Browsing by Author "Gregório, Maria João"
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- Home-based intervention program to reduce food insecurity in elderly populations using a TV app: study protocol of the randomized controlled trial Saúde.Come SeniorPublication . Rodrigues, Ana Maria; Gregório, Maria João; Gein, Pierre; Eusébio, Mónica; Santos, Maria José; Sousa, Rute Dinis de; Coelho, Pedro S.; Mendes, Jorge M.; Graça, Pedro; Oliveira, Pedro; Branco, Jaime C.; Canhão, HelenaBackground: The limited or uncertain access to adequate food in elderly people includes not only economic restrictions but also inability of food utilization due to functional or cognitive impairment, health problems, and illiteracy. Objective: The aim of this work is to present the protocol of the randomized controlled trial Sande.Come Senior, an educational and motivational television (TV)-based intervention to promote healthy lifestyles and decrease food insecurity in elderly people. Methods: A randomized controlled study will be conducted in subjects aged 60 years and older with food insecurity, identified at 17 primary care centers in the Lisboa e Vale do Tejo health region in Lisbon, Portugal. The primary outcome will be the changes in participants' food insecurity score (evaluated by the Household Food Insecurity Scale) at 3 months Change in other outcomes will be assessed (dietary habits, nutritional status, physical activity, health status, and clinical outcomes). Subjects will be followed over 6 months; the intervention will last 3 months Data collection will be performed at 3 different time points (baseline, end of intervention at 3 months, and follow-up at 6 months) The intervention is based on an interactive TV app with an educational and motivational program specifically developed for the elderly that has weekly themes and includes daily content in video format: (1) nutrition and diet tips for healthy eating, (2) healthy, easy to cook and low-cost recipes, and (3) physical exercise programs. Furthermore, brief reminders on health behaviors will also be broadcasted through the TV app. The total duration of the study will be 6 months. The intervention is considered to be effective and meaningful if 50% of the individuals in the experimental group have a decrease of 1 point in the food insecurity score, all the remaining being unchanged. We expect to include and randomize 282 (141 experimental and 141 control) elderly with food insecurity. We will recruit a total of 1,128 subjects considering that 50% of the target individuals are food insecure (based on INFOFAMILIA Survey) (567) and about 50% of those will adhere to the study (282). Results: The randomized controlled trial with the 12-week home-based intervention with a comprehensive program on healthy eating and physical activity delivery is planned to start recruiting participants at the end of 2017. Conclusions: This study will assess the efficacy of this innovative tool (Sande.Come Senior) for disseminating relevant health information, modifying behaviors, and decreasing food insecurity in an easy, low-cost, and massive way.
- Towards an in-depth understanding of physical activity and eating behaviours during COVID-19 social confinement: a combined approach from a portuguese national surveyPublication . Silva, Marlene Nunes; Gregório, Maria João; Santos, Rute; Marques, Adilson; Rodrigues, Bruno; Godinho, Cristina; Silva, Catarina Santos; Mendes, Romeu; Graça, Pedro; Arriaga, Miguel; Freitas, GraçaRapid worldwide decreases in physical activity (PA), an increase in sedentary behaviour (SB) and poorer dietary patterns have been reported during COVID-19 confinement periods. However, as national variability has been observed, this study sought to describe PA, SB and eating patterns, and to explore their gender as well as other socio-demographic correlates and how they interrelate in a representative sample of Portuguese adults during the COVID-19 first mandatory social confinement. The survey was applied online and by telephone to 5856 adults (mean age = 45.8 years; 42.6% women). The majority reported high (46.0%) or moderate (20.5%) PA levels. Men, younger participants, those with higher education levels and a favourable perception of their financial situation reported higher PA levels, with the opposite pattern for SB. Physical fitness activities and household chores were more reported by women, with more strength training and running activities reported by men. Regarding eating behaviours, 45.1% reported changes, positive (58%) and negative (42%), with 18.2% reporting increases in consumption of fruit, vegetables, and fish and other seafood consumption, while 10.8% (most with lower educational level and less comfortable with their income) reported an increase in consumption of ready-to-eat meals, soft drinks, savoury snacks, and take-away and delivered meals. Two clusters—a health-enhancing vs. risky pattern— emerged through multiple correspondence analysis characterized by co-occurrence of high vs. low PA levels, positive vs. negative eating changes, awareness or not of the COVID-19 PA and dietary recommendations, perceived financial situation, higher vs. lower educational level and time in social confinement. In conclusion, while in social confinement, both positive and negative PA and eating behaviours and trends were displayed, highlighting the role of key sociodemographic correlates contributing to healthy vs. risky patterns. Results may inform future health interventions and policies to be more targeted to those at risk, and also advocate the promotion of PA and healthy eating in an integrated fashion.
- Usability and utility of a mobile app to deliver health-related content to an older adult population: pilot noncontrolled quasi-experimental studyPublication . Lemos, Marta; Henriques, Ana Rita; Lopes, David Gil; Mendonça, Nuno; Victorino, André; Costa, Andreia; Arriaga, Miguel; Gregório, Maria João; Sousa, Rute de; Canhão, Helena; Rodrigues, Ana M.Background: Digital patient-centered interventions may be important tools for improving and promoting social interaction, health, and well-being among older adults. In this regard, we developed a mobile app called DigiAdherence for an older adult population, which consisted of easy-to-access short videos and messages, to improve health-related knowledge among them and prevent common health conditions, such as falls, polypharmacy, treatment adherence, nutritional problems, and physical inactivity. Objective: This study aimed to assess the usability and utility of the DigiAdherence app among Portuguese older adults 65 years or older. Methods: In this pilot noncontrolled quasi-experimental study, older adults who were patients at the primary health care center in Portimão, Portugal, and owned a smartphone or tablet were recruited. Participants were assessed at baseline, given access to the DigiAdherence app for 1 month, and assessed again immediately after 30 days (first assessment) and 60 days after stopping the use of the app (second assessment). App usability and utility (primary outcomes) were analyzed in the first follow-up assessment using a structured questionnaire with 8 items. In the second follow-up assessment, our focus was on knowledge acquired through the app. Secondary outcomes such as treatment adherence and health-related quality of life were also assessed. Results: The study included 26 older adults. Most participants rated the different functionalities of the app positively and perceived the app as useful, attractive, and user-friendly (median score of 6 on a 7-point Likert scale). In addition, after follow-up, participants reported having a sense of security and greater knowledge in preventing falls (16/24, 67%) and managing therapies and polypharmacy (16/26, 62%). Conclusions: The DigiAdherence mobile app was useful and highly accepted by older adults, who developed more confidence regarding health-related knowledge.
- A video-based mobile app as a health literacy tool for older adults living at home: protocol for a utility studyPublication . Nunes-da-Silva, Catarina; Victorino, André; Lemos, Marta; Porojan, Ludmila; Costa, Andreia; Arriaga, Miguel; Gregório, Maria João; Sousa, Rute Dinis de; Rodrigues, Ana Maria; Canhão, HelenaBackground: People aged ≥65 years are more likely to have health problems related to aging, polypharmacy, and low treatment adherence. Moreover, health literacy levels decrease with increasing age. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess an app’s utility in promoting health-related knowledge in people aged ≥65 years. Methods: We developed a simple, intuitive, and video-based app (DigiAdherence) that presents a recipe, nutritional counseling, and content on physical activity, cognitive exercise, motivation to adhere to treatment, fall prevention, and health literacy. A convenience sample of 25 older adults attending the Personalized Health Care Unit of Portimão or the Family Health Unit of Portas do Arade (ACeS Algarve II – Barlavento, ARS Algarve, Portugal) will be recruited. Subjects must be aged ≥65 years, own a smartphone or tablet, be willing to participate, and consent to participate. Those who do not know how to use or do not have a smartphone/tablet will be excluded. Likewise, people with major cognitive or physical impairment as well as those living in a long-term care center will not be included in this study. Participants will have access to the app for 4 weeks and will be evaluated at 3 different timepoints (V0, before they start using the app; V1, after using it for 30 days; and V2, 60 days after stopping using it). After using the app for 30 days, using a 7-point Likert scale, participants will be asked to score the mobile tool’s utility in encouraging them to take their medications correctly, improving quality of life, increasing their health-related knowledge, and preventing falls. They will also be asked to assess the app’s ease of use and visual esthetics, their motivation to use the app, and their satisfaction with the app. Subjects will be assessed in a clinical interview with a semistructured questionnaire, including questions regarding user experience, satisfaction, the utility of the app, quality of life (EQ-5D-3L instrument), and treatment adherence (Morisky scale). The proportion of participants who considered the app useful for their health at V1 and V2 will be analyzed. Regarding quality of life and treatment adherence perceptions, comparisons will be made between V0 and V1, using the t test for dependent samples. The same comparisons will be made between V0 and V2. Results: This study was funded in December 2019 and authorized by the Executive Board of ACeS Algarve II – Barlavento and by the Ethics Committee of NOVA Medical School (99/2019/CEFCM, June 2020). This protocol was also approved by the Ethics Committee for Health (16/2020, September 2020) and the Executive Board (December 2020) of the Regional Health Administration of the Algarve, IP (Instituto Público). Recruitment was completed in June 2021. Conclusions: Since the next generation of older adults may have higher digital literacy, information and communication technologies could potentially be used to deliver health-related content to improve lifestyles among older adults.