Health-related behavior and quality of life among the elderly: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between health-related behaviors and quality of life among the elderly. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out including 1,958 elderly living in four areas in the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, 2001/2002. Quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study SF-36-Item Short Form Health Survey instrument. This instrument's eight subscales and two components were the dependent variables. Independent variables were physical activity, weekly frequency of alcohol consumption and smoking. Multiple linear regression models were used to control for the effect of gender, age, schooling, work, area of residence and number of chronic conditions. RESULTS: Physical activity was positively associated with the eight SF-36 subscales. The stronger associations were found for role-physical (β=11.9), physical functioning (β=11.3) and physical component. Elderly individuals who consumed alcohol at least once a week showed a better quality of life than those did not consume alcohol. Compared to non-smokers, smokers had a poorer quality of life for the mental component (β=-2.4). CONCLUSIONS: The study results showed that physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption and no smoking are positively associated with a better quality of life in the elderly.

O Sistema uniforme de contas para a indústria hoteleira

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentado ao Instituto de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Contabilidade e Finanças, sob orientação de Professor Doutor Filipe Ambrósio e co-orientação do Mestre António Melo

Avaliação geriátrica global integrada: perspetiva de atuação na prática clínica

O envelhecimento progressivo da população idosa, com aumento de prevalência de doenças crónicas, está associado a um aumento da prevalência de deterioração funcional, dependência, admissões hospitalares, e maior morbilidade e mortalidade. É nosso objetivo sinalizar a estrutura da avaliação geriátrica global integrada e a demonstração da sua eficiência na prática clinica. A avaliação geriátrica global integrada (AGGI) constitui desejavelmente uma prática multidimensional, sistemática, de caracterização do estado clínico, nutricional, funcional, qualidade de vida e aspectos sociais em pessoas idosas. A equipa de profissionais que a elaboram deverá ser multiprofissional de acordo com a diversidade de competências necessárias para uma avaliação que, a nível hospitalar, será efetuada na admissão e na alta do doente. Recomenda-se que seja protocolada em todas as instituições, que haja um registo único, onde todos os profissionais possam colocar as suas observações, constituindo uma forma eficiente de informação entre os intervenientes profissionais, os seus pares e os doentes e suas redes de apoio. A utilização de questionários de risco validados constitui uma mais valia na deteção de risco ou de situações já alteradas mas subnotificadas e no planeamento da sua intervenção. Após a realização da AGGI, deverá ser delineada e registada uma estratégia de intervenção, com o estabelecimento de objetivos a curto e a longo prazo, a serem monitorizados e ajustados, de acordo com a necessidade. A evidência científica tem demonstrado que a prática da AGGI constitui um método eficaz na redução da morbilidade e mortalidade em indivíduos idosos.

Metacognitive and social cognition training (MSCT) in schizophrenia: a preliminary efficacy study

Psychosocial interventions have proven to be effective in treating social cognition in people with psychotic disorders. The current study aimed to determine the effects of a metacognitive and social cognition training (MSCT) program, designed to both remediate deficits and correct biases in social cognition. Thirty-five clinically stable outpatients were recruited and assigned to the MSCT program (n = 19) for 10 weeks (18 sessions) or to the TAU group (n = 16), and they all completed pre- and post-treatment assessments of social cognition, cognitive biases, functioning and symptoms. The MSCT group demonstrated a significant improvement in theory of mind, social perception, emotion recognition and social functioning. Additionally, the tendency to jump to conclusions was significantly reduced among the MSCT group after training. There were no differential benefits regarding clinical symptoms except for one trend group effect for general psychopathology. The results support the efficacy of the MSCT format, but further development of the training program is required to increase the benefits related to attributional style.

Regimes de neutro em média tensão em subestações de distribuição de energia elétrica

A existência do regime de neutro em subestações de distribuição de energia elétrica é essencial para o bom funcionamento de toda a rede. Existe um vasto leque de opções no que diz respeito aos regimes de neutro. Cada opção tem as suas vantagens e desvantagens, e cabe às empresas do setor elétrico a escolha do regime de neutro mais adequado em função das caraterísticas da rede. A escolha do regime de neutro tem influência direta no desempenho global de toda a rede de média tensão. O principal objetivo desta dissertação é o estudo e a análise das vantagens e inconvenientes dos vários regimes de neutro: neutro isolado, neutro impedante, ligado diretamente à terra, neutro ressonante, analisando as suas vantagens e inconvenientes. É feito um estudo aprofundado do regime de neutro ressonante, também designado por regime de neutro com a Bobine de Petersen. Este trabalho descreve, ainda, de forma sucinta a situação de Portugal relativamente aos regimes de neutro que utiliza e a sua perspetiva futura. Por fim é apresentado um caso de estudo, que diz respeito a uma rede de média tensão (30 kV) alimentada pela subestação de Serpa. Foram estudados os regimes de neutro como a bobine de Petersen, reatância de neutro e neutro isolado. Foi também estudada a influência na ocorrência de um defeito fase-terra e a influência na ocorrência de defeitos francos e resistivos em vários pontos da rede.

Simulação de plataformas para dispositivos móveis: infraestrutura de simulação sensorial para android

Projeto para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática e de Computadores

Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Portuguese-speaking Adults

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a short health literacy assessment tool for Portuguese-speaking adults. METHODS: The Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Portuguese-speaking Adults is an assessment tool which consists of 50 items that assess an individual's ability to correctly pronounce and understand common medical terms. We evaluated the instrument's psychometric properties in a convenience sample of 226 Brazilian older adults. Construct validity was assessed by correlating the tool scores with years of schooling, self-reported literacy, and global cognitive functioning. Discrimination validity was assessed by testing the tool's accuracy in detecting inadequate health literacy, defined as failure to fully understand standard medical prescriptions. RESULTS: Moderate to high correlations were found in the assessment of construct validity (Spearman's coefficients ranging from 0.63 to 0.76). The instrument showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.93) and adequate test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.95). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for detection of inadequate health literacy was 0.82. A version consisting of 18 items was tested and showed similar psychometric properties. CONCLUSIONS: The instrument developed showed good validity and reliability in a sample of Brazilian older adults. It can be used in research and clinical settings for screening inadequate health literacy.

Avaliação de fiabilidade de sistemas elétricos e de automação em instalações de frio industrial

Dissertação para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica Ramo de Energia/Automação e Eletrónica Industrial

A ansiedade antes, durante e após a performance: relatório de estágio

I (Prática Pedagógica) - Neste relatório de estágio apresenta-se uma caracterização do CRP, contextualizando um pouco da sua história, o seu funcionamento e os seus objetivos pedagógicos. Caracterizam-se, também, os alunos que participaram no estágio, destacando o seu percurso académico, as suas influências e motivações musicais. Nas práticas educativas desenvolvidas apresentam-se os princípios pedagógicos, segundo o portal Ponazapino, e os métodos de ensino lecionados durante o ano letivo que tiveram em conta o processo integrado de Ensino/Aprendizagem (Teaching and Learning). Por último apresentam-se os objetivos pedagógicos propostos para cada aluno do estágio. No final efetua-se uma análise crítica da atividade docente destacando o processo ensino/aprendizagem, a sua aplicação e benefícios no desenvolvimento integral do indivíduo.

Cluster de volatilidade no mercado de taxas de câmbio USD/GBP

Mestrado em Controlo de Gestão e dos Negócios

Attention performance among Brazilian truck drivers and its association with amphetamine use: pilot study

The aim of this article was to describe the attention functioning of twenty-two truck drivers and its relationship with amphetamine use. Those drivers who reported using amphetamines in the twelve months previous to the interview had the best performance in a test evaluating sustained attention functioning. Although amphetamine use may initially seem advantageous to the drivers, it may actually impair safe driving. The findings suggest the importance of monitoring the laws regarding amphetamine use in this country.

Marketing : a (ir)racionalidade dos consumidores, numa perspetiva empreendedora

Mestrado em Gestão e Empreendedorismo

Liderança transformacional/transacional: que impacto no cinismo organizacional?

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Comunicação Social como parte dos requisitos para obtenção de grau de mestre em Gestão Estratégica das Relações Públicas.

HIV/AIDS knowledge among men who have sex with men: applying the item response theory

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the level of HIV/AIDS knowledge among men who have sex with men in Brazil using the latent trait model estimated by Item Response Theory. METHODS Multicenter, cross-sectional study, carried out in ten Brazilian cities between 2008 and 2009. Adult men who have sex with men were recruited (n = 3,746) through Respondent Driven Sampling. HIV/AIDS knowledge was ascertained through ten statements by face-to-face interview and latent scores were obtained through two-parameter logistic modeling (difficulty and discrimination) using Item Response Theory. Differential item functioning was used to examine each item characteristic curve by age and schooling. RESULTS Overall, the HIV/AIDS knowledge scores using Item Response Theory did not exceed 6.0 (scale 0-10), with mean and median values of 5.0 (SD = 0.9) and 5.3, respectively, with 40.7% of the sample with knowledge levels below the average. Some beliefs still exist in this population regarding the transmission of the virus by insect bites, by using public restrooms, and by sharing utensils during meals. With regard to the difficulty and discrimination parameters, eight items were located below the mean of the scale and were considered very easy, and four items presented very low discrimination parameter (< 0.34). The absence of difficult items contributed to the inaccuracy of the measurement of knowledge among those with median level and above. CONCLUSIONS Item Response Theory analysis, which focuses on the individual properties of each item, allows measures to be obtained that do not vary or depend on the questionnaire, which provides better ascertainment and accuracy of knowledge scores. Valid and reliable scales are essential for monitoring HIV/AIDS knowledge among the men who have sex with men population over time and in different geographic regions, and this psychometric model brings this advantage.

Depressive symptoms in institutionalized older adults

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms among institutionalized elderly individuals and to analyze factors associated with this condition. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study involving 462 individuals aged 60 or older, residents in long stay institutions in four Brazilian municipalities. The dependent variable was assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Poisson’s regression was used to evaluate associations with co-variables. We investigated which variables were most relevant in terms of presence of depressive symptoms within the studied context through factor analysis. RESULTS Prevalence of depressive symptoms was 48.7%. The variables associated with depressive symptoms were: regular/bad/very bad self-rated health; comorbidities; hospitalizations; and lack of friends in the institution. Five components accounted for 49.2% of total variance of the sample: functioning, social support, sensory deficiency, institutionalization and health conditions. In the factor analysis, functionality and social support were the components which explained a large part of observed variance. CONCLUSIONS A high prevalence of depressive symptoms, with significant variation in distribution, was observed. Such results emphasize the importance of health conditions and functioning for institutionalized older individuals developing depression. They also point to the importance of providing opportunities for interaction among institutionalized individuals.