Portuguese local government relative efficiency: a dea approach

It is widely accepted that performance measurement in the Public Sector is a difficult task, either in terms of efficiency or in terms of effectiveness. The most important reason for this relates to the lack of objective measures, given the market-aside operation of governmental activities. Therefore traditional methods of performance measurement, such as those based on the operating statement and the net income, tend fail. It is typical that public bodies’ outputs are multiple and qualitative and consequently do not have the physical characteristic of being countable or divisible. Portuguese Local Government has, in the last decade, undergone considerable management changes under the flag of efficiency improvement, namely additional competencies, supplementary and more diverse financial resources and a new accounting system. In this context, this paper assesses the efficiency of Portuguese Continental municipalities, using year 2004 data and following a data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology in order to provide a relative efficiency indicator. The analysis compares the ratio between resources as inputs (“undertaken commitments”) and the activities accomplished as outputs, considering the functional classification used in municipalities’ accounting and financial system. This research adds to the knowledge of local authorities’ performance the possibility of establishing a functioning ranking, nowadays increasingly important in what concerns financing issues. The preliminary results show that larger municipalities tend to be more efficient.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Anuário financeiro dos municípios portugueses - 2019

[Excerto] Introdução O Anuário Financeiro dos Municípios Portugueses agora publicado apresenta uma análise económica e financeira das contas dos 308 municípios relativas ao exercício económico de 2019, incluindo ainda uma análise detalhada do setor empresarial local

Anuário financeiro dos municípios portugueses - 2018

[Excerto] Introdução O Anuário Financeiro dos Municípios Portugueses agora publicado apresenta uma análise económica e financeira das contas dos 308 municípios relativas ao exercício económicos de 2018, incluindo ainda uma análise detalhada do setor empresarial local e quadros ilustrativos doas Ativos, Passivos e Capital Próprio de 135 grupos autárquicos

Anuário Financeiro dos Municípios Portugueses – 2020

[Excerto] Introdução O Anuário Financeiro dos Municípios Portugueses agora publicado apresenta uma análise económica e financeira das contas dos 308 municípios relativas ao exercício económico de 2020, incluindo ainda uma análise detalhada do setor empresarial local

Anuário financeiro dos municípios portugueses - 2017

[Excerto] Introdução O Anuário Financeiro dos Municípios Portugueses agora publicado apresenta uma análise económica e financeira das contas dos 308 municípios relativas ao exercício económicos de 2017, incluindo ainda uma análise detalhada do setor empresarial local e, pela primeira vez, quadros ilustrativos dos Ativos, Passivos e Capital Próprio de 144 grupos autárquicos

Fatores de risco cardiovascular em pessoas semabrigo e na população geral da cidade do Porto, Portugal

We described the distribution of risk factors for cardiovascular disease among homeless people living in the city of Porto, Portugal. Comparisons were made between subsamples of homeless people recruited in different settings and between the overall homeless sample group and a sample of the general population. All "houseless" individuals attending one of two homeless hostels or two institutions providing meal programs on specific days were invited to participate and were matched with subjects from the general population. We estimated sex, age and education-adjusted prevalence ratios or mean differences. The prevalence of previous illicit drug consumption and imprisonment was almost twice as high among the homeless from institutions providing meal programs. This group also showed lower mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Prevalence of smoking was almost 50% higher in the overall homeless group. Mean body mass index and waist circumference were also lower in the homeless group and its members were almost five times less likely to report dyslipidemia. Our findings contribute to defining priorities for interventions directed at this segment of society and to reducing inequalities in this extremely underprivileged populatio

Early mobilisation in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a subanalysis of the ESICM-initiated UNITE-COVID observational study

Background Early mobilisation (EM) is an intervention that may improve the outcome of critically ill patients. There is limited data on EM in COVID-19 patients and its use during the first pandemic wave. Methods This is a pre-planned subanalysis of the ESICM UNITE-COVID, an international multicenter observational study involving critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU between February 15th and May 15th, 2020. We analysed variables associated with the initiation of EM (within 72 h of ICU admission) and explored the impact of EM on mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay, as well as discharge location. Statistical analyses were done using (generalised) linear mixed-effect models and ANOVAs. Results Mobilisation data from 4190 patients from 280 ICUs in 45 countries were analysed. 1114 (26.6%) of these patients received mobilisation within 72 h after ICU admission; 3076 (73.4%) did not. In our analysis of factors associated with EM, mechanical ventilation at admission (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.25, 0.35; p = 0.001), higher age (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.98, 1.00; p ≤ 0.001), pre-existing asthma (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.73, 0.98; p = 0.028), and pre-existing kidney disease (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71, 0.99; p = 0.036) were negatively associated with the initiation of EM. EM was associated with a higher chance of being discharged home (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.08, 1.58; p = 0.007) but was not associated with length of stay in ICU (adj. difference 0.91 days; 95% CI − 0.47, 1.37, p = 0.34) and hospital (adj. difference 1.4 days; 95% CI − 0.62, 2.35, p = 0.24) or mortality (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.7, 1.09, p = 0.24) when adjusted for covariates. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that a quarter of COVID-19 patients received EM. There was no association found between EM in COVID-19 patients' ICU and hospital length of stay or mortality. However, EM in COVID-19 patients was associated with increased odds of being discharged home rather than to a care facility. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04836065 (retrospectively registered April 8th 2021)

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men