Assessing statistical reasoning through project work

New technologies involve a reformulation of contents and methodology used for teaching statistics. Developing students’ statistical reasoning becomes an important task for teachers of applied statistics. This is particularly true in the field of health sciences. In this work the statistical reasoning ability acquired by health sciences students was evaluated in the context of their final undergraduate project.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Índice do sentimento do consumidor português em relação ao marketing-mix em contexto de crise

The purpose of this research is to better understand the behaviour of the Portuguese consumer sentiment index toward marketing-mix in a crisis context. For this purpose we used an instrument translated and validated by the Index of Consumer Sentiment toward Marketing proposed by Gaski and Etzel (1986). This Index was used in this research since it offers a widely accepted and readily understood approach to measure citizen experiences as consumers in a society. All analysis was based on a consumer survey. The survey procedures resulted in 600 usable surveys, distributed by five regions (NUT II) in Continental Portugal. A 4% precision error and 5% of significance level were assumed. The results showed that the Portuguese consumer sentiment index toward marketing-mix is weakly positive and could be a consequence of the present economic and financial context that the country is undergoing.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cultural adaptation and validation of the portuguese version of the assessment of chronic illness care (ACIC) version 3.5

The ACIC Version 3.5 was developed by The MacColl Center for Health Care Innovation, resulting from the chronic care model (CCM). This model has influenced many international health systems leveraging improvements in the process of chronic disease management. The ACIC provides scores, which reflect the level of support provided by the organizations of the chronically ill.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Satisfação profissional: um estudo com enfermeiros especialistas em Enfermagem de Reabilitação

oai:ojs2.rper.aper.pt:article/7The goal of this study was to analyze the professional satisfaction of rehabilitation nurses, as well as to verify whetherthe practice of specialized care or the practice of general care influences your professional satisfaction.The study involved 306 rehabilitation nurses and their professional satisfaction was evaluated through their responsesto the “Satisfaction in Nurses’ Work Scale”. We used an analytics transverse methodology.For statistical evaluation, we used factorial analysis, Spearman’s correlation coefficient and parametric test t-studentfor independent samples.Our results show that the rehabilitation nurses are slightly dissatisfied.We found that Nurses who practice general care are more dissatisfied than those who practice specialty care.Este estudio pretendió analizar la satisfacción profesional de los enfermeros especialistas en Enfermería deRehabilitación y también averiguar si el ejercicio de cuidados de especialidad o el ejercicio de cuidados generalesinfluye en su satisfacción profesional.La satisfacción profesional fue evaluada a través de la aplicación de la “Escala de Evaluación de la Satisfacción en eltrabajo de los Enfermeros” a 306 profesionales de Enfermería, especialistas en Enfermería de Rehabilitación. Serealizó un estudio transverso analítico.Como instrumentos de análisis estadística de los datos, se recorrió al análisis factorial, al coeficiente de correlaciónde Spearman y a un teste paramétrico t-student para muestras independientes.Los resultados muestran que los enfermeros especialistas en Enfermería de Rehabilitación se encuentran ligeramenteinsatisfechos.Verificamos que los enfermeros que ejercen cuidados generales se encuentran más insatisfechos que los que trabajancomo especialistas.Este estudo pretendeu analisar a satisfação profissional dos Enfermeiros Especialistas em Enfermagem de Reabilitação (EEER) e também averiguar se o exercício de cuidados de especialidade ou o exercício de cuidados gerais influencia a sua satisfação profissional.A satisfação profissional foi avaliada através da aplicação da “Escala de Avaliação da Satisfação no Trabalho dos Enfermeiros” a 306 profissionais de Enfermagem, especialistas  Enfermagem de Reabilitação. Foi realizado um estudo transversal analítico.Como instrumentos de análise estatística dos dados, recorreu-se à análise fatorial, ao coeficiente de correlação de Spearman e ao teste paramétrico t-student para amostras independentes. Os resultados mostram que os EEER se encontram ligeiramente insatisfeitos.Verificamos que os EEER que exercem cuidados gerais apresentam-se mais insatisfeitos do que os que exercem cuidados de especialidade

Satisfaction of users with the health communication

The Communication processes in health are structuring the relationship between health professionals and users and interactional quality. Is crucial to improve knowledge of communication dimensions in health organizations. Know the user satisfaction degree with the health communication; relate satisfaction with communication and sociodemographic aspects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adaptação transcultural e validação do Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (ACIC): Modelo de gestão de cuidados à pessoa com doença crónica – Informação para a gestão da doença crónica

During the last decade, many countries have been reorient their health systems in order to progressively include integrated management of chronic disease, where diabetes mellitus (DM) is also included. The Chronic Care Model (CCM) has often been the theoretical framework supporting the action accordingly and the Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (ACIC) the most used instrument in measuring their level of implementation. Thus, the present study aims to contribute to improving information systems and clinical decision support in the management of diabetes as a Chronic Disease. Also aimed to make the translation and validation of the ACIC 3.5 and assess what level CCM is applied. The ACIC was applied to 175 doctors and nurses in primary care, belonging to a group of health centers. We defined the level of significance of 5%. In terms of results, it is observed that the ACIC Version 3.5 achieved a Cronbach's alpha of 0.958, indicating a high reliability and a coefficient of Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin of 0.918, demonstrating that our data show excellent suitability for factor analysis. The group of health centers studied only guarantees a basic support to people with diabetes. In terms of applicability of the results of the CCM used in the care provision of the diabetic person and the family, let predict a long journey to make in this area.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Isotope separation with the RICH detector of the AMS Experiment

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2008, is a cosmic ray detector with several subsystems, one of which is a proximity focusing Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector. This detector will be equipped with a dual radiator (aerogel+NaF), a lateral conical mirror and a detection plane made of 680 photomultipliers and light guides, enabling precise measurements of particle electric charge and velocity. Combining velocity measurements with data on particle rigidity from the AMS Tracker it is possible to obtain a measurement for particle mass, allowing the separation of isotopes. A Monte Carlo simulation of the RICH detector, based on realistic properties measured at ion beam tests, was performed to evaluate isotope separation capabilities. Results for three elements -- H (Z=1), He (Z=2) and Be (Z=4) -- are presented.Comment: 5 pages. Contribution to the Fifth International Workshop on New Worlds in Astroparticle Physics (Faro 2005). Presenter: Rui Pereir

KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION APPROACH TO CLOSED LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM - A TANK SYSTEM CASE-STUDY

Control engineering problems are dealt within a plethora of methods and approaches depending on the a priori knowledge, the description of the process to control, and the main control goal. Classical control theory is mainly based on properties of numerical models. This paper presents an approach that applies to a class of processes described by numerical and logical relations using inference and a knowledge base system. To attain this goal an ontology for control systems is constructed. The work presented in this paper is based in a three tank system benchmark

Conhecimentos e opiniões de médicos e farmacêuticos acerca dos genéricos versus padrões de prescrição/dispensa

Objectivos (Objectives): Na actual situação da economia portuguesa, a política do medicamento assume uma importância primordial na prossecução de uma redução da despesa pública com medicamentos para 1,25% do PIB até final de 2012 e para cerca de 1% do PIB em 2013, conforme o acordo estabelecido com as entidades internacionais. No entanto, do ponto de vista do cidadão, a despesa privada em medicamentos é também uma temática na ordem do dia. Poucos temas são tão controversos na área da política do medicamento como a introdução de genéricos no mercado de medicamentos, contudo, estes podem desempenhar um papel fundamental na optimização da afectação de recursos. São muitas as questões levantadas contra e a favor da qualidade, segurança e eficácia dos genéricos. Se os médicos, através da prescrição, são o factor decisivo para o aumento da quota de genéricos; os farmacêuticos enquanto dispensadores assumem um papel preponderante na sensibilização dos utentes para a sua aceitação e adesão à terapêutica. Objectivo: O presente estudo pretende estudar os conhecimentos e opiniões de médicos e farmacêuticos face aos medicamentos genéricos e as suas relações com a prescrição/dispensa de genéricos. Metodologia (Methodology): Foi enviado, via postal, um inquérito por questionário a uma amostra de médicos e farmacêuticos. Responderam 261 indivíduos, 158 médicos e 103 farmacêuticos. O inquérito foi validado por um painel de juízes e demonstrou uma boa consistência interna. Para efectuar a comparação entre as respostas dos diferentes grupos, recorreu-se ao teste t para amostras independentes. Resultados (Results): 75,9% dos inquiridos, considerou que o medicamento genérico é bioequivalente ao de referência mas apenas 58,7% disse acreditar que um fármaco genérico, no processo de preparação, oferece as mesmas garantias de qualidade. Verificou-se que os médicos que têm mais conhecimentos e opinião mais favorável sobre os genéricos prescrevem genéricos com mais frequência (p <0.001). Constatou-se que os farmacêuticos têm mais conhecimentos (p <0.008) sobre os medicamentos genéricos que os médicos e que manifestaram respostas mais positivas (p <0.001). Conclusões (Conclusions): Médicos e farmacêuticos acreditam que a despesa em medicamentos é um factor a ter em atenção no momento da prescrição/dispensa de medicamentos. Subsistem, no entanto, algumas crenças erróneas sobre a qualidade do medicamento genérico. Tal facto reforça a necessidade de políticas activas de promoção dos medicamentos genéricos