sectional online survey targeting health professionals (HP) working in a primary health care cluster, Portugal’s southern region; 2) Pilot study implementing an on-the-job training program for HP, designed to meet identified training needs in the survey; 3) Focus group (FG) with the HP who participated in the pilot study, two individual interviews, with an elderly patient and a community provider for assessing the satisfaction with the pilot test. Results: Sixty-five HP completed the survey; of these, 13 completed the theoretical part of the on-the-job training program; and six (out of these 13) completed the full program. Five HP participated in the FG, one patient and one community provider were interviewed. The surveyed HP perceived as facilitators to implement SP: an automatic system of notifications to prompt the use of SP, contribute to patient satisfaction, human and community resources’ stability. The survey also highlighted barriers to SP implementation: length of appointments, shortage of human resources, data records confidentiality, low patient adherence rates, bureaucratic issues, time constraints, and financial costs. Participants were satisfied with the training. Identified SPLS implementation benefits were grouped into four dimensions (from the qualitative approach): gains for patients’ health and wellbeing, support for the health services, sustainability of the community resources, and HP’ professional satisfaction. Conclusions: Our study took the first steps towards the implementation of an SPLS. Findings reinforce that training HP in SP and on-the-job training seems feasible. This approach was well received and appears to represent a suitable and sustainable strategy. It can promote professional satisfaction, support health services, contribute to the stability of community resources, improve health and promote active and healthy aging.
- Digital health literacy in the training of informal caregivers - community interventionPublication . Águas, D.; Paço, M.; Henriques, A.; Arriaga, M.; Costa, A.Background: Health Literacy allows optimizing healthy lifestyles and preventive and health protective behaviors (DGS, 2019). Low literacy can lead to a greater number of hospitalizations, a more frequent use of emergency services and a lower prevalence of preventive attitudes in the field of health. Internet-based interventions could have a positive impact on informal caregivers, reducing the geographical barrier, promoting self-efficacy in managing their own emotions, reducing burden. Aim: Contribute to the training of informal caregivers of a primary health care unit in Lisbon, through the promotion of digital health literacy. Methods: The Community Intervention project was carried out in the context of a home visit, focusing on 11 informal caregivers, through the presentation of an interactive digital manual. It was based on the methodology of health planning, through the elaboration of a diagnosis of the situation, definition of priorities, setting of objectives, selection of strategies, operational preparation and evaluation (Imperatori & Giraldes, 1993).ResultsIt was found that not all informal caregivers have access to the internet or digital technologies, and it was necessary to deliver the printed manual. Caregivers who accessed the interactive digital manual rated its content as very important, having accessed the suggested links without difficulty. The possibility of forwarding the digital manual to other caregivers was valid for all. Conclusions:Digital technologies promote communication in terms of health promotion, contributing to universal access and digital training in health, giving individuals the opportunity to increase care for their own health. The creation of digital health tools must be directed to the characteristics of the population. For individuals with low digital literacy, simple technologies must be created and for those who cannot or do not want to use digital tools, adequate alternatives must be created.
- Emotional and behavioral problems in children born prematurelyPublication . Veiga, Elisa; Dias, Pedro; Xavier, Maria Raúl; Negrão, Mariana; Costa, A.; Dias, C.; Freitas, A.; Lopes, E.
- Rastreio do Cancro Colo-Retal e a perceção da literacia em saúdePublication . Costa, A.; Torres, J.; Vieira, A. T.; Nogueira, P.; Henriques, A.Antecedentes/Objetivos: Os baixos níveis de Literacia em Saúde (LS) podem ser vistos como barreiras no processo de adesão ao Rastreio do Cancro Colo-Retal (RCCR). O RCCR está associado à redução da incidência e mortalidade pelo cancro colo-retal (CCR), estando fortemente recomendado um rastreio de base populacional. Objetivo: Caracterizar os níveis de LS relativos à prevenção da doença, de uma população numa área geodemográfica de Lisboa, em idade elegível para RCCR. Métodos: Foi aplicado o questionário HLS19-Q12, traduzido e validado para a realidade Portuguesa com questões adicionais para caracterização sociodemográfica. Para tratamento dos dados foram utilizados o Software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) e o Microsoft Excel. A população estudada corresponde a 54 pessoas com idades compreendidas entre os 50 e os 74 anos, que entregaram um teste de pesquisa de sangue oculto nas fezes numa unidade de cuidados de saúde primários de um agrupamento de centros de saúde de Lisboa. Resultados: Dos participantes 44,5% apresentou um nível problemático e/ou inadequado de LS relativamente à prevenção da doença. Ao nível das competências relacionadas com a prevenção da doença, a população estudada referiu mais dificuldades em aceder a informação, onde 46,9% da população considerou difícil ou muito difícil aceder a informação relacionada com a prevenção da doença. A segunda competência mais problemática nesta dimensão foi aplicar informação, evidenciando-se que 19,6 considera ser difícil ou muito difícil utilizar esta competência. A competência de compreender informação evidenciando-se que 94,3% da população considerou fácil ou muito fácil incorporar esta competência no seu processo de tomada de decisão. A competência avaliar obteve resultados mais positivos, evidenciando-se que 95,6% da população da amostra considerou fácil ou muito fácil utilizar esta competência e apenas, 3,7% considerou difícil. Conclusões/Recomendações: A competência relacionada com o acesso à informação relacionada com a prevenção da doença foi a que registou índices mais baixos na população estudada, em relação às restantes competências. Os resultados deste estudo contribuem para a adequação de medidas de intervenção numa população específica elegível para rastreio.
- The impact of trait anxiety and autism traits on olfactory abilities of the general populationPublication . Barros, F.; Figueiredo, C.; Costa, A.; Morais, S.; Madeira, N.; Soares, S.Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by atypical sensory processing, including in olfactory domain. However, since ASD is a complex condition characterized by marked heterogeneity in severity and symptoms, variables with significant manifestation in this condition, such as trait anxiety, may have been adding confounds to results. Importantly, perceptual abnormalities found in ASD seem to extend for the general population, varying with the expression of autism traits. Objectives: To explore the role of trait anxiety and autism traits on olfactory performance in the general population. Methods: Participants were 97 adults who did not present health conditions significantly impacting olfactory function. They filled Autism Spectrum Quotient and State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety. Also, they completed the Sniffin Sticks Extended Test, to evaluate odor threshold, discrimination and identification abilities. Results: Three multiple hierarchical regression models were performed to explain the scores in olfactory abilities. Four predictors were included in each model - somatic and cognitive anxiety, social skills and attention to detail, after controlling for sex in the first step. The models explaining odor threshold and identification were not statistically significant. The model for odor discrimination explained 18.5% of variance, being sex (b=.226), somatic anxiety (b=.279) and attention to detail (b=.294) significant predictors. Conclusions: Our results add new insights about the role of somatic anxiety and attention to detail in discrimination abilities of the general population, suggesting that physiological activation may disrupt olfactory perception regarding discrimination domain specifically, while the reverse seems to occur with high attention to detail.