32 resultados para Accessibility
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Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.
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Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.
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The principal topic of this work is the application of data mining techniques, in particular of machine learning, to the discovery of knowledge in a protein database. In the first chapter a general background is presented. Namely, in section 1.1 we overview the methodology of a Data Mining project and its main algorithms. In section 1.2 an introduction to the proteins and its supporting file formats is outlined. This chapter is concluded with section 1.3 which defines that main problem we pretend to address with this work: determine if an amino acid is exposed or buried in a protein, in a discrete way (i.e.: not continuous), for five exposition levels: 2%, 10%, 20%, 25% and 30%. In the second chapter, following closely the CRISP-DM methodology, whole the process of construction the database that supported this work is presented. Namely, it is described the process of loading data from the Protein Data Bank, DSSP and SCOP. Then an initial data exploration is performed and a simple prediction model (baseline) of the relative solvent accessibility of an amino acid is introduced. It is also introduced the Data Mining Table Creator, a program developed to produce the data mining tables required for this problem. In the third chapter the results obtained are analyzed with statistical significance tests. Initially the several used classifiers (Neural Networks, C5.0, CART and Chaid) are compared and it is concluded that C5.0 is the most suitable for the problem at stake. It is also compared the influence of parameters like the amino acid information level, the amino acid window size and the SCOP class type in the accuracy of the predictive models. The fourth chapter starts with a brief revision of the literature about amino acid relative solvent accessibility. Then, we overview the main results achieved and finally discuss about possible future work. The fifth and last chapter consists of appendices. Appendix A has the schema of the database that supported this thesis. Appendix B has a set of tables with additional information. Appendix C describes the software provided in the DVD accompanying this thesis that allows the reconstruction of the present work.
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The Journal of Biological Chemistry Vol. 278, No. 19, Issue of May 9, pp. 1745517465, 2003
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The sustainable urban mobility plan is the framework of planning and organisation of mobility system. It is a strategic and operational plan with consequences in the planning and organisation of territorial and transport systems. When its defining the principles and the objectives of sustainable development and when its working in the scenarios of modal shift more favourable to the alternative modes than the car, the planning and the organisation of territory will be integrated on the political of reduction of road circulation volumes, in the reduction of GEE, waste of space and time, in the improvement of quality of urban environment. The Urbanism Agencies and the Urban Transport Authorities will get their selves in the urban mobility plan, in territory scenarios development, mobility and transports, with the objective to understand the sustainable politics in the accessibilities which are available by the transportation bill. In Portugal, although the authorities are not yet working, the law (1/2009) recently approved in last December and published at the beginning of the year, they have the sustainable urban mobility plans forward in this strategy.
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RESUMO - A 8 de Maio de 2008 surgiu o centro de atendimento Linha Sade24 (S24) no sentido de modernizar o SNS, aproximando-o do cidado. O servio surge baseado no modelo ingls o NHS Direct que pode ser encarado como um servio de informao telefnico apoiado por enfermeiros, disponvel 24h por dia, concebido para expandir os servios pbicos de acesso rede prestadora de cuidados com intuito de aliviar a presso da procura na rede de urgncias hospitalares e mdicos de famlia, assim como diluir as iniquidades regionais na prestao de servios. A S24 assenta na perspectiva de ser um ponto de contacto inicial do utente com a rede de prestao de cuidados de sade com capacidade de orientao. O objectivo da linha est na tentativa mais eficiente no uso dos recursos disponveis, ao mesmo tempo que delega responsabilidade no cidado na forma como este utiliza os recursos disponveis, com melhor racionalizao financeira na rea da sade aliada a uma melhor qualidade de servio prestada e adequada, colocando os cidados no mesmo patamar, diluindo as dificuldades de acesso a aqueles que necessitam na tentativa de harmonizar e racionalizar o consumo de servios de sade. Esta estrutura permite ao cidado conhecer melhor o seu estado de sade e decidir mais acertadamente quanto deciso a tomar. Com este estudo, e com base na literatura nacional e internacional, pretende-se descrever o perfil de utilizador que acede S24 definir o tipo de utilizador, disposio geogrfica, motivos pelo qual acede ao servio e qual o seu destino final, fazendo comparao com o perfil do NHS Direct. Assim, e com os dados obtidos, far-se- uma avaliao preliminar em termos do contributo da linha S24 no que concerne sua eficincia, equidade e empowerment dado ao utilizador. --- ------------------------------ABSTRACT - Sade 24 (S24) is a national 24-hour health line initiated in May 2008 aiming at modernizing the Portuguese NHS by bringing it closer to the citizen. Indeed, S24 be seen as an initial contact point between the patient and the healthcare network, facilitating a better a management of health care demand. The service is inspired on the UK NHS Direct a nurse-led telephone line to provide easier and faster advice information to people about health, illness and NHS services. It is expected to provide information so that people can deal with their health problems or their families on their own, with the purpose of reducing demand to A&E department and out-of-hours GP services. Additionally it can contribute to a reduction in regional inequities in healthcare provision through bringing health care advice to remote areas. The purpose of S24 is to handle more efficiently the available resources by enabling responsibilities in citizens. By doing so, S24 encourages a more appropriate use of available resources, with better financial outcomes and a better quality of care. It is meant, in terms of empowerment, to help people to be in control of their health and healthcare interactions by participating in the final decision. Based on quantitative data, this study defines the S24 caller user profile in terms of type, geographical reference, reasons for calling and outcome. This analysis allows us to perform a preliminary evaluation of the S24 in terms of its contribution to efficiency, equity and empowerment. Then the S24 is compared to
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The objective of great investments in telecommunication networks is to approach economies and put an end to the asymmetries. The most isolated regions could be the beneficiaries of this new technological investments wave disseminating trough the territories. The new economic scenarios created by globalisation make high capacity backbones and coherent information society polity, two instruments that could change regions fate and launch them in to an economic development context. Technology could bring international projection to services or products and could be the differentiating element between a national and an international economic strategy. So, the networks and its fluxes are becoming two of the most important variables to the economies. Measuring and representing this new informational accessibility, mapping new communities, finding new patterns and localisation models, could be todays challenge. In the physical and real space, location is defined by two or three geographical co-ordinates. In the network virtual space or in cyberspace, geography seems incapable to define location, because it doesnt have a good model. Trying to solve the problem and based on geographical theories and concepts, new fields of study came to light. The Internet Geography, Cybergeography or Geography of Cyberspace are only three examples. In this paper and using Internet Geography and informational cartography, it was possible to observe and analyse the spacialisation of the Internet phenomenon trough the distribution of the IP addresses in the Portuguese territory. This work shows the great potential and applicability of this indicator to Internet dissemination and regional development studies. The Portuguese territory is seen in a completely new form: the IP address distribution of Country Code Top Level Domains (.pt) could show new regional hierarchies. The spatial concentration or dispersion of top level domains seems to be a good instrument to reflect the info-structural dynamic and economic development of a territory, especially at regional level.
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Information Society plays an important role in all kinds of human activity, inducing new forms of economic and social organization and creating knowledge. Over the last twenty years of the 20th century, large investments in telecommunication networks were made to approach economies and put an end to the asymmetries. The most isolated regions were the beneficiaries of this new technological investments wave disseminating trough the territories. The new economic scenarios created by globalisation make high capacity backbones and coherent information society polity, two instruments that could change regions fate and launch them in to an economic development context. Technology could bring international projection to services, products and could be the differentiating element between a national and an international economic strategy. So, the networks and its fluxes are becoming two of the most important variables to the economies. Measuring and representing this new informational accessibility, mapping new communities, finding new patterns and localisation models, could be todays challenge. In the physical/real space, location is defined by two or three geographical co-ordinates. In the network/virtual space or in cyberspace, geography seems incapable to define location, because it doesnt have a good model. Trying to solve the problem and based on geographical theories and concepts, new fields of study came to light. Internet Geography is one example. In this paper and using Internet Geography and informational cartography, it was possible to observe and analyse the spacialisation of the Internet phenomenon trough the distribution of the IP addresses in the Portuguese territory. This work shows the great potential and applicability of this indicator to regional development studies, and at the same time. The IP address distribution of Country Code Top Level Domains (.pt for Portugal) could show the same economic patterns, reflecting territorial inflexibility or, by opposition, new regional hierarchies. The spatial concentration or dispersion of top level domains seems to be a good instrument to analyse the info-structural dynamic and economic development of a territory, especially at regional level. At the same time it shows that information technologies are essential to innovation and competitive advantage.
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RESUMO O envelhecimento populacional, nos pases ditos desenvolvidos, tem sido largamente discutido a nvel internacional pelas suas implicaes econmicas, sociais e de sade. Uma das prioridades de interveno face a este fenmeno promover o aumento de pessoas idosas autnomas inseridas no seu contexto social e familiar habitual. No entanto, nem sempre esse objectivo atingido e a muitas pessoas idosas restam os lares, ou preferem-nos, como opo de alojamento e de satisfao das necessidades humanas fundamentais. O principal objectivo deste estudo foi procurar saber se a institucionalizao no lar teve impacte na satisfao habitual das necessidades humanas fundamentais das pessoas idosas. Como objectivos secundrios pretendeu-se complementar esta informao com alguns aspectos relacionados com o processo de institucionalizao e perceber se existem diferenas significativas no que respeita ao sexo, grupo etrio ou tempo de internamento. Foram includas no estudo 125 pessoas com 65 ou mais anos, residentes em 15 lares com alvar de iniciativa privada, pertencentes Regio de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, no distrito de Setbal. Os dados foram obtidos atravs de um questionrio construdo para o efeito pela autora. As principais concluses do estudo apontaram para um impacte negativo da institucionalizao na satisfao habitual de algumas necessidades que se enquadram no plano social, nomeadamente ocupar-se para se sentir til, recrear-se e comunicar com os semelhantes. Nas diferentes necessidades, de uma forma geral, a institucionalizao teve um impacte negativo no que respeita s dimenses relacionadas com privacidade e preferncia individual. Por outro lado, a institucionalizao parece ter tido um impacte positivo nas dimenses relacionadas com a segurana e a acessibilidade. No foram encontradas diferenas significativas no que respeita ao nmero mdio de respostas favorveis ao lar ou casa entre os grupos etrios ou quanto ao tempo de internamento. Apesar disso, encontraram-se diferenas no que respeita ao grau de satisfao em residir num lar, sendo que o nvel de satisfao com a institucionalizao foi maior nas pessoas que residiam no lar h mais de um ano, comparativamente s que residiam no lar h um ano ou menos.-------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT: The ageing of the population of the more developed countries has been largely discussed internationally because of its economic, social and health implications. One of the priorities of intervention facing the ageing phenomenon is to promote the increase of autonomous elderly, within their usual social and familiar environment. Not always this goal is achieved and many elderly have nursing homes as option, or voluntary choose them, for lodgement and fundamental human needs satisfaction. The main goal of this study was to search whether the nursing home institutionalization had impact in the satisfaction of fundamental human needs. As secondary goals it was established to complement this information with some aspects of the institutionalization process, as well as to analyse if there were significant differences as far as sex, age groups or institutionalization time. The study sample included 125 individuals aged 65 years or more, living in 15 private nursing homes with approved legal certification, belonging to the Lisboa and Tagus Valley Region, in the district of Setbal. Data were collected through a questionnaire designed for this study by the author. The main conclusions of this study pointed at a negative impact of institutionalization on the usual satisfaction of some human needs included at the social field, namely occupation, recreation and communication. At another level of needs, in a general way, institutionalization had negative impact concerning privacy and individual preferences dimensions. On the other hand, institutionalization appeared to have a positive impact in safety and accessibility dimensions. It was not found significant differences between age groups or institutionalization time as far as the average positive answers in favour to nursing home or house. Notwithstanding, there were differences relating to satisfaction in living at the nursing home being the satisfaction higher in residents who lived at the nursing home for more than a year, comparatively to those that lived at the nursing home for a year or less.
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Dissertao apresentada como requisito parcial para obteno do grau de Mestre em Cincia e Sistemas de Informao Geogrfica
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Dissertao para obteno do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologia
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RESUMO - mbito e objectivos: O presente trabalho incide sobre a rea dos cuidados paliativos, nomeadamente, visa contribuir para uma maior efectividade do processo de aquisio e acompanhamento deste tipo de cuidados. Neste contexto, e como objectivo principal do estudo, foram identificados os indicadores chave, na vertente da qualidade, indispensveis para a conceptualizao de um modelo de contratualizao e, consequentemente, para assegurar a monitorizao, acompanhamento e avaliao da actividade realizada. Mtodo e metodologias: Numa primeira fase, foi conduzida uma pesquisa documental tendente ao levantamento dos indicadores, na dimenso da qualidade, em utilizao nos cuidados paliativos em vrios pases, tendo sido escolhidos aqueles que apresentavam indicadores j validados, designadamente, o Canad, Reino Unido, Austrlia, Espanha e EUA. Desta forma, foram seleccionados os indicadores comuns aos vrios pases estudados, para efeitos de discusso e consensualizao, no mbito de uma Tcnica de Grupo Nominal, passveis de integrarem um modelo de contratualizao nesta rea em Portugal. Apresentao e discusso de resultados: Da pesquisa documental resultaram 188 indicadores na dimenso qualidade, em utilizao nos pases estudados, tendo sido identificados 19 indicadores comuns. Estes indicadores foram submetidos a discusso e consensualizao em reunio de peritos, tendo sido hierarquizados os sete indicadores mais adequados para a contratualizao em cuidados paliativos: composio de uma equipa interdisciplinar; capacidade de resposta doentes tratados/pedido de acesso; avaliao inicial e peridica das necessidades (oito domnios); acessibilidade farmacolgica; congruncia entre os cuidados prestados e os desejados; prtica regular de reunies multidisciplinares; conferncia familiar, pelo menos 2 vezes. Concluses: No panorama nacional, no se conhecem indicadores unanimemente ratificados como adequados avaliao da efectividade, qualidade e eficincia dos cuidados paliativos. Por outro lado, atento o objectivo do presente trabalho, a informao recolhida a nvel internacional devolveu indicadores aplicveis maioritariamente num contexto da avaliao da prestao dos cuidados paliativos, e Indicadores de Qualidade para a Contratualizao de Cuidados Paliativos em Portugal x/ 93 no tanto num contexto de um processo de contratualizao efectivo. Assim, partindo destes indicadores, em utilizao nos vrios pases estudados, o estudo permitiu identificar sete indicadores considerados como adequados para a contratualizao destes cuidados, em Portugal. -------------- ABSTRACT - Scope and objectives: This work focuses on the palliative care area, in particular, aims to contribute to greater effectiveness of the monitoring and procurement process of this type of care. In this context, as the main objective of the study, key indicators were identified regarding the quality issue, crucial to the conceptualization of a contracting model, and consequently to ensure the monitoring, supervising and evaluating of the undertaken activities. Method and methodology: Initially, a documentary research was held. That research aimed to surveying the indicators in their dimension of quality, regarding their use in palliative care throughout several countries. The chosen countries already had validated indicators, namely, Canada, United Kingdom , Australia, Spain and the USA. Thus, the indicators selected were common to all the above mentioned countries, for discussion purposes and agreement, as part of a Nominal Group Technique, that could integrate a model of contracting in this area in Portugal. Presentation and result discussion: The documentary research resulted in 188 quality indicators in use in the referred countries, 19 of those indicators were common to all countries. These indicators were submitted for discussion and agreement at a meeting of experts, having been ranked the seven most appropriate indicators for palliative care contracting: composition of an interdisciplinary team; response ability to the patients / access requests, initial and periodic assessment of the needs (eight areas), pharmacology accessibility; congruence between the desired care and its effective provision and regular practice of multidisciplinary meetings, family conferences, at least two times. Conclusions: In the national scene, unanimously ratified as suitable indicators to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of palliative care are unknown. On other hand, given the objective of this work, the international collection of information has given applicable indicators mostly in the context of assessing the provision of palliative care, rather than an effective contracting process context. Thus, based on these indicators in use in the studied countries, the study itself identified seven indicators considered appropriate for the contracting of such care in Portugal.
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RESUMO: O desenvolvimento de servios locais adequados deve ser baseado numa avaliao sistemtica das necessidades e resultados obtidos nos cuidados a uma populao de indivduos identificados como apresentando uma doena mental na rea de referenciao do servio. Neste sentido foram utilizados os seguintes mtodos: dados epidemiolgicos acerca das necessidades locais e taxas de utilizao de servios a nvel nacional e local, este ltimo com base no case-register. Os diagnsticos de maior prevalncia em ambulatrio so as perturbaes de humor e as perturbaes neurticas de stress ou somatoformes, com uma preponderncia de doenas mentais comuns (depresso e ansiedade) em servios de psiquiatria. Constatam-se baixas taxas de abandono da consulta (12%). A idade, a doena e a escolaridade esto correlacionados com o risco de drop-out, mas utilizada a regresso logstica, a idade e a escolaridade perdem o seu significado estatstico. Encontram-se taxas reduzidas de drop-out dos indivduos com psicose ou perturbaes bipolares, em virtude da interveno activa da equipa. Os custos de transporte, a distncia ao local de consulta e o tempo de espera para a primeira consulta so barreiras no acesso aos cuidados a nvel local. Os cuidadores no se sentem apoiados pela rede de suporte social e queixam-se sobretudo da acessibilidade, mas exibem elevadas taxas de satisfao com os servios prestados. Decidiu-se apostar numa organizao do servio baseada na comunidade, com intervenes baseadas na evidncia, dando prioridade ao doente mental grave e qualidade dos cuidados.----------- ABSTRACT: The development of appropriate local services should be based on a systematic assessment of the needs and outcomes of the population of individuals identified as mentally ill within the services catchment area. A number of methods may be used as proxies in assessing local needs for services, such as service utilization rates found nationally and locally, by case-register. The most prevalent diagnoses in ambulatory care are mood disorders and neurotic, stress and somatoform disorders, with a majority of common mental disorders (depression and anxiety) in psychiatric services. Low dropout rates (12%) are found in ambulatory care. Age, disease and education are correlated with the risk of drop-out, but after using logistic regression, age and education lose their statistical significance. Low drop-out rates are found in individuals with psychosis or bipolar disorders, because the active intervention from the team. The costs of transportation, distance and the waiting time for the first consultation are barriers in access of care locally. Carers do not feel supported by the network of social support and complain primarily of accessibility, but exhibit high levels of satisfaction with the services provided. It was decided to invest in a service organization based in the community with evidence-based interventions, giving priority to severe mental illness and quality of care.
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Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.
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RESUMO: Introduo: A viso um sentido fundamental na relao do indivduo com os mais variados ambientes, sendo elemento central na funcionalidade e independncia do idoso, qualquer perturbao da funo visual provoca limitaes na qualidade de vida. As alteraes demogrficas em curso caracterizam-se pelo envelhecimento progressivo da populao, paralelamente constata-se um aumento da prevalncia de perturbaes do sistema visual com alterao da funo e do funcionamento visual. Considerando que os indivduos idosos so mais dependentes da viso, e que no existem para esta rea estudos desenvolvidos em Portugal, esta investigao tem como fundamento analisar a influncia que a perturbao da funo visual em indivduos com 65 ou mais anos tem na qualidade de vida relacionada com a sade. Estudaram-se tambm as caractersticas scio-demogrficas dos indivduos participantes, da sade visual e a percepo da sade geral, bem como identificaram se junto dos idosos participantes e de Mdicos especialistas em Medicina Geral e Familiar perspectivas sobre perturbaes da funo visual e envelhecimento. Desenho de estudo: Estudo transversal, caso-controlo e descritivo-exploratrio. Materiais e Mtodos: A partir de uma populao de 112 indivduos com 65 ou mais anos, frequentadores de vrias instituies de apoio social do Concelho de Loures e de idosos frequentadores/institucionalizados da Manso de Santa Maria de Marvila, unidade orgnica da Fundao D. Pedro IV, foram includos no estudo 90 (80,4%). Aps consentimento informado, procedeu-se avaliao da funo visual nos Laboratrios de Ortptica da Escola Superior de Tecnologia de Sade de Lisboa, onde tambm se aplicaram o Questionrio de Funcionamento Visual VFQ-25 e uma questo aberta para o tipo de dificuldades de viso sentidas durante o ltimo ano. Aplicou-se ainda, em ambiente virtual, uma pergunta aberta a Mdicos especialistas em Medicina Geral e Familiar para aspectos relacionados com o diagnstico/suspeita relativamente tardio de perturbaes da funo visual. Procedeu-se ao tratamento descritivo das caractersticas scio-demogrficas, da percepo de sade geral e da sade visual e das respostas dos idosos e dos mdicos. Analisou-se a relao entre funo visual e qualidade de vida relacionada com a sade aplicando o teste no-paramtrico de Mann-Whitney. Resultados: Constatou-se que os indivduos da amostra so maioritariamente do gnero feminino (71,1%), casados (41,1%), detentores de baixos nveis de escolaridade em que 63,3% apenas frequentou/concluiu o 1 ciclo do ensino bsico e quase na sua totalidade reformados (88,9%). Verifica-se que 77,8% dos idosos percepciona a sua sade geral como razovel ou boa. Da mesma forma, 86,7% dos indivduos tm a funo visual alterada devido principalmente alterao da acuidade visual para longe (86,7%), registando-se que 65,5% dos olhos tinham uma acuidade visual igual ou superior a 5/10. Outras dimenses que contriburam para a alterao da funo visual contam-se a sensibilidade ao contraste (63,3%), estereopsia (51,1%), viso cromtica (38,9%) e a motilidade ocular (25,6%). Obtiveram-se assim maiores pontuaes para as diversas escalas do questionrio VFQ-25 em indivduos com funo visual alterada exceptuando nas escalas actividades de perto, conduo e dependncia. Verificou-se portanto existir relao entre alterao da funo visual e perturbao da qualidade de vida relacionada com a sade. questo colocada aos idosos, 42,6% no manifestou qualquer razo para que visse mal/sentisse dificuldades de viso durante o ltimo ano. A diminuio da acuidade visual para longe/perto foi referida por 20,5% dos indivduos, seguido pela deteriorao do estado de sade geral e ocular por 15%. As respostas do Mdicos especialistas em Medicina Geral e Familiar sobre razes para a suspeita/diagnstico relativamente tardia das perturbaes da funo visual, indicam a iliteracia dos idosos para a sade da viso e semiologia ocular (34%), a baixa formao/informao dos Mdicos de Medicina Geral e Familiar na rea da sade da viso (22%) e a pouca acessibilidade e resposta demorada/ineficaz dos servios de oftalmologia do SNS (20%) como principais motivos para os assuntos questionados.Concluses: As alteraes do sistema visual com impacto na funo e no funcionamento visual alteram a qualidade de vida relacionada com a sade, devido principalmente alterao da acuidade visual para longe. Os idosos do estudo no valorizam a sade visual ao percepcionarem positivamente a sade geral e a sade visual relativamente avaliao da funo visual. fundamental definir estratgias e programas de literacia para a sade da viso para toda a populao, no apenas destinados a idosos. Sugere-se repensar o modelo de formao base dos Mdicos com especial incidncia na rea da sade da viso, com necessidades sentidas de formao/informao. As respostas obtidas dos idosos e dos Mdicos indicaram existir fragilidades na sade da viso, necessrio repensar o modelo de prestao de cuidados de sade nesta rea. Esta investigao permitiu ao autor uma reflexo sobre as temticas relacionadas com o envelhecimento levando a uma mudana de atitudes e comportamento na abordagem profissional a indivduos idosos, promovendo autonomia nas escolhas e decises em questes de sade, na criao de estratgias para lidar com o problema de viso e na adaptao nova condio de sade da viso.---------------ABSTRACT:Purpose: The vision is a fundamental sense in the individual's relationship with the most varied environments, a central element in the functionality and independence of the elderly, any disturbance of visual function causes limitations in quality of life. The current demographic changes are characterized by progressive aging of population, there has been a parallel increase in the prevalence of disorders of the visual system by changing the visual function and functioning. Whereas the elderly are more dependent on vision, and there are no studies in this area developed in Portugal, this research is based analyze the influence that the disturbance of visual function in subjects aged 65 years or more has on the health related quality of life. We studied also the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects, the eye health and general health perception, and identified themselves with the elderly participants and medical specialists in Family General Medicine perspective on disorders of visual function and aging. Design: Cross-sectional study, case control, descriptive and exploratory. Methods: From a population of 112 people with 65 or more years, regulars of various social welfare institutions of the Municipality of Loures and elderly regulars/institutionalized the Mansion of Santa Maria de Marvila, organic unity of the Foundation D. Pedro IV, were included 90 (80.4%). After informed consent, proceeded to the assessment of visual function in the Laboratories of Orthopticsof the School of Health Technology of Lisbon, where he also applied the Visual Functioning Questionnaire VFQ-25 and an open question for the type of vision difficulties experienced during the last year. Was applied also in a virtual environment, an open question to Doctors specialists in family general medicine related to the diagnosis/suspected relatively late disturbance of visual function. We carried out the descriptive treatment of socio-demographic characteristics, perception of general health and eye health and the responses of older people and doctors. We analyzed the relationship between visual function and quality of life related to health by applying the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test. Results: We found that individuals in the sample are mostly female (71.1%), married (41.1%), holders of low levels of education in which only 63.3% frequented / completed the 1st cycle of primary and almost entirely retired (88.9%). It is found that 77.8% of the elderly perceive their general health as fair or good. Likewise, 86.7% of individuals have altered vision mainly due to the change in visual acuity away (86.7%),up to 65.5% of eyes had a visual acuity of 5/10 or greater. Other dimensions that contributed to the alteration of visual function include contrast sensitivity (63.3%), stereopsis (51.1%), color vision (38.9%) and ocular motility (25.6%). There was thus obtained the highest scores for different scales of the questionnaire VFQ-25 in patients with altered vision except for scales related to near activities, driving and dependence. It is therefore a relationship between alteration in visual function and disturbance of quality of life related to health. To question for the elderly, 42.6% expressed no reason to see evil/feel difficulty seeing over the last year. The decrease in visual acuity for distance/near was reported by 20.5% of subjects, followed by the deterioration of general health and eye for 15%. The responses of medical specialists in general practice about reasons for the suspicion/diagnosis relatively late disturbance of visual function, indicate the illiteracy of the elderly for healthy vision and ocular semiology (34%), low education/information for Doctors in the health of vision (22%) and poor accessibility and response timeconsuming/ inefficient NHS ophthalmology services (20%) as main reasons for the subjects questioned. Conclusion: Changes in the visual system with an impact on visual function and the functioning change the health related quality of life, mainly due to the change in distance visual acuity. Older people do not value the visual health perceiving the general health and eye health positively relatively of visual function. It is essential to define strategies and literacy programs for eye health for the entire population, not just for the elderly. It is suggested reconsider the model of basic training of Doctors with special focus on the health of the vision, with special needs sensed training/information. The responses of older people and doctors have indicated there is weakness in eye health, need to rethink the model of health care in this area. This research allowed the author to reflect on issues related to aging leading to a change in attitudes and behavior in professional approach to the elderly, promoting autonomy in choices and decisions in health issues, creating strategies to deal with the problem of vision and adaptation to new conditions of eye health.
