Knowledge of the Portuguese population on Basic Life Support and availability to attend training

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the level of knowledge and the availability of the Portuguese population to attend training in Basic Life Support (BLS) and identify factors related to their level of knowledge about BLS.METHODObservational study including 1,700 people who responded to a questionnaire containing data on demography, profession, training, interest in training and knowledge about BLS.RESULTSAmong 754 men and 943 women, only 17.8% (303) attended a course on BLS, but 95.6% expressed willingness to carry out the training. On average, they did not show good levels of knowledge on basic life support (correct answers in 25.9 ± 11.5 of the 64 indicators). Male, older respondents who had the training and those who performed BLS gave more correct answers, on average (p<0.01).CONCLUSIONThe skill levels of the Portuguese population are low, but people are available for training, hence it is important to develop training courses and practice to improve their knowledge.

A influência da Química nos saberes médicos acadêmicos e práticos do século XVIII em Portugal e no Brasil

At the dawn of the eighteenth century chemistry was establishing itself as a physical science on its own right, after a long ancillary relationship with medicine and pharmacy, which had began two centuries before. This association, and the many changes that came along the scientific revolution spread into many walks of life. The Luso-Brazilian world, apparently so removed from the new developments, could not help to be touched by them, as this study shows, in which two contemporary medical authors are analysed. Both were Portuguese who had long lived in Brazil; both practised and wrote extensively on Medicine; both felt the influence of the new times, albeit in quite different ways.