Em Casa Observamos Saúde (ECOS)’ by telephone and web: results from the 2016 first wave implementation

Em 2016 o inquérito ECOS foi implementado, através de entrevista telefónica assistida por computador, à semelhança de vagas anteriores, e ainda por via eletrónica. O questionário foi respondido por um elemento com 18 ou mais anos residente na unidade de alojamento, que prestou informação sobre a sua saúde e dos restantes elementos do agregado (por proxy). No total obtiveram-se 803 entrevistas concluídas e uma taxa de participação global de 79,9%. Considerando os contactos realizados via telefónica, a taxa de participação foi de 77,4% e de 26,5% por via web. Em ambas as vias, a maioria dos respondentes era do sexo feminino, encontrando-se a maior frequência de respondentes por telefone no grupo etário 60-69 e via web no grupo 40-49. As taxas de resposta obtidas em 2016 foram semelhantes às obtidas em outras vagas do ECOS por via telefónica (aproximadamente 80% vs 79 a 86%), e na via web foi superior às obtidas em estudos similares. O perfil dos respondentes em cada uma das vias foi consistente com o observado em estudos que utilizaram estas metodologias, nomeadamente, uma maior frequência de respondentes do sexo feminino e uma maior adesão à via web dos grupos etários mais novos.In 2016 the ECOS panel was implemented through both telephone and electronic contact. The information was obtained using computer assisted telephone and web. The questionnaire was answered by a household aged 18 or more years living in the house unit, giving information on himself and proxy to other household cohabitants. A total of 803 completed inter views were obtained which corresponds to a total participation rate of 79.9%. Considering the phone contacts the participation rate by contact type was 77.4% by phone and 26.5% by web. For both methods the highest percentages of respondents were female; the highest frequency of telephone respondents was obtained in the 60-69 age groups and by web in the 40-49 years individuals. Response rates obtained by telephone in 2016 are comparable to those obtained in other ECOS waves (80% vs 79-86%) and the rates via web were higher than those obtained in similar studies. The profile of respondents was consistent with that obser ved in studies using these methods, including increased frequency of female respondents and greater adherence to the web via the younger age groups

Avaliação da microinfiltração e libertação de ião fluoreto em selantes de resina e cimentos de ionómero de vidro modificados por resina : estudo in vitro

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre no Instituto Universitário Egas MonizObjetivo: Este trabalho de investigação visa comparar as concentrações de ião de flúor libertadas entre um Selante Resinoso (Fissurit – 3M ESPE ®) e um Cimento de Ionómero de Vidro Modificado por Resina (Photac Fil – 3M ESPE®) durante 5 semanas, em que dois grupos compostos por 15 dentes cada (N=30) estão armazenados num ambiente semelhante ao da cavidade oral. Após submissão das amostras a um processo de termociclagem, são comparadas novamente as concentrações de ião de flúor libertado, bem como os níveis de microinfiltração apresentados em cada grupo. Materiais e Métodos: Numa amostra de 30 molares hígidos foi feita uma distribuição homogénea dos mesmos, formando dois grupos com 15 dentes cada um. Num grupo, foi colocado Cimento de Ionómero de Vidro Reforçado por Resina (Photac Fil – 3M ESPE®) (Grupo A); no outro grupo, foram colocados Selantes de Resina Convencionais à base de Bis-GMA (Fissurit – 3M ESPE ®) (Grupo B). Nos dois grupos (GA e GB) foi quantificada a concentração de ião de flúor libertada pelos selantes, de 24 em 24 horas durante 7 dias. A partir do 8º dia a quantificação foi realizada 1 vez por semana, durante 5 semanas. No final das 6 semanas, os dois grupos ficaram 24 horas em água destilada à temperatura ambiente, sendo posteriormente submetidos a um processo de termociclagem, num período correspondente a 1 ano de envelhecimento. Após a termociclagem, quantificou-se novamente a concentração de flúor libertada. Posteriormente, os 30 dentes foram mergulhados numa solução de azul de metileno a 2% durante 24 horas, sendo depois cortados longitudinalmente no sentido Mesio-Distal. Foi feita a avaliação dos níveis de microinfiltração, com recurso a uma lupa com aumento de 40x. Os resultados foram tratados através de uma análise estatística, tendo sido realizado o teste de t-Student e de Mann-Whitney. Resultados: Verificou-se que o valor médio da concentração de flúor libertado pelo Grupo A (0,010±0,009) é inferior ao valor médio libertado pelo Grupo B (0,014±0,004), embora a diferença não tenha significado estatístico (p>0,05). Foram, no entanto, encontradas diferenças com significado estatístico (p=0,001) entre o Grupo A (2,0±1,0) e o Grupo B (1,0±2,0), sendo que o GB apresenta níveis de microinfiltração significativamente menores. Conclusão: O selante de resina mostra-se mais eficiente, revelando melhores propriedades mecânicas e uma semelhante libertação de flúor, comparando com o CIVMR.Objective: The aim of this research was to compare the concentrations of fluoride ion released between a resinous sealant (Fissurit - 3M ESPE ®) and a Resin Modified Glass Ionomer Cement (Photac Fil - 3M ESPE ®) for 5 weeks, where two groups composed of 15 teeth each (N = 30) are stored in an environment similar to the oral cavity. After submission of the samples to a thermocycling process, the concentrations of fluoride ion released, as well as the microleakage levels presented in each group, are again compared. Materials and Methods: In a sample of 30 healthy molars, a random allocation was made, forming two groups with 15 teeth each. In one group, Resin-Fortified Glass Ionomer Cement (Photac Fil-3M ESPE®) (Group A) was placed; in the other group, Conventional Resin Sealants based on Bis-GMA (Fissurit - 3M ESPE ®) (Group B) was placed. In both groups (GA and GB) the concentration of fluoride ion released by the sealants were measured every 24 hours for 7 days. From day 8 onwards, measures were performed once a week for 5 weeks. At the end of the 6 weeks, the two groups were left in distilled water at room temperature for 24 hours and then subjected to a thermocycling process in a period corresponding to one year of aging. After thermocycling, the concentration of fluoride released was measured again. Subsequently, the 30 teeth were dipped in a solution of 2% methylene blue for 24 hours, then cut longitudinally in the Mesio-Distal direction. The microleakage levels were evaluated using a magnifying glass with a magnification of 40x. The results were treated through a statistical analysis, where the t-Student test and the Mann-Whitney test were performed. Results: The mean value of the fluoride concentration released by Group A (0.010 ± 0.009) was lower than the mean value released by Group B (0.014 ± 0.004), although the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). However, differences with statistical significance (p = 0.001) were found between Group A (2.0 ± 1.0) and Group B (1.0 ± 2.0), with GB having microleakage levels significantly lower. Conclusion: The resin sealant is more efficient, showing better mechanical properties and a similar release of fluoride, compared to the resin modified glass ionomer

Prevalência e incidência de hipertensão arterial na população portuguesa: âmbito da actividade de investigação e evolução das tendências

A hipertensão arterial (HTA) tem vindo a ser descrita como o fator de risco mais relevante para as doenças cardiovasculares e cerebrovasculares, nomeadamente o Enfarte agudo do Miocárdio e o Acidente Vascular Cerebral, as quais se encontram entre as mais importantes causas de morbilidade e mortalidade em todo o mundo.Durante os últimos 30 anos, Portugal tem sido descrito como um dos países com os mais elevados níveis de tensão arterial média 8 e em 2008, estima-se que as doenças cardiovasculares fossem responsáveis por cerca de um terço de todas as mortes . Nesse mesmo ano, em Portugal, a prevalência de hipertensão arterial ou de uso de medicamentos anti-hipertensores em adultos com idades superiores ou iguais a 25 anos foi estimado em aproximadamente 41,9% (46,5% nos homens e 37,4% nas mulheres) . Entre 1980 e 2008 verificou-se um decréscimo da tensão arterial sistólica, mais acentuado nas mulheres do que nos homens.Com vista a melhorar o conhecimento sobre a epidemiologia da doença de hipertensão arterial em Portugal, assim como da atividade de investigação realizada nesse domínio, foram estabelecidos os seguintes objetivos: I. Realização de uma revisão de âmbito para descrição do âmbito da atividade de investigação (natureza, foco e quantidade) na prevalência e incidência de hipertensão arterial na população portuguesa. II. Descrição da evolução e tendências nas estimativas de prevalência de HTA auto-declarada em Portugal, através da análise dos dados ECOS (Em Casa Observamos Saúde) 2002, 2007 e 2010. III. Definição da evolução das tendências na incidência de hipertensão arterial utilizando os dados da Rede de Médicos Sentinela, para os anos em que foi recolhida essa informação (1995-1997 e 2011)

Symptom provocation in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Validation of the Braga Obsessive Compulsive image set (BOCIS)

Symptom provocation paradigms are paramount to understand a heterogeneous disorder as obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD). The main aim of our work was to develop and validate an open-access set of OCD-related images comprising three main subtypes: washing, checking, and symmetry. Twenty-six OCD patients and 25 controls provided valence and arousal ratings for a set of OCD-related, aversive, and neutral images. Linear mixed model analyses were used to estimate the main effects of group, image category, and groupimage category interaction in image ratings. All main effects were found to be significant for both arousal and valence ratings, except for the group in arousal ratings. Path analysis confirmed our hypothesis that the OCI-R subscales influenced the subjective ratings of the corresponding image categories, particularly among patients. Independent samples t-tests were performed for each OCD picture to compose the set. Arousal demonstrated a greater capacity to distinguish controls and patients, thus sustaining our choice of using these ratings for the final Braga Obsessive-Compulsive Image Set (BOCIS). Our study demonstrated that the stimuli of the BOCIS reliably portray OCD-like triggers for washing, checking and symmetry subtypes. Its open-access availability will facilitate significant progress in both clinical and research settings

Protective elements of mental health status during the COVID-19 outbreak in the Portuguese population

The outbreak of COVID-19 might produce dramatic psychological effects on individuals’ lives. In this study, we aimed to explore the elements that may reduce the negative effects on mental health of the quarantine period imposed by most governments during this worldwide crisis. We conducted an online survey to evaluate demographic, lifestyle and mental health variables in a sample of 1280 Portuguese individuals (79.8% females) with an average age of 37 years. We observed that factors related to living conditions, maintaining work either online or in the workplace, frequency of exercise and absence of previous psychological or physic disorders are protective features of psychological well-being (anxiety, depression, stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms). Finally, the individuals previously receiving psychotherapeutic support exhibited better psychological indicators if they did not interrupt the process as a consequence of the outbreak. Our results indicate that the practice of physical exercise, reduced consumption of COVID-19 information and the implementation of remote mental healthcare measures might prevent larger impacts on mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.This work was funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the scope of the project 110_596697345 (Research 4 COVID) and partially funded by the FEDER funds, through the Competitiveness Factors Operational Programme (COMPETE), and by national funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the scope of the project UID/Multi/50026/2019. This manuscript has been developed under the scope of the project NORTE 01-0145-FEDER-000013, supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER)

Vacinação antigripal da população portuguesa na época 2015/2016: estudo na amostra ECOS

Dando continuidade à monitorização da cobertura da vacina antigripal sazonal (VAGS), o Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), através do Departamento de Epidemiologia, estudou a taxa de cobertura da VAGS na época 2015/2016. Este estudo teve como objetivos estimar a taxa de cobertura da vacina antigripal da população portuguesa residente no continente na época gripal de 2015/2016, nos grupos de risco, e por NUTS II, bem como caracterizar a prática da VAGS. O estudo epidemiológico, transversal, consistiu num inquérito realizado por entrevista telefónica e por via web à amostra de famílias ECOS (Em Casa Observamos Saúde), realizado entre março e maio de 2016 (1005 Unidades de Alojamento). A cobertura bruta da população pela VAGS foi 16,2% (IC95%: 13,5% a 19,5%) e 50,1% (IC95%: 42,1% a 58,1%) na população com 65 ou mais anos de idade. Comparativamente à época anterior, 2014/2015, os valores obtidos verificam-se semelhantes (17,1% na população geral e 50,9% na população com 65 ou mais anos). A vacinação antigripal sazonal decorreu, principalmente, nos Centros de Saúde do Serviço Nacional de Saúde (60,4%) seguido pela farmácia (30,6%). A amostra ECOS tem vindo a revelar-se, ao longo dos últimos anos, uma forma adequada de monitorização da cobertura da VAGS na população portuguesa, capaz de detetar alterações nas tendências de vacinação relacionadas com a implementação de medidas de Saúde Pública, entre as quais a gratuitidade da vacina para os idosos

How long does adaption last for? An update on the psychological impact of the confinement in Portugal

During the first COVID-19 related confinement in Portugal, there was a decrease in the levels of psychological symptoms measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (March to April 2020). Upon experiencing a new period of restraints in 2021, the psychological impact of this sample was assessed again (N = 322, two more time points). It was expected that the psychological symptoms evidenced in February 2021 would be at similar levels to those found in April 2020, leading to a transfer of adaptation. Contrary to our hypothesis, in the second confinement in Portugal there were higher levels of depression and stress symptoms than at the beginning of the pandemic. On the other hand, the maximum level of anxiety was observed in March 2020. It seems that our perception of the threats in 2021 was not the same as at the onset of COVID-19, or that knowledge was not disseminated to the general population to increase their mental health literacy and help them cope with the imposed challenges.This work was funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the scope of the project 110_596697345 (Research 4 COVID) and UIDB/50026/2020. This work has also been funded by ICVS Scientific Microscopy Platform, member of the national infrastructure PPBI—Portuguese Platform of Bioimaging (PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122; and by the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000039, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

Stress, anxiety, and depression trajectories during the “first wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic: what drives resilient, adaptive and maladaptive responses in the Portuguese population?

IntroductionThe COVID-19 outbreak and the community mitigation strategies implemented to reduce new SARS-CoV-2 infections can be regarded as powerful stressors with negative consequences on people's mental health. Although it has been shown that negative emotional symptoms subside during lockdown, it is likely the existence of inter-individual differences in stress, anxiety and depression trajectories throughout lockdown.ObjectivesWe aimed to cluster participants' according to their trajectories of stress, anxiety and depression scores throughout lockdown, and identify the sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors that may distinguish the subjects included in the different clusters.MethodsFrom March 23, 2020, to May 31, 2020, participants completed weekly online questionnaires on sociodemographic information (age, sex, education level, and employment status), psychological functioning (DASS-21, NEO-FFI-20), and clinical data (psychiatric disorders, psychiatric medication, physical disorders). Data regarding smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and time spent daily looking for COVID-19-related information were also collected. Stress, anxiety and depression trajectories were determined using latent class mixed models.ResultsA total of 2040 participants answered the survey at baseline and 603 participants answered all surveys. Three groups (“Resilient,” “Recovered,” and “Maladaptive”) with distinct mental health trajectories were identified. Younger participants, women, participants with lower education level, not working, studying, diagnosed with a mental disorder, taking psychiatric medication, smokers, those who spent more time consuming COVID-19-related information and those with higher neuroticism tended to cluster in the “Maladaptive” group, placing them at higher risk of persistent negative emotional symptoms during compulsory confinement.ConclusionAccordingly, a tailored approach to emotional suffering for vulnerable subjects during the COVID-19 and future pandemics must be devised

Viral genetic clustering and transmission dynamics of the 2022 mpox outbreak in Portugal

Pathogen genome sequencing during epidemics enhances our ability to identify and understand suspected clusters and investigate their relationships. Here, we combine genomic and epidemiological data of the 2022 mpox outbreak to better understand early viral spread, diversification and transmission dynamics. By sequencing 52% of the confirmed cases in Portugal, we identified the mpox virus sublineages with the highest impact on case numbers and fitted them into a global context, finding evidence that several international sublineages probably emerged or spread early in Portugal. We estimated a 62% infection reporting rate and that 1.3% of the population of men who have sex with men in Portugal were infected. We infer the critical role played by sexual networks and superspreader gatherings, such as sauna attendance, in the dissemination of mpox virus. Overall, our findings highlight genomic epidemiology as a tool for the real-time monitoring and control of mpox epidemics, and can guide future vaccine policy in a highly susceptible population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Viral genetic clustering and transmission dynamics of the 2022 mpox outbreak in Portugal

Pathogen genome sequencing during epidemics enhances our ability to identify and understand suspected clusters and investigate their relationships. Here, we combine genomic and epidemiological data of the 2022 mpox outbreak to better understand early viral spread, diversification and transmission dynamics. By sequencing 52% of the confirmed cases in Portugal, we identified the mpox virus sublineages with the highest impact on case numbers and fitted them into a global context, finding evidence that several international sublineages probably emerged or spread early in Portugal. We estimated a 62% infection reporting rate and that 1.3% of the population of men who have sex with men in Portugal were infected. We infer the critical role played by sexual networks and superspreader gatherings, such as sauna attendance, in the dissemination of mpox virus. Overall, our findings highlight genomic epidemiology as a tool for the real-time monitoring and control of mpox epidemics, and can guide future vaccine policy in a highly susceptible population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio