Browsing by Author "Henriques, Adriana"
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- Active aging awareness and well-being among older adults in PortugalPublication . Costa, Andreia; Henriques, Joana; Alarcão, Violeta; Henriques, Adriana; Madeira, Teresa; Virgolino, Ana; Sousa, Joana; Feteira-Santos, Rodrigo; Arriaga, Miguel; Rocha, Jorge; Nogueira, PauloObjective: This study aims to assess the active aging awareness of older adults in mainland Portugal and their levels of overall well-being and to identify social and health-related factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of 613 older adults, aged 65 or older, who participated in the PROKnos – Knowing Social Prescribing needs of the elderly study in Portugal. The questionnaire consisted of the Active Ageing Awareness Questionnaire and the World Health Organization – Five Well-Being Index, as well as sociodemographic, economic, and health status questions. Correlation coefficients, t-tests for independent samples, and one-way ANOVA were used to explore potential associations between variables. Results: The active aging awareness levels were significantly higher for women (p = 0.031), and those who were younger (p = 0.011), more educated (p < 0.001), had a better financial situation (p < 0.001), and had better health (p < 0.001). The same pattern was found for well-being, except in relation to gender, as men had higher levels (p = 0.016). These variables were found to be correlated. Discussion: Even though active aging is an important strategy to implement, it is indispensable to consider the perceptions and conditions that need to be in place before that. This study reveals that several social and health-related factors are associated with well-being and active aging awareness, as well as the differences between groups that exist in mainland Portugal in relation to that. This emphasizes how vital it is to address social inequalities in active aging efforts, which are not necessarily uncovered when only considering actual active aging measures.
- Effectiveness of social prescribing programs in the primary health-care context: a systematic literature reviewPublication . Costa, Andreia; Sousa, C. Joana; Seabra, Paulo Rosário Carvalho; Virgolino, Ana; Santos, Osvaldo; Lopes, Joaquim; Henriques, Adriana; Nogueira, Paulo; Alarcão, VioletaSocial prescribing (SP) is an approach that promotes the use of local non-clinical activities by people. The referral is usually made by primary health-care professionals, in a process wherein local providers play a pivotal role. The main objective of this study was to identify domains of intervention and evidence about the effectiveness of SP programs regarding health-related outcomes. A systematic literature review was carried out following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINHAL, and SCOPUS. Inclusion criteria of the reviewed papers were as follows: (i) effectiveness studies of interventions designated as SP or interventions entailing SP conceptual components; (ii) interventions with adults. Quality assessment was performed with the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized trials; an assessment tool developed by the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute was applied to observational studies. Overall, 13 articles were included for analysis, with a total of 4603 patients. Although three studies comprised a control group, only two followed a randomized controlled trials (RCT) design. Nine principal domains of intervention within SP were identified, with three categories of outcome measures: Physical and psychological wellbeing; Health behaviors and self-efficacy; and Health care resources end economic evaluation. SP is an emergent and promising health-care intervention, and it has been used to promote different health behaviors. Evidence of SP effectiveness on patient’s health and wellbeing is not strong. Further research is needed for understanding how SP can be applied efficiently.
- Health literacy among older adults in Portugal and associated sociodemographic, health and healthcare-related factorsPublication . Costa, Andreia; Feteira-Santos, Rodrigo; Alarcão, Violeta; Henriques, Adriana; Madeira, Teresa; Virgolino, Ana; Arriaga, Miguel; Nogueira, Paulo J.Although the health literacy level of the general population was described recently, little is known about its specific levels among older adults in Portugal. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the levels of health literacy demonstrated by older adults in Portugal and explore associated factors. Using a randomly generated list of telephone numbers, adults aged 65 years or more living in mainland Portugal were contacted in September and October 2022. Sociodemographic, health and healthcare-related variables were collected, and the 12-item version of the European Health Literacy Survey Project 2019–2021 was used to measure health literacy. Then, binary logistic regression models were used to investigate factors associated with limited general health literacy. In total, 613 participants were surveyed. The mean level of general health literacy was (59.15 ± 13.05; n = 563), whereas health promotion (65.82 ± 13.19; n = 568) and appraising health information (65.16 ± 13.26; n = 517) were the highest scores in the health literacy domain and the dimension of health information processing, respectively. Overall, 80.6% of respondents revealed limited general health literacy, which was positively associated with living in a difficult household financial situation (4.17; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.64–10.57), perceiving one’s own health status as poorer (7.12; 95% CI: 2.02–25.09), and having a fair opinion about a recent interaction with primary healthcare services (2.75; 95% CI: 1.46–5.19). The proportion of older adults with limited general health literacy in Portugal is significant. This result should be considered to inform health planning according to the health literacy gap of older adults in Portugal.
- Social prescribing for older adults in mainland Portugal: perceptions and future prospectsPublication . Costa, Andreia; Henriques, Joana; Alarcão, Violeta; Madeira, Teresa; Virgolino, Ana; Henriques, Adriana; Feteira-Santos, Rodrigo; Polley, Marie; Arriaga, Miguel; Nogueira, PauloBackground: In order to address health inequalities, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and promote older adults’ quality of life, it is necessary to explore non-medical approaches such as social prescribing. Social prescribing is a person-centered approach that allows health professionals to refer patients to services provided by the social and community sectors. This study aimed to explore older adults' perceptions of social prescribing in mainland Portugal and to identify factors associated with these perceptions, providing insights for future implementation strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 613 older adults aged 65 to 93. Participants' sociodemographic, economic, and health characteristics were assessed, along with their perceptions of social prescribing's benefits and activity interest. Results: Over 75% of respondents agreed that social prescribing would benefit the health system and their community. Most participants (87.7% and 89.7%, respectively) thought that activities like personal protection and development activities and cultural enrichment would be particularly relevant to them. Factors such as marital status, education, health status, and pain/discomfort levels influenced the perceived relevance of these activities. Conclusion: This study reveals that older adults in mainland Portugal are open to social prescribing and suggests that tailored interventions considering individual preferences and characteristics can lead to more effective implementation and equal access to social prescribing. Further research and policy efforts should focus on integrating social prescribing into the healthcare system to support healthy aging in Portugal.
- “You get out of the house, you talk to each other, you laugh… and that’s fantastic” – a qualitative study about older people’s perceptions of social prescribing in mainland PortugalPublication . Costa, Andreia; Henriques, Joana; Alarcão, Violeta; Madeira, Teresa; Virgolino, Ana; Polley, Marie J.; Henriques, Adriana; Feteira-Santos, Rodrigo; Arriaga, Miguel; Nogueira, PauloBackground: Social prescribing (SP) is a non-clinical approach, most commonly based in healthcare units, that aims to address non-medical health-related social needs by connecting individuals with community-based services. This qualitative study explores the perception of Portuguese older adults regarding the benefits of SP and their willingness to participate in SP initiatives. Methods: Three face-to-face focus group sessions were conducted with 23 participants in different cities in Portugal. Open and semi-open questions were used to guide the discussions and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: The participants recognized the potential benefits of SP for older adults, including diversifying leisure activities, improving mental health, and complementing existing support systems. They highlighted the need for external support, usually in the form of link workers, to facilitate personalized referrals and consider individual characteristics and preferences. While some participants expressed reluctance to engage in SP due to their existing busy schedules and a perceived sense of imposition, others showed openness to having new experiences and recognized the potential value of SP in promoting activity. Barriers to participation, including resistance to change, mobility issues, and family responsibilities, were identified. Conclusions: The study emphasizes the importance of a person-centered and co-designed approach to SP, involving older adults in the planning and implementation of interventions. The findings provide valuable insights for the development of SP programs tailored to the unique needs and aspirations of older adults in Portugal, ultimately promoting active and healthy aging. Future research should consider the perspectives of family doctors and include a broader representation of older adults from diverse geographic areas.