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Browsing by Author "Costa, Eleonora C. V."

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  • Effects of intimate partner violence and child abuse on HIV risk behaviors
    Publication . Barros, Ana; Martins, Fernando; Monteiro, Sílvia; Costa, Eleonora C. V.
    The impact of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and childhood trauma on 141 Portuguese women’s HIV risk behaviors (61 victims and 80 non-victims of IPV) was examined as well as differences between victims and non-victims in terms of childhood trauma, condom use, and history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A cross-sectional study design was used with retrospective self-report. Women who reported IPV also reported more instances of child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as more STIs than those who reported no history of abuse. IPV, including psychological aggression and physical assault without injury, significantly contributed to the presence/history of STIs, while younger age contributed to condom use. This study demonstrates the impact of IPV on HIV risk behaviors and highlights the need for effective intervention programs to prevent sexual risk behaviors and promote sexual health among victimized women.
    2024Journal article Open access Show more
  • Perfil sócio-demográfico e clínico de uma amostra de fumantes portugueses: implicações do sexo para a intervenção na cessação tabágica
    Publication . Costa, Eleonora C. V.; Valério, Maria Júlia; Pascoal, Ivone; Trovisqueira, Ana Margarida
    As medidas de cessação tabágica mostram resultados positivos na diminuição da morbidade e mortalidade associadas ao consumo do tabaco. Esses programas possuem maior eficácia quando se adequam às especificidades dos tabagistas. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar as diferenças de sexo em uma amostra de 100 fumantes portugueses, através da administração de um questionário sócio-demográfico e clínico. Observaram-se diferenças de sexo no número de cigarros consumidos por dia, no momento do dia e no contexto social de maior consumo, no residir com fumantes, na pressão social para deixar de fumar e no sono. As implicações clínicas dos resultados foram discutidas no sentido de otimizar a prestação dos serviços de saúde em contexto de cessação tabágica.
    2016-01-01Journal article Open access Show more
  • Psychological morbidity, social support, and relationship intimacy in pregnant Portuguese women
    Publication . Costa, Eleonora C. V.; Moreira, Litícia; Castanheira, Eva; Correira, Paulo; Pereira, Graça
    Pregnancy can predispose women to stress and depression, with social support and intimacy being protective factors for the development of these disorders. This study evaluated the relationship between stress (various stressors), social support, intimacy and depression in a sample of 169 pregnant women attending the Childbirth Preparation classes. Depressive mood was positively correlated with both stress and satisfaction with social support and intimacy were negatively correlated with stress and depressive. In short, it is pertinent to create networks of support and intervention in stress for the promotion of mental health of pregnant women.
    2017-08-29Journal article Open access Show more
  • Psychosocial and psychopathological predictors of HIV-risk injecting behavior among drug users in Portugal
    Publication . Costa, Eleonora C. V.; Paiva, Carla A.; Ferreira, Domingos; Santos, Sofia
    Despite the introduction of needle and syringe exchange programs (NSPs), sharing of syringes and other materials remains common among injection drug users (IDUs) worldwide. For this reason, IDUs are at high-risk of HIV transmission. This paper studies the psychosocial and psychopathological determinants of sharing among IDUs. Understanding the relationship between psychological morbidity, HIV knowledge, HIV risk perception, and sharing behaviors is important to develop campaigns to curb sharing among IDUs. We recruited 120 male (76.7%) and female (23.3%) IDUs at a public outpatient treatment service in northern Portugal whose age average was 34 (sd=7.56). They were characterized for sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral variables, as well as for knowledge on HIV transmission and prevention, HIV risk perception, and psychopathological symptoms. Almost all patients (95.8%) were tested for HIV and 31.7% were HIV positive. Half of them had a chronic disease (50.8%) and declared to engage in sharing (51.7%). Most had accurate knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention. A great majority deemed HIV risk to be high in their communities (80.8%) but deemed their personal risk to be zero or low (72.5%). Statistical analysis showed that sociodemographic variables (female sex, lower education, living alone) and psychopathological symptoms obsessioncompulsion and somatization) predict sharing. We conclude that the development and implementation of campaigns to reduce sharing among IDUs should focus more on women, IDUs living alone, as well as early assessment and intervention on psychopathological disorders.
    2015Journal article Open access Show more
  • Relação entre morbilidade psicológica, variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas, perceção de intimidade relacional, satisfação conjugal e preocupações sentidas durante a gravidez
    Publication . Castanheira, Eva; Correia, Paulo; Costa, Eleonora C. V.
    Objetivos: Avaliar a relação entre variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas, perceção de intimidade relacional, satisfação conjugal, preocupações sentidas durante a gravidez e morbilidade psicológica (ansiedade, depressão e stress).Tipo de estudo: Observacional, transversal.Local: ACeS da zona norte do País (Barcelos/Esposende – ACeS Cávado III).População: Grávidas no segundo e terceiro trimestres de gravidez.Métodos: A amostra foi recolhida nas sessões de preparação para o parto efetuadas no ACeS Cávado III, tendo as utentes respondido a um questionário.Resultados: Maiores preocupações associam-se a maior morbilidade psicológica, menor perceção de intimidade relacional e satisfação conjugal associam-se a maior morbilidade psicológica. A perceção de intimidade relacional relacionou-se positivamente com a satisfação conjugal e negativamente com as preocupações.Conclusões: A gravidez pode comportar consideráveis riscos para a saúde mental da mulher.
    2017-09-01Journal article Open access Show more
  • Safe-sex knowledge, self-assessed HIV risk, and sexual behaviour of young Portuguese women
    Publication . Costa, Eleonora C. V.; McIntyre, Teresa; Ferreira, Domingos
    Background: Young women make up most cases of HIV infection in Portugal (e.g., 26% in 2012), but their sexual behaviour, ability to recognize sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk in partners, and knowledge and practice of safe sex are underresearched. Methods: We studied these issues in a group of 177 women from Northern Portugal, together with their social, educational, and religious background. The women filled out several self-report questionnaires developed in the USA that have been adapted and validated for use in Portugal. They assess HIV knowledge, risk perception, and sexual risk behaviour. Results: We documented good knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention, although there are still some myths; 79.9% of the women knew that condoms prevent HIV transmission, but only 46% of them declared to use them regularly. Thus, knowledge does not imply adequate preventive behaviour. Women lacking higher education had poorer knowledge of HIV biology and of partner HIV risk. Despite being aware of HIV cases in their communities, most women deemed themselves at little risk, especially those lacking higher education, with many arguing that monogamy protects them, and, importantly, many preferring to ignore their partners' current and past behaviour when assessing their exposure. Conclusion: These results point to important intervention targets for campaigns to curb STD infections among young women.
    2018Journal article Open access Show more
  • Sono, agressividade e comportamentos de risco em indivíduos dependentes de drogas e de álcool
    Publication . Antunes, Andreia; Costa, Eleonora C. V.
    Os problemas relacionados com o consumo de substâncias psicoativas, afetam não apenas contexto socioeconómico do indivíduo, mas também têm impacto ao nível do sono, da agressividade e dos comportamentos de risco. O presente estudo analisou, por um lado, as diferenças entre indivíduos dependentes de drogas e de álcool ao nível da qualidade do sono, da agressividade e de comportamentos de risco. E, por outro lado, identificou o contributo independente das variáveis sociodemográficas para o consumo de álcool e drogas. A amostra foi constituída por 115 indivíduos dependentes de drogas e de álcool pertencentes a várias instituições da região Norte de Portugal. Os resultados revelaram que os indivíduos toxicodependentes possuem um menor nível de qualidade de sono, uma maior prevalência de ISTS e realizaram mais o teste ao VIH, sendo o seu resultado positivo com maior frequência, em comparação com os dependentes de álcool. A análise dos resultados revelou ainda que, nesta amostra, pertencer ao sexo feminino e possuir habilitações literárias mais baixas constituíam preditores significativos do consumo de álcool, sendo o consumo de drogas predito pela idade mais jovem e pelas habilitações literárias superiores. Os resultados revelaram a necessidade de implementar e avaliar programas de intervenção ao nível das dependências.
    2019Journal article Open access Show more