Inquérito Nacional de Saúde 2005-2006

Objectivo: Estimar indicadores sobre o estado de saúde da população portuguesa através da realização do quarto Inquérito Nacional de Saúde. Metodologia: Inquérito geral de saúde com recolha de dados por entrevista directa, no domicilio, a uma amostra probabilística, representativa da população residente em unidades de alojamento em Portugal. As áreas estudadas foram: •Estado de saúde, doenças crónicas e incapacidades (estado de saúde auto-percebido, peso e obesidade, incapacidade temporária, incapacidade física de longa duração, doenças crónicas, sofrimento psicológico), com vista à caracterização do estado de saúde e doença da população residente; •Cuidados de saúde e prevenção (consultas médicas, saúde oral, utilização de medicamentos, saúde reprodutiva, vacinação contra a gripe, monitorização do colesterol e tensão arterial elevada, doação de sangue, utilização dos subsistemas de saúde e seguros de saúde), com vista à caracterização dos residentes sobre comportamentos preventivos e curativos; •Determinantes da saúde relacionados com estilos de vida (consumo de tabaco, consumo de alimentos, consumo de bebidas alcoólicas, actividade física), com vista à caracterização dos hábitos dos residentes que podem constituir elementos preventivos da doença; •Qualidade de vida (qualidade de vida auto-percebida). Resultados: Publicação com os principais apuramentos do Quarto Inquérito Nacional de Saúde, realizado em parceria pelo Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA) e pelo Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE) entre Fevereiro de 2005 e Fevereiro de 2006. O trabalho contou também com a colaboração da Direcção-Geral de Saúde e das Secretarias Regionais dos Assuntos Sociais dos Açores e da Madeira. É o primeiro inquérito de saúde por entrevista que abrange as populações residentes na Região Autónoma dos Açores e na Região Autónoma da Madeira, pelo que constitui o primeiro retrato da saúde em Portugal que reflecte a expressão de todos os residentes no País. Por outro lado, a nível nacional, é também o primeiro inquérito deste tipo em que os resultados não correspondem a valores amostrais, reportando a toda a população residente, através da aplicação de um método matemático que expande as respostas individuais tendo em conta a composição etária e por sexo dos habitantes. Esta característica abrange também os resultados do inquérito realizado em 1998/1999 pelo INSA, viabilizando uma leitura da evolução temporal dos principais comportamentos face à saúde para a população residente no Continente. As edições anteriores, incluindo a relativa ao inquérito 1998/1999, apresentavam apenas contagens amostrais, pelo que esses resultados não são comparáveis com os agora apresentados

Recognition of prior learning at the centre of a national strategy: tensions between professional gains and personal development

This paper focuses on recognition of prior learning as part of a national policy based on European Union guidelines for lifelong learning, and it explains how recognition of prior learning has been perceived since it was implemented in Portugal in 2000. Data discussed are the result of a mixed method research project that surveyed adult learners, some of whom were interviewed, who successfully completed the recognition of prior learning process from 2007 to 2011 in a new opportunities centre. Adult educators, and workplace representatives from the companies in which these adults in the recognition of prior learning process were working, were also part of the survey. A theme-based content analysis was done on the resulting data. Findings revealed tension between the goals of economic and human resource management and the change experienced by these adult learners in their professional status. Based on these results, the closing remarks to this article highlight the tensions caused by the failure of the goals of the policy to which recognition of prior learning was central, and the personal and social changes referred to by learners. Important educational changes were achieved although they were undermined by the adult education policy and European Union guidelines.The writing of this article was funded by Cied – Institute of Education, University of Minho and the Unidade de Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Educação e Formação, Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa

Prevalence of children exposed to secondhand smoke at home and in the car in Azores (Portugal)

Article in PressTo identify the prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke(SHS) at home and in the car among children attending the 4th grade in Azores. Methods:This is across-sectional study that assessed children’s exposure to SHS in a convenience sample of school children attending the 4th grade in all primary schools of Azores.The entire population of 4th graders from all elementary schools in Azores were asked to participate in the study (n=2463) in 2017. A validated self-reported questionnaire was administered to 2092 students who delivered the signed informed consent form. We analyzed frequencies, contingency tables, and performed Chi-square tests. Results: Results showed that 56.1% (95% CI54.0--58.2) children reported having, at least, one smoking parent. Overall exposure to SHS at home was 38.4%(95% CI36.3--40.6), and overall exposure to SHS in the car was 27.6%(95%CI25.8--29.3). Children whose parents were smokers reported being more exposed to SHS at home (63.6%;95% CI58.6--68.3) than children whose parents were non-smokers (32.3%;95% CI30.2--34.6). Conclusion: The results showed that the children’s exposure to SHS in Azores is high and it tends to be higher than the prevalence found in mainland Portugal. Having parents who smoke is a major risk factor for children’s exposure to SHS at home. These data justify a population-wide intervention plan for preventing tobacco consumption and children’s exposure to SHS in Azores.Portuguese national funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) within the framework of the CIEC (Research Center for Child Studies of the University of Minho) project under the reference UID/CED/00317/2019

Children's exposure to second hand smoke at home : a cross-sectional study in Portugal

Second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS) is a major indoor pollutant that causes serious health problems for all exposed, especially children. Children are often exposed to SHS at home, due to parental or other households’ or guests’ smoking. This study describes Portuguese children's exposure to SHS at home (total and by Portuguese main regions). In 2010/2011, a questionnaire was applied to a sample of Portuguese children in the 4th grade (N = 3187, mean age 9.05 ± 0.7 years, 51.1% male). Descriptive analysis, chi-square tests and crude odds ratios were performed. Of the participants, 62.9% of those with smoking parents and 19.2% of those with non-smoking parents were exposed to SHS at their home. Parental smoking varied significantly among regions and was significantly associated with children's exposure to SHS at home. Children's exposure to SHS at home was high, especially if their parents smoke. Children living in Lisbon Region presented the highest SHS exposure rate. The association of SHS exposure with geographic regions suggests the influence of social and contextual factors on smoking behaviour and on tobacco control effectiveness. Our findings highlight the need to effectively prevent children's SHS exposure at their home and to develop tailored tobacco control measures by region.This work was supported by FEDER through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-009117), and by FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Ref. PTDC/CPE-CED/098281/2008)

Prevalence and classification of rhinitis in preschool children in Portugal: a nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: Information on rhinitis epidemiology in preschool children is scarce. OBJECTIVES: To estimate, in children with 3-5 years of age, current rhinitis prevalence, to describe rhinitis symptoms and associated sociodemographic characteristics, and to report allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma (ARIA) classification. METHODS: Cross-sectional, nationwide, population-based study including children aged 3-5 years. A multistep selection strategy was used to obtain a representative sample. Data were collected at kindergartens and parish centers by face-to-face interview to caregivers, using an adapted ISAAC questionnaire. 'Current rhinitis' (CR) was defined as the presence of ≥1 rhinitis symptom (repeated sneezing and/or itchy nose, blocked nose for >1 h, or runny nose without having a cold/flu) in the last year. Rhinitis lasting ≥4 days/week and ≥4 consecutive weeks was classified as persistent. Moderate-severe disease interfered 'a moderate amount' or 'a lot' in daily activities. RESULTS: Five thousand and eighteen children were included. CR prevalence was 43.4% [95% CI (42.0-44.8%); n = 2179] and that of physician-diagnosed rhinitis was 11.7% [95% CI (10.8-12.6%); n = 588]. Of children with CR, 67% reported blocked nose, 48% rhinorrhea, and 46% sneezing/itchy nose. Considering ARIA classification, 30% of the population had mild intermittent, 3% mild persistent, 7% moderate-severe intermittent, and 3% moderate-severe persistent rhinitis. Children with CR had more current wheezing, physician-diagnosed asthma, self-reported food allergy, and family history of allergic disease. These characteristics were also associated with persistent and moderate-severe rhinitis. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first nationwide population-based study reporting rhinitis prevalence and ARIA classification in preschool children. In this age-group, rhinitis is frequent and underdiagnosed. About 25% children with rhinitis presented moderate-severe disease

Deforestation and Carbon Stock Loss in Brazil’s Amazonian Settlements

We estimate deforestation and the carbon stock in 2740 (82 %) of the 3325 settlements in Brazil’s Legal Amazonia region. Estimates are made both using available satellite data and a carbon map for the “pre-modern” period (prior to 1970). We used data from Brazil’s Project for Monitoring Deforestation in Amazonia updated through 2013 and from the Brazilian Biomes Deforestation Monitoring Project (PMDBBS) updated through 2010. To obtain the pre-modern and recent carbon stocks we performed an intersection between a carbon map and a map derived from settlement boundaries and deforestation data. Although the settlements analyzed occupied only 8 % of Legal Amazonia, our results indicate that these settlements contributed 17 % (160,410 km2) of total clearing (forest + non-forest) in Legal Amazonia (967,003 km2). This represents a clear-cutting of 41 % of the original vegetation in the settlements. Out of this total, 72 % (115,634 km2) was in the “Federal Settlement Project” (PA) category. Deforestation in settlements represents 20 % (2.6 Pg C) of the total carbon loss in Legal Amazonia (13.1 Pg C). The carbon stock in remaining vegetation represents 3.8 Pg C, or 6 % of the total remaining carbon stock in Legal Amazonia (58.6 Pg C) in the periods analyzed. The carbon reductions in settlements are caused both by the settlers and by external actors. Our findings suggest that agrarian reform policies contributed directly to carbon loss. Thus, the implementation of new settlements should consider potential carbon stock losses, especially if settlements are created in areas with high carbon stocks. © 2016, The Author(s)

Beliefs and traditions related to a child´s first year of life : a study of the Northwest of Portugal

In this paper we propose an approach to investigate, in the North-west of Portugal, the parents’ behaviour at birth and during the first year of life of their children. We compare the heritage, specifically the beliefs and traditions, with the changes that resulted from the recent and deep cultural transformations that have taken place in Portugal in the last few decades. In parallel, we tried to determine if the parents’ behaviours, based on beliefs and traditions, can affect the children’s health. We based our investigation on standardized interviews with 76 mothers of one-year-old children (born between January and December 2001) who lived in two parishes of Vizela city. This is a territory where a more traditional way of life prevails than in other territories of the centre and south of the country, where there is a strong attachment for religious and social values and where the influence of the ancestral traditions is still alive. The paper concludes that cultural heritage can have important impact on individual health. Health professionals, who work in primary care and in hospitals, must be aware of the responsibility they have to change this scenario.(undefined

Asthma in an Urban Population in Portugal: A prevalence study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence and incidence of asthma are believed to be increasing but research on the true incidence, prevalence and mortality from asthma has met methodological obstacles since it has been difficult to define and diagnose asthma in epidemiological terms. New and widely accepted diagnostic criteria for asthma present opportunities for progress in this field. Studies conducted in Portugal have estimated the disease prevalence between 3% and 15%. Available epidemiological data present a significant variability due to methodological obstacles.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To estimate the true prevalence of asthma by gender and age groups in the population of the area covered by one urban Health Centre in Portugal.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>An observational study was conducted between February and July 2009 at the Horizonte Family Health Unit in Matosinhos, Portugal. A random sample of 590 patients, stratified by age and gender was obtained from the practice database of registered patients. Data was collected using a patient questionnaire based on respiratory symptoms and the physician's best knowledge of the patient's asthma status. The prevalence of asthma was calculated by age and gender.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data were obtained from 576 patients (97.6% response rate). The mean age for patients with asthma was 27.0 years (95% CI: 20.95 to 33.16). This was lower than the mean age for non-asthmatics but the difference was not statistically significant. Asthma was diagnosed in 59 persons giving a prevalence of 10.24% (95% CI: 8.16 to 12.32). There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of asthma by gender.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The prevalence of asthma found in the present study was higher than that found in some studies, though lower than that found in other studies. Further studies in other regions of Portugal are required to confirm these findings.</p

Risk assessment due to terrorist actions on public transportation networks : a case study in Portugal

The work presented in this paper was performed in collaboration with one of the largest Public Transportation Operator in Portugal and addresses the problem of risk assessment due to terrorist actions involving explosions at different levels. First, a region of the Operator is selected. The elements in the Operator's network with the highest associated risk are highlighted for each threat using the COUNTERACT guidelines. Subsequently, from the group of elements with the highest associated risk, an element is selected for structural safety evaluation under blast loading. Through numerical analysis, different explosion scenarios are studied and the behavior of the structure is presented.This work was performed under Project CH-SECURE, with reference PTDC/ECM/120118/2010, funded by the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology - FCT. The authors acknowledge the support. The first author also acknowledges the support from his PhD FCT grant with the reference SFRH/BD/45436/2008