The role of qualitative data and systems thinking in addressing service decline in market towns

Retail services are a main contributor to municipal budget and are an activity that affects perceived quality-of-life, especially for those with mobility difficulties (e.g. the elderly, low income citizens). However, there is evidence of a decline in some of the services market towns provide to their citizens. In market towns, this decline has been reported all over the western world, from North America to Australia. The aim of this research was to understand retail decline and enlighten on some ways of addressing this decline, using a case study, Thornbury, a small town in the Southwest of England. Data collected came from two participatory approaches: photo-surveys and multicriteria mapping. The interpretation of data came from using participants as analysts, but also, using systems thinking (systems diagramming and social trap theory) for theory building. This research moves away from mainstream economic and town planning perspectives by making use of different methods and concepts used in anthropology and visual sociology (photo-surveys), decision-making and ecological economics (multicriteria mapping and social trap theory). In sum, this research has experimented with different methods, out of their context, to analyse retail decline in a small town. This research developed a conceptual model for retail decline and identified the existence of conflicting goals and interests and their implications for retail decline, as well as causes for these. Most of the potential causes have had little attention in the literature. This research also identified that some of the measures commonly used for dealing with retail decline may be contributing to the causes of retail decline itself. Additionally, this research reviewed some of the measures that can be used to deal with retail decline, implications for policy-making and reflected on the use of the data collection and analysis methods in the context of small to medium towns.

Exploratory geospatial data analysis using self-organizing maps

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ciência e Sistemas de Informação Geográfica

Relationship between national culture, democracy and environmental performance: A panel data analysis

This paper demonstrates the significance of culture in examining the relationshipbetween democratic capital and environmental performance.The aim is to examine the relationship among scores on the Environmental Performance Index and the two dimensions of cross cultural variation suggested by Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel. Significantional interrelationships among democracy, cultural and environmental sustaintability measures could be found, following the regression results. Firstly, higher levels of democratic capital stock are associated with better environmental performance. Secondly importance to distinguish between cultural groups could be confirmed.

Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde : uma dimensão do neurodesenvolvimento

RESUMO: Objetivo Principal • Determinar a consistência da utilização dos instrumentos de avaliação da capacidade intelectual – escalas de Griffiths e WISC III – no enquadramento dos domínios e dos qualificadores da CIF-CJ, restrita às funções mentais do corpo. Objetivo secundário: • Estudar a efetividade e concordância inter-observador da aplicação da CIF, com base na leitura dos dados obtidos em avaliação efetuada com os instrumentos referidos, por duas observadoras independentes, em contexto de articulação saúde, respetivamente educação e segurança social Métodos • Estudo observacional, descritivo, transversal e prospetivo. • Foi estudada uma amostra de conveniência 355 crianças, num período de três anos (Maio de 2010 a 30 de Abril de 2013), com patologia da área da pediatria do neurodesenvolvimento (total de 4000 consultas) no Centro de Desenvolvimento (CD) do Hospital de Dona Estefânia (HDE), Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE (CHLC, EPE). • Critérios de inclusão: crianças de ambos os sexos, observadas no CD do HDE, CHLC (primeiras consultas e consultas de reavaliação) com idade ≥12 meses e ≤17 anos e incapacidade intelectual definida de acordo com os critérios da DSM-IV-TR, DSM 5 e CID-10. • Critérios de exclusão: crianças com autismo, perturbações específicas da linguagem, hiperatividade, défice de atenção e concentração, défices sensoriais congénitos (baixa visão e ou audição), ou com outros diagnósticos de perturbações de neurodesenvolvimento. • O estudo teve duas fases: na primeira, a investigadora principal colheu ou atualizou a história clínica, observou clinicamente as crianças solicitando os exames complementares considerados necessários e foi efetuada avaliação psicológica com os instrumentos adiante descritos, pela mesma psicóloga clínica, devidamente credenciada, e com larga experiência nas escalas referidas. Com base nos dados colhidos, quer por observação direta, quer através dos resultados das escalas Griffiths e WISC – III, a investigadora aplicou a CIF-CJ, circunscrita aos domínios e funções (variáveis): 1. FUNÇÕESMENTAIS GLOBAIS (b110- Funções da consciência, b114- Funções da orientação no espaço e no tempo, b117 – Funções intelectuais, b122- Funções psicossociais globais, b125- Funções intrapessoais, b126- Funções do temperamento e da personalidade); 2.FUNÇÕES MENTAIS ESPECÌFICAS (b140- funções da atenção, b147- Funções psicomotoras, b152- Funções emocionais, b156- Funções da perceção, b163- Funções cognitivas básicas, b164- Funções cognitivas de nível superior, b167- Funções mentais da linguagem 3. FUNÇÕES DA VOZ E DA FALA (b320- Funções da articulação, b330- Funções da fluência e do ritmo da fala). Numa segunda fase, foi solicitada a colaboração de duas co-investigadoras, com formação específica nas escalas utilizadas e na CIF-CJ, a aplicação da CIF nos mesmos domínios e funções. Estas observadoras não efetuaram observações diretas das crianças envolvidas. • Para efetuar a análise estatística e analisar a relação entre os qualificadores (0 a 4) das variáveis da CIF em estudo (b117, b122, b147, b163, b164, b167, b320 e b330) e os instrumentos psicométricos (escalas de Griffiths e WISC III), que constitui a primeira parte do estudo, recorreu-se à técnica estatística não paramétrica do coeficiente de correlação de Spearman, que quantifica a intensidade e sinal da eventual correlação existente entre as variáveis em estudo. • Para determinar as correlações referentes à segunda parte do estudo, foram utilizados os programas SPSS®, (IBM SPSS Statistics) e Statistica® (StatSoft, Inc., 2011). STATISTICA (data analysis software system, version 10. www.statsoft.com.), tendo-se dado preferência aos gráficos deste último. Resultados 1. Observou-se um predomínio do sexo masculino (relação de 1:1,9); relativamente à idade no momento de avaliação, 242 crianças (68,1%) tinham entre zero e seis anos e, dentro destas, a maioria (189) situava-se entre os três e os seis anos. 2. De acordo com a DSM-IV e DSM-5, 261 (73,4%) crianças apresentavam incapacidade intelectual ligeira. 3. A avaliação da competência intelectual pelas escalas de Ruth Griffiths e WISC III (QI), revelaram correlação negativa predominantemente forte e muito forte (índice de Spearman) com os qualificadores das funções do corpo estudadas (funções mentais, mentais específicas e da voz). Os resultados obtidos pela co-investigadora A foram sobreponíveis aos da investigadora principal. Os resultados obtidos pela co-investigadora B revelaram correlação negativa moderada e forte, correlação inferior à da investigadora principal; Conclusões Os resultados permitem inferir que as escalas de Ruth Griffiths e WISC-III são instrumentos adequados para caracterizar a incapacidade intelectual na CIF-CJ; a concordância inter-observador, moderada, nos qualificadores atribuídos nas funções em análise pela investigadora e co-investigadoras, permite concluir que as escalas de Ruth Griffiths e WISC IIIl são bons instrumentos para caracterizar os qualificadores nos domínios e funções estudados, por diferentes grupos de profissionais ligados à infância. Subsistem dificuldades na diferenciação entre qualificadores, designadamente entre os qualificadores 1 e 2, o que tem necessariamente implicações na elegibilidade das crianças para os apoios preconizados pelo DL 3/2008. ------------------------ ABSTRACT: Main objective • To determine the consistency of the use of assessment tools for intellectual ability - Griffiths and WISC III scales - in the context of domains and qualifiers for the ICF-CY, restricted to the mental functions of the body. Secondary objective • Studying the effectiveness and inter-observer concordance concerning the application of the ICF, based on the data recovered from the assessment made with the mentioned instruments, carried out by two independent observers including their perspective on health, education and social security. Methods • Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and prospective study. • A convenience sample of 355 children was studied over a period of three years (May 2010 to April 2013), with a pathology in the area of pediatric neurodevelopment – intellectual disability (total of 4000 consultations, including first consultations and revaluations) were observed in the Development Centre (CD) in Hospital de Dona Estefânia (HDE), Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE (CHLC). • Inclusion criteria: children of both sexes aged ≥12 months and years ≤17 and intellectual disability defined according to the criteria in the DSM-IV-TR, DSM 5 and ICD-10. • Exclusion criteria: children with autism; specific language impairment, hyperactivity; attention deficit disorder; severe birth sensory deficits (eg, impaired vision and hearing); amongst other diagnoses for neurodevelopmental disorders. • The study was conducted in two phases: in the first phase the principal investigator collected or updated medical history, clinically observed children requesting additional investigations if she deemed necessary. Psychological evaluation was performed by a single, duly licensed clinical psychologist with extensive experience in the referred scales using the instruments described below. Based on data collected, either by direct observation or through the results of Griffiths scales and WISC - III, the researcher applied the ICF-CY confined to the following fields and functions (variables): 1. GLOBAL MENTAL FUNCTIONS (b110- functions of consciousness, b114- Functions referring to space and time orientation , b117 - intellectual functions, b122- global psychosocial functions, b125- intrapersonal functions, b126- functions related to temperament and personality); 2. SPECIFIC MENTAL FUNCTIONS ( b140- attention functions, b147-psychomotor functions, b152- Emotional functions, b156- perception functions, b163- basic cognitive functions and cognitive functions b164- top level b167- language related mental functions. ) 3. VOICE AND SPEECH FUNCTIONS (b320-articulation functions, b330- fluency and rhythm of speech functions). • In the second phase, two co-investigators, with specific training on the scales used and the ICF-CY have applied the ICF in the domains and functions mentioned above, based on the scales results. These co-investigators did not make any direct observation of the studied children. • To perform the statistical analysis and analyze the relationship between the qualifiers (0-4) of the variables in the ICF study (b117, b122, b147, B163, B164, b167, b320 and B330) and psychometric instruments (Griffiths scale and WISC III), which is the first part of the study, the statistical technique of non-parametric Spearman correlation coefficient was used, which quantifies the strength and sign of the possible correlation between the variables under study. • For submission of correlations related to the second part of the study, SPSS (IBM SPSS) and Statistica (StatSoft, Inc., 2011) programs were used. STATISTICA (data analysis software system, version 10 www.statsoft.com.). Preference was given to graphs computed in Statistica. Results • Male predominated (ratio of 1: 1.9). 242 children (68.1% of the sample) were aged between zero and six years and, among these, the majority (189) was aged largest number between three and six years. • According to the DSM-IV and DSM-5, 261 (73.4%) children had mild intellectual disability. The correlation between the assessment of intellectual competence by Ruth Griffiths scales and WISC III (QI), was predominantly negative strong and very strong correlation with the qualifiers of body functions studied (specific mental functions, mental and voice functions using Spearman index). The levels of correlation obtained by the co-investigatores were in agreeance with the results from the principal investigator. The results obtained by co-investigator B showed moderate to strong negative correlation, levels that were lower to the those registered by the principal investigator; Conclusions These results indicate that Ruth Griffiths and WISC-III scales are adequate tools to characterize intellectual disability in the ICF-CY; moderate inter-observer agreement in the qualifiers assigned the functions under analysis by the researcher and co-researchers, shows that the scales are also good tools to measure CIF qualifyers by diferent technicians with different professional orientations, related to children. However, there are still difficulties in differentiating qualifiers, namely between qualifiers 1/2 and 3/4, which necessarily has implications for the eligibility of children for the state support advocated by the Portuguese Decret Law 3/2008.

Miocene sediments from Foz da Fonte and Penedo sections (Lower Tagus basin): clay minerals and isotopic data

Eight depositional sequences (DS) delimited by regional disconformities had been recognized in the Miocene of Lisbon and Setúbal Peninsula areas. In the case of the western coast of the Setúbal Peninsula, outcrops consisting of Lower Burdigalian to Lower Tortonian sediments were studied. The stratigraphic zonography and the environmental considerations are mainly supported on data concerning to foraminifera, ostracoda, vertebrates and palynomorphs. The first mineralogical and geochemical data determined for Foz da Fonte, Penedo Sul and Penedo Norte sedimentary sequences are presented. These analytical data mainly correspond to the sediments' fine fractions. Mineralogical data are based on X-ray diffraction (XRD), carried out on both the less than 38 nm and 2 nm fractions. Qualitative and semi-quantitative determinations of clay and non-clay minerals were obtained for both fractions. The clay minerals assemblages complete the lithostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental data obtained by stratigraphic and palaeontological studies. Some palaeomagnetic and isotopic data are discussed and correlated with the mineralogical data. Multivariate data analysis (Principal Components Analysis) of the mineralogical data was carried out using both R-mode and Q-mode factor analysis.

Learning networks and moodle use in online courses: a social network analysis study

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Ciências da Educação Especialidade em Tecnologias, Redes e Multimédia na Educação e Formação

SDAR: a package for plotting and analyzing stratigraphy data in R

Stratigraphic Columns (SC) are the most useful and common ways to represent the eld descriptions (e.g., grain size, thickness of rock packages, and fossil and lithological components) of rock sequences and well logs. In these representations the width of SC vary according to the grain size (i.e., the wider the strata, the coarser the rocks (Miall 1990; Tucker 2011)), and the thickness of each layer is represented at the vertical axis of the diagram. Typically these representations are drawn 'manually' using vector graphic editors (e.g., Adobe Illustrator®, CorelDRAW®, Inskape). Nowadays there are various software which automatically plot SCs, but there are not versatile open-source tools and it is very di cult to both store and analyse stratigraphic information. This document presents Stratigraphic Data Analysis in R (SDAR), an analytical package1 designed for both plotting and facilitate the analysis of Stratigraphic Data in R (R Core Team 2014). SDAR, uses simple stratigraphic data and takes advantage of the exible plotting tools available in R to produce detailed SCs. The main bene ts of SDAR are: (i) used to generate accurate and complete SC plot including multiple features (e.g., sedimentary structures, samples, fossil content, color, structural data, contacts between beds), (ii) developed in a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics, (iii) run on a wide variety of platforms (i.e., UNIX, Windows, and MacOS), (iv) both plotting and analysing functions can be executed directly on R's command-line interface (CLI), consequently this feature enables users to integrate SDAR's functions with several others add-on packages available for R from The Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN).

A type system for value-dependent information flow analysis

Information systems are widespread and used by anyone with computing devices as well as corporations and governments. It is often the case that security leaks are introduced during the development of an application. Reasons for these security bugs are multiple but among them one can easily identify that it is very hard to define and enforce relevant security policies in modern software. This is because modern applications often rely on container sharing and multi-tenancy where, for instance, data can be stored in the same physical space but is logically mapped into different security compartments or data structures. In turn, these security compartments, to which data is classified into in security policies, can also be dynamic and depend on runtime data. In this thesis we introduce and develop the novel notion of dependent information flow types, and focus on the problem of ensuring data confidentiality in data-centric software. Dependent information flow types fit within the standard framework of dependent type theory, but, unlike usual dependent types, crucially allow the security level of a type, rather than just the structural data type itself, to depend on runtime values. Our dependent function and dependent sum information flow types provide a direct, natural and elegant way to express and enforce fine grained security policies on programs. Namely programs that manipulate structured data types in which the security level of a structure field may depend on values dynamically stored in other fields The main contribution of this work is an efficient analysis that allows programmers to verify, during the development phase, whether programs have information leaks, that is, it verifies whether programs protect the confidentiality of the information they manipulate. As such, we also implemented a prototype typechecker that can be found at http://ctp.di.fct.unl.pt/DIFTprototype/.

Environmental data management in the Sado Estuary

Estuaries are perhaps the most threatened environments in the coastal fringe; the coincidence of high natural value and attractiveness for human use has led to conflicts between conservation and development. These conflicts occur in the Sado Estuary since its location is near the industrialised zone of Peninsula of Setúbal and at the same time, a great part of the Estuary is classified as a Natural Reserve due to its high biodiversity. These facts led us to the need of implementing a model of environmental management and quality assessment, based on methodologies that enable the assessment of the Sado Estuary quality and evaluation of the human pressures in the estuary. These methodologies are based on indicators that can better depict the state of the environment and not necessarily all that could be measured or analysed. Sediments have always been considered as an important temporary source of some compounds or a sink for other type of materials or an interface where a great diversity of biogeochemical transformations occur. For all this they are of great importance in the formulation of coastal management system. Many authors have been using sediments to monitor aquatic contamination, showing great advantages when compared to the sampling of the traditional water column. The main objective of this thesis was to develop an estuary environmental management framework applied to Sado Estuary using the DPSIR Model (EMMSado), including data collection, data processing and data analysis. The support infrastructure of EMMSado were a set of spatially contiguous and homogeneous regions of sediment structure (management units). The environmental quality of the estuary was assessed through the sediment quality assessment and integrated in a preliminary stage with the human pressure for development. Besides the earlier explained advantages, studying the quality of the estuary mainly based on the indicators and indexes of the sediment compartment also turns this methodology easier, faster and human and financial resource saving. These are essential factors to an efficient environmental management of coastal areas. Data management, visualization, processing and analysis was obtained through the combined use of indicators and indices, sampling optimization techniques, Geographical Information Systems, remote sensing, statistics for spatial data, Global Positioning Systems and best expert judgments. As a global conclusion, from the nineteen management units delineated and analyzed three showed no ecological risk (18.5 % of the study area). The areas of more concern (5.6 % of the study area) are located in the North Channel and are under strong human pressure mainly due to industrial activities. These areas have also low hydrodynamics and are, thus associated with high levels of deposition. In particular the areas near Lisnave and Eurominas industries can also accumulate the contamination coming from Águas de Moura Channel, since particles coming from that channel can settle down in that area due to residual flow. In these areas the contaminants of concern, from those analyzed, are the heavy metals and metalloids (Cd, Cu, Zn and As exceeded the PEL guidelines) and the pesticides BHC isomers, heptachlor, isodrin, DDT and metabolits, endosulfan and endrin. In the remain management units (76 % of the study area) there is a moderate impact potential of occurrence of adverse ecological effects and in some of these areas no stress agents could be identified. This emphasizes the need for further research, since unmeasured chemicals may be causing or contributing to these adverse effects. Special attention must be taken to the units with moderate impact potential of occurrence of adverse ecological effects, located inside the natural reserve. Non-point source pollution coming from agriculture and aquaculture activities also seem to contribute with important pollution load into the estuary entering from Águas de Moura Channel. This pressure is expressed in a moderate impact potential for ecological risk existent in the areas near the entrance of this Channel. Pressures may also came from Alcácer Channel although they were not quantified in this study. The management framework presented here, including all the methodological tools may be applied and tested in other estuarine ecosystems, which will also allow a comparison between estuarine ecosystems in other parts of the globe.

SAKWeb – Spatial autocorrelation and kriging web, a W3 geocomputation perspective

A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems

Promoção da saúde depois dos 65 anos : elementos para uma política integrada de envelhecimento

Resumo - A presente tese explora o contributo de uma abordagem de Promoção da Saúde para o desenvolvimento de uma política integrada relativa ao envelhecimento e às pessoas idosas. Propôs-se, em particular, reunir elementos de apoio à fundamentação de medidas e políticas nacionais promotoras da saúde e bem-estar das pessoas de 65 e mais anos em Portugal. ● Delineia-se o enquadramento conceptual - referencial PromS - que clarifica a perspectiva de Promoção de Saúde adoptada. Um entendimento abrangente, positivo e multideterminado da saúde, a par do ênfase nos valores de equidade e de empowerment são alguns dos traços centrais desta abordagem. ● Conjugam-se dados empíricos quantitativos e qualitativos, concorrendo para o diagnóstico da situação de saúde da população de 65+ anos em Portugal: estudo qualitativo explorando as concepções leigas de saúde de pessoas idosas, discutidas em termos de literacia de saúde e de dimensões, determinantes e modos de acção sobre a saúde valorizados; perfil de saúde da população portuguesa de 65+ anos, caracterizando o seu estado de saúde/ bem-estar e factores (individuais e sociais/ambientais) que o influenciam; recorre a indicadores de diversas fontes, incluindo, quando possível, uma dimensão comparativa com outros grupos etários e outros países europeus; análise do padrão e magnitude de desigualdades sociais em resultados e determinantes de saúde das pessoas idosas em Portugal (dados do ESS3); breve análise de medidas/políticas nacionais relevantes para a saúde deste grupo populacional. ● Sugerem-se objectivos e áreas prioritárias para a actuação, bem como algumas estratégias e aspectos do dispositivo de intervenção a contemplar na formulação e implementação de uma política nacional de saúde dos idosos.----------------------------Abstract - The thesis explores contributions of a health promotion approach to the development of an integrated ageing policy. More specifically, it offers several elements in support of policies/measures promoting the health and well-being of people aged 65+ in Portugal. ● A conceptual framework - PromS - clarifies the health promotion approach adopted, stressing a comprehensive and positive understanding of health and its multiple determinants and emphasising the values of equity and empowerment. ● Quantitative and qualitative data are combined to render an assessment of the health situation of the over-65 population in Portugal, comprising: a qualitative study exploring older people’s lay views on health, discussed in terms of health literacy and favoured health dimensions, determinants and actions; a health profile of the Portuguese population aged 65 and over, covering health status and well-being and several determining factors (individual and social /environmental); it uses indicators from several sources, including, whenever possible, a comparison with other age groups and other European countries; an analysis of pattern and magnitude of social inequalities in health outcomes and in the distribution of some of it’s determinants among elderly people in Portugal (ESS3 data); a brief review of some national policies/measures pertinent to this group’s health. ● Objectives and priority areas for action are suggested, along with possible strategies and guidelines on infrastructure and processes regarding the formulation and implementation of a national health policy for older people.

Ostracodes; witnesses of the Plio-Quaternary boundary in the North Eastern Atlantic preliminary results

Proceedings of the 1" R.C.A.N.S. Congress, Lisboa, October 1992

Artificial Intelligence in geospatial analysis: applications of self-organizing maps in the context of geographic information science.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems.

Relação entre a catastrofização da dor, percepção da intensidade da dor e incapacidade funcional em utentes com cdor crónica cervical

RESUMO: Introdução/Objectivo: A influência dos factores psicossociais, e nomeadamente da catastrofização da dor, na percepção da intensidade da dor e na incapacidade funcional, auto-reportada por indivíduos com dor crónica cervical (DCC), tem sido alvo de estudo em vários países, evidenciando o constructo multidimensional da DCC. Neste sentido, esta investigação pretende estudar se a catastrofização da dor, é uma variável preditiva relativamente à percepção da intensidade da dor, e à incapacidade funcional. Secundariamente procurou-se averiguar se as relações encontradas se mantêm estáveis antes e após exposição a uma intervenção em fisioterapia. Metodologia: Neste estudo participaram 40 indivíduos com DCC de origem músculo-esquelética e causa não traumática, que foram expostos a uma intervenção em fisioterapia no Centro de Medicina de Reabilitação do Alcoitão e na Clinica AlcaisFisio, que cumpriram os critérios de inclusão e aceitarem participar livremente no mesmo. A recolha de dados realizou-se em dois momentos distintos, antes e após exposição à intervenção em fisioterapia. A catastrofização da dor foi avaliada por meio da Escala de Catastrofização da Dor (PCS), a intensidade da dor pela Escala Numérica da Dor (END), sendo realizada a medição da incapacidade funcional através do Neck Disability Index versão Portuguesa (NDI-PT). A análise estatística incluiu duas fases: fase descritiva e fase inferencial. Foram desenvolvidos modelos de regressão linear com vista a testar o poder preditivo da catastrofização da dor sobre a intensidade da dor e a incapacidade funcional. O nível de significância para o qual os valores se consideraram satisfatórios foi de p<0,05. O tratamento dos dados foi realizado no software PASW versão 18. Resultados: Observou-se que existe uma relação moderada, positiva e significativa, nos dois momentos de avaliação, entre a catastrofização da dor e a percepção da intensidade da dor (p<0,001), apresentando um poder preditivo de 27,9% e 46,7%, das pontuações da intensidade da dor, antes e após exposição à intervenção em fisioterapia, espectivamente. Observou-se que a catastrofização da dor tem uma relação forte, positiva e significativa com a incapacidade funcional, nos dois momentos de avaliação (p<0,001), predizendo 51,8% e 61,8%, das pontuações da incapacidade funcional, antes e após exposição à intervenção em fisioterapia, respectivamente. Conclusão: A catastrofização da dor é um factor psicossocial que apresenta relação moderada com a percepção da intensidade da dor, e forte com a incapacidade funcional auto-reportada por indivíduos com DCC de origem músculo-esquelética e causa não traumática, antes e após exposição à intervenção em fisioterapia. Os resultados do estudo sugerem, assim, uma importante influência da catastrofização da dor sobre a percepção da intensidade da dor e a incapacidade funcional em indivíduos com DCC, realçando o constructo multidimensional da DCC. ------------ABSTRACT: Background and Purpose: The influence of psychosocial factors, particularly, the pain catastrophizing, on pain intensity and functional disability in individuals with chronic neck pain (CNP) has been report among recent research literature. The first aim of this research was to verify the predictive value of pain catastrophizing on pain intensity and patient’s functional disability. Secondly it aimed to verify the stability of these relations before and after a physiotherapy treatment. Methodology: A sample of 40 subjects with CNP of musculoskeletal and non-traumatic causes was recruited from the patient’s list of two private clinics in Lisbon district following verification of the inclusion criteria. All participants agree to participate in the study and signed a consent form. Data was collected immediately before and after a period of physiotherapy treatment. Pain catastrophizing was assessed by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS-PT), patient perception of pain intensity was measured by the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and functional disability was measured through the Neck Disability Index (NDI-PT). Data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Linear regression models were developed in order to test the predictive power of pain catastrophizing on pain intensity and functional disability. The minimal level of significance established was p<0,05. Data analysis was performed using the software PASW version 18. Results: A positive moderate relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain intensity was founded in both moments, before and after physiotherapy intervention, of data collection (p<0,001) with a predictive power of 27,9% and 46,7%, respectively. A positive strong relationship between pain catastrophizing and functional disability was founded in both moments, before and after physiotherapy intervention, of data collection (p<0,001), with a predictive power of 51,8% and 61,8%, respectively. Conclusion: Pain catastrophizing is a psychosocial factor that is correlated moderately with the perception of pain intensity and strongly with self-reported functionaldisability for individuals with CNP musculoskeletal origin and non-traumatic causes,before and after a physiotherapy intervention. The results of this study suggest that pain catastrophizing has an important influence on the report levels of pain intensity and functional disability in CNP patients. These results also emphasize the multidimensional nature of chronic neck pain.

Planning, operations and data handling of planetary science missions

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Física