A busca visual da cor, como medida avaliadora do funcionamento do sistema visual: um estudo exploratório a propósito da objetividade da felicidade em crianças

Este estudo, procura explicar a modularidade da mente humana, como um conjunto de módulos, permitindo desta forma contribuir para o estudo das ciências cognitivas. Estes módulos da arquitetura mental, permitem que a nossa mente interprete a cor resultante do sistema visual e das longitudes de ondas do espetro eletromagnético refratado dos objetos. Tendo por base o estudo do sistema visual, as células sensíveis, designadas por fotorrecetores percorrem o nervo ótico até atingir o encéfalo, localizando-se aí o sistema percetivo, permitindo desta forma realizar o estudo sobre busca visual da cor, como medida avaliadora do funcionamento do sistema visual, um estudo exploratório a propósito da objetividade da felicidade em crianças, que visa explorar a busca visual disjuntiva da cor como medida objetiva do bom funcionamento mental, do bem-estar subjetivo, como construto da felicidade. A amostra foi constituída por um grupo de 49 crianças não institucionalizadas e por um grupo de 16 crianças institucionalizadas, de ambos os sexos. Para a concretização deste estudo, foi necessária a utilização de uma tarefa de busca visual disjuntiva, que utilizou as simetrias de cores pertencentes ao mesmo par oponente e cores pertencentes a diferentes pares oponentes. Os resultados sugerem que não há qualquer interferência da institucionalização no funcionamento mental, logo no bem-estar subjetivo nas crianças; ABSTRACT: This study seeks to explain the modularity of the human mind, as a set of modules, giving this way a contribution to the study of the cognitive sciences. These modules of the mental architecture, allow our mind to interpret the resulting color of the visual system and the wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum refracted from the objects. Based on the study of our visual system, sensitive cells known as photoreceptors, which run along the optic nerve to the encephalon, being the perceptive system located there, allowing in this way to carry out the study on visual search of colour, as an assessment measure of the functioning of the visual system, an exploratory study concerning the objectivity of happiness in children, which aims to explore the disjunctive visual search of color as an objective measure of good mental functioning, of subjective well-being, as a construct of happiness. The sample consisted of a group of 49 non institutionalized children and of a group of 16 institutionalized children from both sexes. For the implementation of this study it was necessary to use a disjunctive visual search task, which used the Symmetry of colours belonging to the same opponent pair, and colours belonging to different opponent pairs. The results suggest that there is no interference from the institutionalization in mental functioning, therefore in the children’s subjective well being.

Medication regimen complexity in institutionalized elderly people in an aging society

Background Complex medication regimens may adversely affect compliance and treatment outcomes. Complexity can be assessed with the medication regimen complexity index (MRCI), which has proved to be a valid, reliable tool, with potential uses in both practice and research. Objective To use the MRCI to assess medication regimen complexity in institutionalized elderly people. Setting Five nursing homes in mainland Portugal. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study of institutionalized elderly people (n = 415) was performed from March to June 2009, including all inpatients aged 65 and over taking at least one medication per day. Main outcome measure Medication regimen complexity index. Results The mean age of the sample was 83.9 years (±6.6 years), and 60.2 % were women. The elderly patients were taking a large number of drugs, with 76.6 % taking more than five medications per day. The average medication regimen complexity was 18.2 (±SD = 9.6), and was higher in the females (p < 0.001). The most decisive factors contributing to the complexity were the number of drugs and dosage frequency. In regimens with the same number of medications, schedule was the most relevant factor in the final score (r = 0.922), followed by pharmaceutical forms (r = 0.768) and additional instructions (r = 0.742). Conclusion Medication regimen complexity proved to be high. There is certainly potential for the pharmacist’s intervention to reduce it as part as the medication review routine in all the patients.