Estudo das propriedades métricas da versão portuguesa para Portugal do Well-Being Questionnaire12 (W-BQ12) em mulheres com perda de gravidez

The assessment of well-being can be an important parameter in monitoring the process of mourning. In this study we sought to assess the applicability of the W-BQ12 - Well-Being Questionnaire - in a sample consisting of 74 women between four and six weeks following their respective pregnancy losses, analyzing its measurement capabilities. As proposed by the author, the analysis of the scale's primary components and the discriminating convergent validity confirmed the dimensional structure of three subscales. The scale showed good reliability (global Cronbach's Alpha coefficient = 0.84), and, overall, the items showed a good correlation with the corresponding subscale. Generally speaking, the W-BQ12 showed good discriminative validity when correlated with the PBGS - Perinatal Bereavement Grief Scale. This tool, applied to this study, was found to be both reliable and valid for use by nurses in assessing the well-being of women who have experienced this type of loss.La evaluación del bienestar puede ser un de los parámetros importantes en el monitoreo del proceso de luto. En este estudio se ha pretendido evaluar la aplicabilidad del W-BQ12 - Cuestionario de Bienestar - en una muestra constituida por 74 mujeres entre las cuatro y las seis semanas después de la pérdida del embarazo, analizando sus capacidades de mensuración. El análisis de componentes principales y la validad convergente discriminante de los ítems permitieron confirmar la estructura dimensional de tres subescalas, propuesta por la autora. La escala evidenció una buena fiabilidad (coeficiente Alpha de Cronbach global de 0,84). De manera global, los ítems presentaron una buena correlación con la subescala correspondiente. El W-BQ12 presentó una buena validad convergente cuando correlacionado con la PBGS - Escala de luto perinatal. Podemos decir que este instrumento, en este estudio, demostró ser una medida fidedigna y válida para ser utilizada por los enfermeros en la evaluación del bienestar en mujeres con este tipo de pérdida.A avaliação do bem-estar pode constituir um dos parâmetros importantes na monitorização do processo de luto. Neste estudo, pretendeu-se avaliar a aplicabilidade do W-BQ12 - Questionário de Bem-estar - numa amostra de 74 mulheres, entre as quatro e as seis semanas pós-perda de gravidez, analisando as suas capacidades de mensuração. A análise de componentes principais e da validade convergente/discriminante dos itens permitiu confirmar a estrutura dimensional de três subescalas, propostas pela autora. A escala evidenciou boa fidelidade (coeficiente alpha de Cronbach global de 0,84). De forma global, os itens apresentaram boa correlação com a subescala correspondente. O W-BQ12 apresentou boa validade convergente quando correlacionado à PBGS - Escala de Avaliação do Luto Perinatal. Pode-se dizer que esse instrumento, neste estudo, mostrou ser medida fidedigna e válida, podendo ser utilizada pelos enfermeiros para avaliar o bem-estar em mulheres com esse tipo de perda

Consumo de tabaco e de álcool na adolescência

O estudo Consumo de tabaco e de álcool na adolescência teve como objectivos principais analisar hábitos de consumo de tabaco e os hábitos de consumo de álcool dos adolescentes do ensino secundário, do distrito do Porto, Portugal. Os resultados evidenciam, em relação ao consumo de tabaco, que a maioria dos inquiridos não fuma, o hábito inicia-se mais cedo nas raparigas e aumenta com a idade, os amigos exercem influência para o início do consumo e, em relação ao consumo de álcool, há evidencia de que cerca da metade dos adolescentes consome bebidas alcoólicas, os rapazes têm mais o hábito de beber, o número de consumidores aumenta com a idade, as bebidas destiladas são as preferidas de ambos os géneros, 44,1% dos inquiridos já se embriagaram pelo menos uma vez e a maioria não pretende deixar de beber.This study analyzes the consumption of alcohol and tobacco among high-school adolescents in the district of Porto, Portugal. The results reveal the following: the majority of respondents do not smoke; smoking starts earlier in the case of girls; smoking increases with age; peer pressure is an important factor influencing smoking; about half of adolescents consume alcohol; boys drink more than girls; the number of those who consume alcohol increases with age; distilled drinks are the choice for both genders; 44.1% of the respondents became intoxicated at least once and the majority has no intention to quit drinking.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mesocarnivore community structure under predator control: Unintended patterns in a conservation context

Across the Mediterranean, conservation programmes often operate concomitantly with hunting interests within game-lands. Carnivore guilds lie at the interface between contrasting management goals, being simultaneously fundamental components of ecosystems and targets of predator control to reduce predation on game species. Here, we evaluate the composition and spatial structure of a mesocarnivore community in a protected area of Southeast Portugal, with high economic investment in conservation and significant hunting activity. Between June and August 2015, we deployed 77 camera-traps across a ~80 km2 area. We report on interspecific disparities in mesocarnivore occupancy and associated environmental determinants. Contrasting occupancy states suggest an unbalanced community, biased towards the widespread occurrence of the red fox Vulpes vulpes () compared to other species (stone marten Martes foina, European badger Meles meles, Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon, common genet Genetta genetta, and Eurasian otter Lutra lutra) exhibiting spatially-restricted occupancy patterns (). The feral cat Felis silvestris catus was the exception () and, together with the stone marten, exhibited a positive association with human settlements. These findings are consistent with theoretical predictions on how mesocarnivore communities are shaped by the effects of non-selective predator control, paradoxically favouring species with higher population growth rates and dispersal abilities, such as the red fox. Our results reinforce the need to understand the role of predator control as a community structuring agent with potential unintended effects, while exposing issues hindering such attempts, namely non-selective illegal killing or biased/concealed information on legal control measures.Funding was received from the LIFE+ Nature project LIFE13 NAT/PT/001300 (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/

Parental perception of toddlers body image

Currently, weight disorders, have reached a large part of the world population. Obesity in children, including toddlers, is a serious public health problem. There are many parents who do not recognize their children's overweight/obesity and toddlers parents of are less likely to recognize this problem. It is known that identifying overweight/obesity is critical to implementing prevention strategies and interventions as early as possible. We carried out a descriptive study of quantitative approach. It was applied: “Toddler Silhouette Scale” to parents of toddlers who attend day care centers in located the district of Viseu, Portugal. Data processed using IBM-SPSS24. It was concluded that 83.3% of the parents reported that their child had normal weight, 13.3% underweight and 3.3% overweight. Regarding the silhouette that they consider ideal, the totality of the parents, select silhouettes referring to the normal weight. In the evaluation of the current silhouette of the child, 6.7% opts for the image 1 (low Weight) and 3.3% for the image 6 (overweight), all the others select images of normal weight. According to the weight records of the individual health report, 3.3% of the children were underweight, 10% overweight and 6.7% obese. Our results corroborate those of the author of the scale who concluded that most parents correctly identify the silhouette that matches their child's actual weight. A study carried out in Portugal, revealed an absence of parental perception about the excess weight of the children.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Children with cancer nutrition at home

The children nutrition is one of the problems that parents have to manage at home, after treatment of an oncological disease. Nutritional commitment may prolong episodes of neutropenia and compromise the e+ectiveness of treatments. The goals of this study were: to identify the needs of parents/caregivers in the management of children/adolescents nutrition with cancer undergoing chemotherapy treatment, at home; to characterize parental strategies in the management of children's nutrition at home, after chemotherapy. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional study was developed with eleven parents of children with cancer, who underwent chemotherapy treatment, after returning home. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview and analyzed according to Bardin. From the analysis of content emerged the domain The Life at Home and the category Nutrition. Home Life for parents of the child with cancer presents several challenges, particularly in nutritional management, in the face of reduced food intake and the new rules imposed by the neutropenic diet. Thus, parents resort to several strategies to manage this problem: recourse to new practices in food confectionery; changes in the diet of the whole family; insistence/verbal pressure; distraction; reward after negotiation; supply a varied and nutritious diet; questioning/ accepting the food preference; organic food. Despite appealing to the multiplicity of strategies, the subjects of this study require the need for more structured support so that at home, they can respond to the challenges they face in their daily lives.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Preparing the return home of the children with cancer

Children with oncologic disease, between treatments, if there are no complications, return home until the next treatment. Planning the discharge is essential to promote a continuity of cares at home. An adequate preparation for discharge leads to a better management of collateral e+ects and to a minor risk of rehospitalisation. The goals of this study were: to identify the preparation for discharge performed to the parents / caregivers of children / adolescents with cancer submitted to chemotherapy; to identify the strategies of preparation for discharge. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and transversal study was developed. After the return home, 11 parents of children with cancer submitted to chemotherapy treatment, participated in the study. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview and its treatment made using content analyses, based on Bardin. From the data analyses emerged the domain The Return Home that aggregates the category Preparation for Discharge and its subcategories: Oral Information, Written Information, Comprehensibility of the Information and Information Content. The return home is simultaneously a desired and feared moment. Parents and children return to their environment, but face di<culties in daily life activities, due to the fear that is provoked by the child’s vulnerability. This way, the return home should be prepared early and adequate to the singular context of each family. Oral information should be reinforced by written information, given the di<culty to process it. The comprehensibility and the content of information are peremptory components in the preparation for discharge.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mediterranean mesocarnivores in spatially structured managed landscapes : community organisation in time and space

During the final stage of the study GCS was funded by a doctoral grant from FCT (PD/BD/114037/2015). TAM thanks support by CEAUL (funded by FCT project – UID/MAT/00006/2013).In the multi-functional and biodiverse cork oak landscapes of Iberia (Montado), agro-silvo-pastoral practices promote landscape heterogeneity and create intricate habitat and resource availability patterns. We used camera-traps to investigate the temporal and spatial organisation of a mesocarnivore community in a Montado landscape in central Portugal. The target carnivore assemblage was largely dominated by three generalist species – the red fox Vulpes vulpes, the European badger Meles meles and the Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon – while remaining community members – the common genet Genetta genetta and the feral cat Felis silvestris spp. – exhibited restricted distributions. Interspecific differences in activity rhythms and habitat use were particularly marked among widespread species. Low temporal overlap was reported between the diurnal mongoose and predominantly nocturnal red fox and badger. For the latter two species, contrasting differences in habitat use were associated with anthropogenic-induced environmental heterogeneity. Whereas the red fox used more intensively Montado areas preserving dense shrubby understory and avoided semi-disturbed mosaics of sparse shrubs, the badgers displayed the opposite pattern. Our findings add to previous evidence suggesting that the spatial structure created in highly managed landscapes, particularly the diversity of resulting understory structures, promotes the abundance and spread of generalist mesocarnivore species. These may benefit from the surplus of resource amount (e.g. prey) and the creation of different human-made habitats conditions that provide particular combinations of ecological resources favourable to each species requirements. We concur the common view that maintaining understory heterogeneity in Montado landscapes, menaced by current intensification and extensification trends, is important where carnivore persistence is a relevant conservation goal, but alert for potential effects on carnivore assemblages structuring and impacts for specialist species less tolerant to disturbance.PostprintPeer reviewe

Preparing for childbirth: women's look

INTRODUCTION. Childbirth preparation is a form of health intervention education performed by specialist nurses in maternal health and obstetrics aimed at promoting self-e'cacy during labour. In planning an e'cient childbirth education intervention, it is essential that nurses know the pregnant women’s/couple’s expectations on this speci+c issue. OBJECTIVES. To understand the pregnant women’s expectations related to preparation for childbirth. MATERIAL AND METHODS. This was an exploratory, transversal study of qualitative nature where data was collected through interviews, after an informed consent was signed. The Bardin technique was applied to data analysis. A non-probability sample of 224 pregnant women was made, all over 20 years of age, with 28 weeks or more of gestation. The majority of participants possessed an advanced degree, were married or living in a marital situation, and were experiencing their +rst pregnancy. RESULTS. From an analysis of the interviews, three categories emerged: knowledge, ability, and self-e'cacy to deal with labour, and seven subcategories. These results corroborate +ndings of other researchers who have concluded that couples wish to be informed regarding how to prepare for labour, and that this preparation is relevant when the acquired knowledge helps the pregnant woman or couple make decisions and exercise control over their labour experience. CONCLUSION. The results enabled nurse-midwives to increase their knowledge and understanding of pregnant women’s labour preparation expectations and preferences. Knowledge of this variety can assist these professionals in planning e9ective, quality interventions, which in turn can clearly contribute to gains in healthinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Knowledge of good nutrition, physical activity and sleeping habits in pre-schoolers

Children’s knowledge about food and nutrition is very important for the development of appropriate patterns of eating behaviour. Nowadays, because children’s input is becoming to get more importance in parents’ decisions about nutritional choices it is important to contribute for their knowledge development regarding not only nutrition or food but also healthy habits regarding sleeping and physical activities. The purpose of this study was to contribute for the assessment of nutrition/food preferences in pre-schoolers and the contribution of gaming for nutrition/food knowledge evaluation. It also intended to establish a relation between children’s BMI and the knowledge of nutrition/food and good sleep and physical activities habits. An observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted with 364 children’s attending preschool from a metropolitan area of the norther region of Portugal and their parents. Food preferences varied from pasta (13.4%) to meat (8.8%) or tomatoes (6.3%) and undesired foods were, among others, *sh (16.2%), soup (13.2%), tomatoes (12.6%) and onions (10.7%). Preschoolers showed high levels of knowledge regarding food categorization (92.3%), good sleeping habits (90.1%) and good physical activities habits (94.0%). Results showed signi*cant di+erences for sleeping habits knowledge with lower BMI (kg/m2) for children that gave correct answers (M = 16.35, SD = 2.04 vs. M = 17.62, SD = 2.37). Children with increased BMI showed more risk of poor knowledge regarding good sleeping habits (aOR = 1.33, 95% CI = [1.07-1.69]). Parent’s low education was found to be a risk factor for children’s poor knowledge of good sleeping habits (OR = 8.21, 95% CI = [1.85-35.55]).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Supervision and mentoring in higher education: Dynamics of success

INTRODUCTION. Based on the inherent benchmark of mentoring and perceptoring, and conscious of the challenge of reducing the estimated school dropout rate of 12% for the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (IPV), the main aim of the project Supervision and Mentoring in Higher Education: Dynamics of Success (SuperES) is to promote the development of pedagogical supervision skills with focus on teacher – student dyads, and thus enhance the quality of teaching in the IPV. The direct bene*ciaries are the IPV assistants, and subsequently the students, who will bene*t from a pedagogical didactic literacy program (Cunha et al., 2017). OBJECTIVE. To promote the pedagogical supervision skills of the IPV assistants, which can reduce failure and school dropouts. METHODS. The sample will consist of approximately 210 assistants and 900 students. The methodology is based on an experimental research with two groups: the experimental group, which will receive training, and the control group. To monitor the e+ectiveness of the program, a battery of questionnaires will be applied before and after its implementation. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Of the 17 activities executed, the evaluation of the pedagogical supervision skills is highlighted. They are: (i) the construction/implementation/ evaluation of the SuperES Program; (ii) the construction of a computer platform/ website – Didactics & School Supervision: Caixa Geral de Ajudas; (iii) the creation of a tool, “Supervision +”, used for the self-monitoring of pedagogical skills. CONCLUSIONS. The SuperES program integrates a research action that aims to implement/ test training and research tools on the process of pedagogical supervisioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio