Intercâmbio académico internacional: uma oportunidade para a formação do futuro enfermeiro

Enquadramento: O intercâmbio académico internacional possibilita novos conhecimentos científicos e culturais, incluindo tecnologias em saúde, partilha de saberes e experiências e ampliação das oportunidades profissionais. Objetivos: Identificar os benefícios do intercâmbio para a formação do enfermeiro, na perspetiva dos estudantes. Metodologia: Pesquisa exploratório-descritiva de cariz qualitativo. Participaram no estudo 17 estudantes que realizaram programas de mobilidade internacional no Centro Universitário Franciscano - Santa Maria/RS/Brasil e na Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra/Portugal. Os dados foram colhidos através de entrevistas semiestruturadas e submetidos à análise temática de conteúdo. Resultados: A análise dos dados resultou em 3 categorias: A saúde no país de origem vs. país de intercâmbio - contextualizando saberes e vivências profissionais, Intercâmbio académico - possibilidade de desenvolvimento da autonomia dos estudantes e, Ampliando horizontes - contribuições culturais no processo do intercâmbio académico. Conclusão: Os processos de intercâmbio permitem a aproximação dos estudantes a novas realidades práticas e de investigação, o que contribui para a formação do estudante e um melhor desempenho profissional como enfermeiro, no futuro.

Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life using the EQ-5D-3L in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The daily experience with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has significant adverse effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). HRQoL assessment is essential for measuring the impact of the disease on the patient and selecting individualized strategies. Generic measures for assessing HRQoL are very useful because, unlike specific measurement instruments, they allow for the comparison with other instruments. The EQ-5D-3L is a generic measure and it describes HRQoL in five dimensions; mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression, with three levels each. In Portugal, studies using the EQ-5D-3L as a generic measure to assess HRQoL in diabetic patients are scarce. Objective: To assess HRQoL in individuals with T2DM using the Portuguese version of the EQ-5D-3L. Methodology: An accidental sample of patients with T2DM (n=437) was selected at Family Health Units and healthcare centers in Coimbra, Portugal, between January 2013 and January 2014. The EQ-5D-3L was applied in interviews. The EQ-5D-3L score was calculated based on the answers to the five dimensions and the value system for the Portuguese population. Results: In this sample, 100% of the participants answered the EQ-5D-3L. The HRQoL score was 0.6772 in the EQ-5D-3L and 64.85 in the EQ-VAS. The most frequent answers to the five dimensions were no problems or some problems. The mean score of the EQ-5D-3L was significantly associated with age, male gender, high level of education, having an occupation, practicing physical activity, being single and having been diagnosed with T2DM for less time. The Cronbach alpha's value was 0.674, confirming an acceptable internal consistency. Conclusion: HRQoL levels in individuals with T2DM are lower than the national average and vary depending on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The EQ-5D-3L is a reliable instrument that can be used to assess the quality of life of diabetic patients and contribute to assess the patients' overall health status, adding data from the subjective dimension of self-care management.