Emotional response to images of wind turbines: A psychophysiological study of their visual impact on the landscape

Social acceptance for wind turbines is variable, providing a challenge to the implementation of this energy source. Psychological research could contribute to the science of climate change. Here we focus on the emotional responses to the visual impact of wind turbines on the landscape, a factor which dominates attitudes towards this technology. Participants in the laboratory viewed images of turbines and other constructions (churches, pylons and power-plants) against rural scenes, and provided psychophysiological and self-report measures of their emotional reactions. We hypothesised that the emotional response to wind turbines would be more negative and intense than to control objects, and that this difference would be accentuated for turbine opponents. As predicted, the psychophysiological response to turbines was stronger than the response to churches, but did not differ from that of other industrial constructions. In contrast with predictions, turbines were rated as less aversive and more calming compared with other industrial constructions, and equivalent to churches. Supporters and non-supporters did not differ significantly from each other. We discuss how a methodology using photo manipulations and emotional self-assessments can help estimate the emotional reaction to the visual impact on the landscape at the planning stage for new wind turbine applications.

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and attentional bias: An eye-tracking methodology

Background and objectives: Cognitive models suggest that attentional biases are integral in the maintenance of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS). Such biases have been established experimentally in anxiety disorders; however, the evidence is unclear in Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD). In the present study, an eye-tracking methodology was employed to explore attentional biases in relation to OCS.
Methods: A convenience sample of 85 community volunteers was assessed on OCS using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-self report. Participants completed an eye-tracking paradigm where they were exposed to OCD, Aversive and Neutral visual stimuli. Indices of attentional bias were derived from the eye-tracking data.
Results: Simple linear regressions were performed with OCS severity as the predictor and eye-tracking measures of the different attentional biases for each of the three stimuli types were the criterion variables. Findings revealed that OCS severity moderately predicted greater frequency and duration of fixations on OCD stimuli, which reflect the maintenance attentional bias. No significant results were found in support of other biases.
Limitations: Interpretations based on a non-clinical sample limit the generalisability of the conclusions, although use of such samples in OCD research has been found to be comparable to clinical populations. Future research would include both clinical and sub-clinical participants.
Conclusions: Results provide some support for the theory of maintained attention in OCD attentional biases, as opposed to vigilance theory. Individuals with greater OCS do not orient to OCD stimuli any faster than individuals with lower OCS, but once a threat is identified, these individuals allocate more attention to OCS-relevant stimuli.

Validity of a personal and family history of cataract and cataract surgery in genetic studies.

PURPOSE:

To determine the accuracy of a history of cataract and cataract surgery (self-report and for a sibling), and to determine which demographic, cognitive, and medical factors are predictive of an accurate history.

METHODS:

All participants in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation (SEE) project and their locally resident siblings were questioned about a personal and family history of cataract or cataract surgery. Lens grading at the slit lamp, using standardized photographs and a grading system, was performed for both SEE participants (probands) and their siblings. Cognitive testing and a history of systemic comorbidities were also obtained for all probands.

RESULTS:

Sensitivity of a history of cataract provided on behalf of a sibling was 32%, specificity 98%. The performance was better for a history of cataract surgery: sensitivity 90%, specificity 89%. For self-report of cataract, sensitivity was also low at 55%, with specificity at 77%. Self-report of cataract surgery gave a much better performance: sensitivity 94%, specificity 100%. Different cutoffs in the definition of cataract had little impact. Factors predicting a correct history of cataract included high school or greater education in the proband (odds ratio [OR] = 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]1.02-1.25) and younger sibling (but not proband) age (OR = 0.94 for each year of age, 95% CI 0.90-0.99). Gender, race and Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) result were not predictive.

CONCLUSIONS:

Whereas accurate self and family histories for cataract surgery may be obtainable, it is difficult to ascertain cataract status accurately from history alone.

Traffic gap judgment in people with significant peripheral field loss.

PURPOSE: Subjects with significant peripheral field loss (PFL) self report difficulty in street crossing. In this study, we compared the traffic gap judgment ability of fully sighted and PFL subjects to determine whether accuracy in identifying crossable gaps was adversely affected because of field loss. Moreover, we explored the contribution of visual and nonvisual factors to traffic gap judgment ability. METHODS: Eight subjects with significant PFL as a result of advanced retinitis pigmentosa or glaucoma with binocular visual field <20 degrees and five age-matched normals (NV) were recruited. All subjects were required to judge when they perceived it was safe to cross at a 2-way 4-lane street while they stood on the curb. Eye movements were recorded by an eye tracker as the subjects performed the decision task. Movies of the eye-on-scene were made offline and fixation patterns were classified into either relevant or irrelevant. Subjects' street-crossing behavior, habitual approach to street crossing, and perceived difficulties were assessed. RESULTS: Compared with normal vision (NV) subjects, the PFL subjects identified 12% fewer crossable gaps while making 23% more errors by identifying a gap as crossable when it was too short (p < 0.05). The differences in traffic gap judgment ability of the PFL subjects might be explained by the significantly smaller fixation area (p = 0.006) and fewer fixations distributed to the relevant tasks (p = 0.001). The subjects' habitual approach to street crossing and perceived difficulties in street crossing (r > 0.60) were significantly correlated with traffic gap judgment performance. CONCLUSIONS: As a consequence of significant field loss, limited visual information about the traffic environment can be acquired, resulting in significantly reduced performance in judging safe crossable gaps. This poor traffic gap judgment ability in the PFL subjects raises important concerns for their safety when attempting to cross the street.

Beyond visual imagery: How modality-specific is enhanced mental imagery in synesthesia?

Synesthesia based in visual modalities has been associated with reports of vivid visual imagery. We extend this finding to consider whether other forms of synesthesia are also associated with enhanced imagery, and whether this enhancement reflects the modality of synesthesia. We used self‐report imagery measures across multiple sensory modalities, comparing synesthetes’ responses (with a variety of forms of synesthesia) to those of nonsynesthete matched controls. Synesthetes reported higher levels of visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory and tactile imagery and a greater level of imagery use. Furthermore, their reported enhanced imagery is restricted to the modalities involved in the individual’s synesthesia. There was also a relationship between the number of forms of synesthesia an individual has, and the reported vividness of their imagery, highlighting the need for future research to consider the impact of multiple forms of synesthesia. We also recommend the use of behavioral measures to validate these self‐report findings.

Do people have insight into their face recognition abilities?

Diagnosis of developmental or congenital prosopagnosia (CP) involves self-report of everyday face recognition difficulties, which are corroborated with poor performance on behavioural tests. This approach requires accurate self-evaluation. We examine the extent to which typical adults have insight into their face recognition abilities across four studies involving nearly 300 participants. The studies used five tests of face recognition ability: two that tap into the ability to learn and recognise previously unfamiliar faces (the Cambridge Face Memory Test, CFMT, Duchaine & Nakayama, 2006 and a newly devised test based on the CFMT but where the study phases involve watching short movies rather than viewing static faces – the CFMT-Films) and three that tap face matching (Benton Facial Recognition Test, BFRT, Benton, Sivan, Hamsher, Varney, & Spreen, 1983; and two recently devised sequential face matching tests). Self-reported ability was measured with the 15-item Kennerknecht et al. (2008) questionnaire; two single-item questions assessing face recognition ability; and a new 77-item meta-cognition questionnaire). Overall, we find that adults with typical face recognition abilities have only modest insight into their ability to recognise faces on behavioural tests. In a fifth study, we assess self-reported face recognition ability in people with CP and find that some people who expect to perform poorly on behavioural tests of face recognition do indeed perform poorly. However, it is not yet clear whether individuals within this group of poor performers have greater levels of insight (i.e., into their degree of impairment) than those with more typical levels of performance.

Resiliência, acontecimentos de vida stressantes e problemas de comportamento em adolescentes institucionalizados: um estudo comparativo

No presente estudo procuramos estudar as relações entre um conjunto de fatores protetores e a resiliência percebida, os acontecimentos de vida stressantes e os problemas de comportamento num grupo de 40 adolescentes institucionalizados e num grupo de 40 adolescentes da população geral. Para a avaliação das variáveis em estudo utilizámos a escala de resiliência Healthy Kids Resilience Assessement Module – versão 6.0 (Martins, 2005), o inventário de psicopatologia Youth Self Report (Lemos, Vallejo & Sandoval, 2002), a escala Situações de vida Stressantes (Oliva, Jiménez, Parra & Sánchez-Queijiga, 2008), o Questionário de caraterização de adolescentes institucionalizados, adaptado de Lemos (2007b) e o Questionário de dados sociodemográficos e familiares para adolescentes, adaptado de Nunes, Lemos e Guimarães (2011). No que diz respeito à análise dos fatores protetores e de resiliência, os resultados obtidos sugerem a não existência de diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos. Contudo, as análises comparativas dos dois grupos relativa aos acontecimentos de vida stressantes e aos problemas de comportamento indicam resultados estatisticamente significativos, com valores mais elevados nos adolescentes institucionalizados nestes dois tipos de variáveis. Não foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas segundo o sexo em relação à resiliência percebida nos dois grupos. Relativamente à análise de eventuais diferenças ao nível do sexo no relato de problemas de comportamento nos adolescentes institucionalizados, foram encontrados valores mais elevados no sexo feminino. Não foram encontradas relações significativas entre a resiliência percebida nos dois grupos e a idade dos participantes, mas foi encontrada uma relação significativa entre a idade e os problemas externalizantes nos adolescentes institucionalizados. Por sua vez, foram encontradas relações significativas entre a resiliência percebida e os problemas de comportamento nos dois grupos. Os resultados referentes à análise da relação entre os acontecimentos de vida stressantes e os problemas de comportamento sugerem relações significativas nestas variáveis para os dois grupos.

Acontecimentos de vida stressantes, psicopatologia e qualidade de vida em adolescentes escolarizados

Os acontecimentos de vida stressantes enquanto constructo psicológico referem-se a experiências com um impacto significativo no desenvolvimento de perturbações durante a adolescência. Relacionam-se ainda com a perceção da qualidade de vida por parte do adolescente (Marcelli & Braconnier, 2005). O objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de estudar os acontecimentos de vida stressantes enquanto possíveis potenciadores de perturbações psicopatológicas, assim como, as consequências destas duas variáveis na qualidade de vida, saúde e bem-estar do adolescente. Para a recolha de informação foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos: um Questionário de dados Sociodemográficos e familiares (Nunes, Lemos & Guimarães, 2011); o Inventário de situações de vida stressantes (Oliva, et al, 2008); um Inventário de psicopatologia - Youth Self Report (Achenbach, 1991 versão portuguesa de Fonseca, el tal, 1994); e o Inventário de Qualidade de vida saúde e bem-estar - KIDSCREEN-52 Group, 2004 versão portuguesa do Projeto Aventura Social, 2006). A amostra consistiu em 87 adolescentes escolarizados, com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e os 17 anos. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o número de acontecimentos de vida stressantes se encontra significativamente e positivamente associado com sintomatologia psicopatológica e negativamente associado com a perceção de qualidade de vida pelos participantes. Ainda, podemos verificar que a sintomatologia psicopatológica apresenta uma associação negativa com a qualidade de vida. Estes resultados sugerem uma inter-relação entre as variáveis em estudo, visto estarem as três correlacionadas.

Psicogénese da demência de Alzheimer : contributo para a compreensão da relação entre a personalidade pré-mórbida e a personalidade atual

Tese de doutoramento, Psicologia (Psicologia Clínica), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Psicologia, 2014

Affective Instability, Childhood Trauma and Major Affective Disorders

BACKGROUND: Affective instability (AI), childhood trauma, and mental illness are linked, but evidence in affective disorders is limited, despite both AI and childhood trauma being associated with poorer outcomes. Aims were to compare AI levels in bipolar disorder I (BPI) and II (BPII), and major depressive disorder recurrent (MDDR), and to examine the association of AI and childhood trauma within each diagnostic group. METHODS: AI, measured using the Affective Lability Scale (ALS), was compared between people with DSM-IV BPI (n=923), BPII (n=363) and MDDR (n=207) accounting for confounders and current mood. Regression modelling was used to examine the association between AI and childhood traumas in each diagnostic group. RESULTS: ALS scores in descending order were BPII, BPI, MDDR, and differences between groups were significant (p<0.05). Within the BPI group any childhood abuse (p=0.021), childhood physical abuse (p=0.003) and the death of a close friend in childhood (p=0.002) were significantly associated with higher ALS score but no association was found between childhood trauma and AI in BPII and MDDR. LIMITATIONS: The ALS is a self-report scale and is subject to retrospective recall bias. CONCLUSIONS: AI is an important dimension in bipolar disorder independent of current mood state. There is a strong link between childhood traumatic events and AI levels in BPI and this may be one way in which exposure and disorder are linked. Clinical interventions targeting AI in people who have suffered significant childhood trauma could potentially change the clinical course of bipolar disorder.

Adaptação na transição do pré-escolar para o 1º ano de escolaridade : delineamento e avaliação da eficácia de um programa de intervenção

Tese de doutoramento, Psicologia da Educação, Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Educação, 2015

Patterns of cortisol and DHEA secretion and relationships with attachment style and psychosocial variables in female adolescents: a developmental psychopathology approach

This programme of research used a developmental psychopathology approach to investigate females across the adolescent period. A two-sided story is presented; first, a study of neuroendocrine and psychosocial parameters in a group of healthy female adolescents (N = 63), followed by a parallel study of female adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) (N = 8). A biopsychosocial, multi-method measurement approach was taken, which utilised self-report, interview and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis measures. Saliva samples for the measurement of cortisol and DHEA were collected using the best-recommended methodology: multiple samples over the day, strict reference to time of awakening, and two consecutive sampling weekdays. The research was adolescent-orientated: specifically, by using creative and ageappropriate strategies to ensure participant adherence to protocol, as well as more generally by adopting various procedures to facilitate engagement with the research process. In the healthy females mean (± SD) age 13.9 (± 2.7) years, cortisol and DHEA secretion exhibited typical adult-like diurnal patterns. Developmental markers of chronological age, menarche status and body mass index (BMI) had differential associations with cortisol and DHEA secretory activity. The pattern of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) was sensitive to whether participants had experienced first menses, but not to chronological age or BMI. Those who were post-menarche generally reached their peak point of cortisol secretion at 45 minutes post-awakening, in contrast to the pre-menarche group who were more evenly spread. Subsequent daytime cortisol levels were also higher in post-menarche females, and this effect was also noted for increasing age and BMI. Both morning and evening DHEA were positively associated with developmental markers. None of the situational or self-report psychosocial variables that were measured modulated any of the key findings regarding cortisol and DHEA secretion. The healthy group of girls were within age-appropriate norms for all the self-report measures used, however just under half of this group were insecurely attached (as assessed by interview). Only attachment style was associated with neuroendocrine parameters. In particular, those with an anxious insecure style exhibited a higher awakening sample (levels were 7.16 nmol/l, 10.40 nmol/l and 7.93 nmol/l for secure, anxious and avoidant groups, respectively) and a flatter CAR (mean increases over the awakening period were 6.38 nmol/l, 2.32 nmol/l and 8.61 nmol/l for secure, anxious and avoidant groups, respectively). The afore-mentioned pattern is similar to that consistently associated with psychological disorder in adults, and so this may be a pre-clinical vulnerability factor for subsequent mental health problems. A group of females with AN, mean (± SD) age 15.1 (± 1.6) years, were recruited from a specialist residential clinic and compared to the above group of healthy control (HC) female adolescents. A general picture of cortisol and DHEA hypersecretion was revealed in those with AN. The mean (± SD) change exhibited in cortisol levels over the 30 minute post-awakening period was 7.05 nmol/l (± 5.99) and 8.33 nmol/l (± 6.41) for HC and AN groups, respectively. The mean (± SD) evening cortisol level for the HC girls was 1.95 nmol/l (± 2.11), in comparison to 6.42 nmol/l (± 11.10) for the AN group. Mean (± SD) morning DHEA concentrations were 1.47 nmol/l (± 0.85) and 2.25 nmol/l (± 0.88) for HC and AN groups, respectively. The HC group’s mean (± SD) concentration of 12 hour DHEA was 0.55 nmol/l (± 0.46) and the AN group’s mean level was 0.89 nmol/l (± 0.90). This adrenal steroid hypersecretion evidenced by the AN group was not associated with BMI or eating disorder symptomatology. Insecure attachment characterised by fearfulness and anger was most apparent; a style which was unparalleled in the healthy group of female adolescents. The causal directions of the AN group findings remain unclear. Examining some of the participants with AN as case studies one year post-discharge from the clinic illustrated that for one participant who was recovered, in terms of returning to ordinary school life and no longer exhibiting clinical levels of eating disorder symptomatology, her CARs were no longer inconsistent over sampling days and her DHEA levels were also now generally comparable to the healthy control group. For another participant who had not recovered from her AN one year later, the profile of her CAR continued to be inconsistent over sampling days and her DHEA concentrations over the diurnal period were significantly higher in comparison to the healthy control group. In its entirety, this work’s unique contribution lies in its consideration of methodological and developmental issues specifically pertaining to adolescents. Findings also contribute to knowledge of AN and understanding of vulnerability factors, and how these may be used to develop interventions dedicated to improving adolescent health.

Relationship of milk intake and physical activity to abdominal obesity among adolescents

Background: Diet and physical activity (PA) are recognized as important factors to prevent abdominal obesity (AO), which is strongly associated with chronic diseases. Some studies have reported an inverse association between milk consumption and AO. Objective: This study examined the association between milk intake, PA and AO in adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1209 adolescents, aged 15–18 from the Azorean Archipelago, Portugal in 2008. AO was defined by a waist circumference at or above the 90th percentile. Adolescent food intake was measured using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and milk intake was categorized as ‘low milk intake’ (<2 servings per day) or ‘high milk intake’ ( 2 servings per day). PA was assessed via a self-report questionnaire, and participants were divided into active (>10 points) and low-active groups ( 10 points) on the basis of their reported PA. They were then divided into four smaller groups, according to milk intake and PA: (i) low milk intake/low active; (ii) low milk intake/active; (iii) high milk intake/low active and (iv) high milk intake/active. The association between milk intake, PA and AO was evaluated using logistic regression analysis, and the results were adjusted for demographic, body mass index, pubertal stage and dietary confounders. Results: In this study, the majority of adolescents consumed semi-skimmed or skimmed milk (92.3%). The group of adolescents with high level of milk intake and active had a lower proportion of AO than did other groups (low milk intake/low active: 34.2%; low milk intake/active: 26.9%; high milk intake/low active: 25.7%; high milk intake/active: 21.9%, P = 0.008). After adjusting for confounders, low-active and active adolescents with high levels of milk intake were less likely to have AO, compared with low-active adolescents with low milk intake (high milk intake/low active, odds ratio [OR] = 0.412, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.201– 0.845; high milk intake/active adolescents, OR = 0.445, 95% CI: 0.235–0.845).Conclusion: High milk intake seems to have a protective effect on AO, regardless of PA level

Vigilância activa de eventos após vacinação

A vigilância de efeitos indesejáveis após a vacinação é complexa. Existem vários actores de confundimento que podem dar origem a associações espúrias, meramente temporais mas que podem provocar uma percepção do risco alterada e uma consequente desconfiança generalizada acerca do uso das vacinas. Com efeito as vacinas são medicamentos complexos com características únicas cuja vigilância necessita de abordagens metodológicas desenvolvidas para esse propósito. Do exposto se entende que, desde o desenvolvimento da farmacovigilância se tem procurado desenvolver novas metodologias que sejam concomitantes aos Sistemas de Notificação Espontânea que já existem. Neste trabalho propusemo-nos a desenvolver e testar um modelo de vigilância de reacções adversas a vacinas, baseado na auto-declaração pelo utente de eventos ocorridos após a vacinação e testar a capacidade de gerar sinais aplicando cálculos de desproporção a datamining. Para esse efeito foi constituída uma coorte não controlada de utentes vacinados em Centros de Saúde que foram seguidos durante quinze dias. A recolha de eventos adversos a vacinas foi efectuada pelos próprios utentes através de um diário de registo. Os dados recolhidos foram objecto de análise descritiva e análise de data-mining utilizando os cálculos Proportional Reporting Ratio e o Information Component. A metodologia utilizada permitiu gerar um corpo de evidência suficiente para a geração de sinais. Tendo sido gerados quatro sinais. No âmbito do data-mining a utilização do Information Component como método de geração de sinais parece aumentar a eficiência científica ao permitir reduzir o número de ocorrências até detecção de sinal. A informação reportada pelos utentes parece válida como indicador de sinais de reacções adversas não graves, o que permitiu o registo de eventos sem incluir o viés da avaliação da relação causal pelo notificador. Os principais eventos reportados foram eventos adversos locais (62,7%) e febre (31,4%).------------------------------------------ABSTRACT: The monitoring of undesirable effects following vaccination is complex. There are several confounding factors that can lead to merely temporal but spurious associations that can cause a change in the risk perception and a consequent generalized distrust about the safe use of vaccines. Indeed, vaccines are complex drugs with unique characteristics so that its monitoring requires specifically designed methodological approaches. From the above-cited it is understandable that since the development of Pharmacovigilance there has been a drive for the development of new methodologies that are concomitant with Spontaneous Reporting Systems already in place. We proposed to develop and test a new model for vaccine adverse reaction monitoring, based on self-report by users of events following vaccination and to test its capability to generate disproportionality signals applying quantitative methods of signal generation to data-mining. For that effect we set up an uncontrolled cohort of users vaccinated in Healthcare Centers,with a follow-up period of fifteen days. Adverse vaccine events we registered by the users themselves in a paper diary The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and two quantitative methods of signal generation: Proportional Reporting Ratio and Information Component. themselves in a paper diary The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and two quantitative methods of signal generation: Proportional Reporting Ratio and Information Component. The methodology we used allowed for the generation of a sufficient body of evidence for signal generation. Four signals were generated. Regarding the data-mining, the use of Information Component as a method for generating disproportionality signals seems to increase scientific efficiency by reducing the number of events needed to signal detection. The information reported by users seems valid as an indicator of non serious adverse vaccine reactions, allowing for the registry of events without the bias of the evaluation of the casual relation by the reporter. The main adverse events reported were injection site reactions (62,7%) and fever (31,4%).

Utilização de PAM's e Medicamentos e/ou Produtos à base de Plantas pela População do Concelho de Bragança

Introdução: Entende-se por fitoterapia a terapêutica caracterizada pelo uso de plantas medicinais nas diferentes formas farmacêuticas com finalidade terapêutica, usada assim para prevenir, atenuar ou curar um estado patológico. Objetivos: Caracterizar a utilização de plantas aromáticas e medicinais (PAM´s), medicamentos e produtos à base de plantas pela população do concelho de Bragança, conhecer a fonte de indicação deste tipo de produtos, apurar a relação entre a fonte de indicação e o estado de saúde após a utilização, verificar a sua correta utilização relativa à indicação terapêutica, modo e frequência de utilização, identificar potenciais interacções medicamentosas, averiguar se os utentes informam o médico do seu uso, investigar a ocorrência de efeitos adversos e apurar a relação entre os efeitos adversos ocorridos e o género dos inquiridos. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional analítico-transversal. Nele participaram 404 indivíduos de ambos os géneros e com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e os 89 anos. A recolha de dados foi realizada entre os meses de abril e junho de 2014, através de um questionário estruturado de autopreenchimento, formado por 30 perguntas. Após a recolha dos dados procedeu-se à leitura óptica dos questionários, sendo os dados posteriormente exportados para SPSS permitindo assim o tratamento dos mesmos. Para análise estatística utilizou-se o teste do qui-quadrado considerando o nível de significância p <0,05. Resultados: Verificou-se que 53,7% dos inquiridos recorre terapeuticamente a PAM´s que inclui principalmente o uso de cidreira e camomila enquanto 33,8% faz uso de medicamentos e/ou produtos àbase de plantas nomeadamente Valdispert e Daflon. A utilização de PAM,s é motivada por autoconhecimento e indicação de familiares, amigos e vizinhos. Já os medicamentos e/ou produtos à base de plantas são utilizados maioritariamente por prescrição médica e indicação na farmácia. A ocorrência de efeitos indesejáveis foi sentida unicamente com a utilização de PAM´s e em pequena escala. Conclusão: O recurso a este tipo de produtos é uma prática bastante comum entre os moradores do concelho de Bragança, que utilizam uma grande diversidade de plantas e produtos à base de plantas para um variado leque de indicações terapêuticas, apontando a percentagem de respostas para um conhecimento dos seus efeitos terapêuticos.