Subjective Aspects of People with Chronic Ulcers: a Qualitative Study in Brazil and Portugal

Introduction: The experience built in the process of living with chronic ulcer is marked by changes such as the inability to work, to relate socially and causes the need to adapt to a routine care. Understanding this network of meanings is important to develop techniques of individual or collective care. Objective: To understand impregnated subjectivities in the everyday experiences of Brazilian and Portuguese patients with chronic ulcers, in the light of the Oral History of life. Method: Comparative study with a qualitative approach, using Oral History as method and technique. The network of collaborators, formed by males and females, aged 39-82 years, was structured into two groups, one consisting of 06 people in Natal/RN, Brazil and another composed of 10 people in Évora/Portugal. In both groups, the narratives were collected through open questions, which were recorded, transcribed and analyzed by the technique of thematic content analysis. Results: Through the analysis, three themes were revealed: Social repercussion in Brazil and in Portugal; Trajectory of theinjured person; and Coping mechanisms. Conclusion: Changes were observed in social life, leading contributors to isolation, in addition to confronting the stigma experienced. There were also identified points as the reinterpretation of chronic wound carrier about their disease and coping strategies of their chroniccondition.

Evaluation of the contamination level and proposal of remediation of soils in the basin of a processing plant of heavy metals, under a tropical climate, in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Indústrias metalúrgicas de produção de ligas metálicas podem por em risco toda a área envolvente, nomeadamente a qualidade das águas (superficiais e subterrâneas), dos solos e do ar, sempre que não existam infraestruturas e planos adequados de gestão destes resíduos. No caso em estudo, a unidade industrial situa-se na bacia do rio São Francisco, no estado brasileiro de Minas Gerais, e nos mais de quarenta anos de funcionamento tem produzido inúmeros problemas ambientais. Este estudo baseia-se nos primeiros resultados referentes aos solos da envolvente, tendo como objetivos a identificação dos principais contaminantes e a definição da área contaminada, de forma a avaliar a eficácia de projetos futuros de recuperação.