An Innovative Intervention Model for Children and Young People in Residential Care: The D'ART-TE Project.

(1) Background: Residential care (RC) for children and youth should provide a holistic experience of growing up. Currently, RC homes face many challenges, highlighting the need for validated, innovative interventions. D'AR-TE is a pilot project aimed at creating an innovative intervention model for children and youth in RC, promoting protective factors through activities designed to enhance personal skills, socialization, and relationship building.

Health literacy and its determinants among higher education students in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal-A cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: The capacity of higher education students to comprehend and act on health information is a pivotal factor in attaining favourable health outcomes and well-being. Assessing the health literacy of these students is essential in order to develop targeted interventions and provide informed health support. The aim of this study was to identify the level of health literacy and to analyse its relationship with determinants such as socio-demographic variables, chronic disease, perceived health status, and perceived availability of money for expenses among higher education students in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal.

Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Constraints in Patient Pathway and Mitigation Strategies.

Introduction: Respiratory diseases, ranking the third in Portugal, contribute significantly to illness and mortality. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third-leading cause of death globally. Identifying high-risk individuals and implementing early treatment is crucial due to the variability of COPD symptoms and exacerbations.

Complementary feeding approaches and risk of choking: A systematic review.

There are two main complementary feeding (CF) approaches: traditional spoon-feeding (TSF) and baby-led weaning (BLW). Many parents and healthcare professionals have concerns about the risk of choking associated with BLW. Since asphyxia is one of infants' main causes of death, this study aims to understand the influence of the CF approach adopted by caregivers on infants' risk of choking.

Fibrosis-related Transcriptome Unveils a Distinctive Remodelling Matrix Pattern in Penetrating Ileal Crohn's Disease.

Background And Aims: Stricturing [B2] and penetrating [B3] ileal Crohn's disease have been reported to present similar levels of histopathological transmural fibrosis. This study aimed to compare the fibrosis-related transcriptomic profiles of penetrating and stricturing ileal Crohn's disease.

Methods: Using Nanostring technology and comparative bioinformatics, we analysed the expression of 787 fibrosis-related genes in 36 ileal surgical specimens, 12 B2 and 24 B3, the latter including 12 cases with associated stricture[s] [B3s] and 12 without [B3o].

Efficacy of health literacy interventions aimed to improve health gains of higher education students-a systematic review.

Background: Health literacy (HL) among higher education students is low, making them vulnerable about their health. To reverse this trend, higher education institutions promote HL interventions with various topics and methods. A comprehensive understanding of HL interventions is essential to determine whether these interventions meet the health information needs to improve health outcomes (health gains).

Challenges of Using Telemedicine in Hospital Specialty Consultations during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal According to a Panel of Experts.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine as a means of reducing face-to-face contact and protecting professionals and patients. In Portugal, the number of hospital telemedicine consultations has significantly increased. However, the rapid implementation of telemedicine has also led to disparities in access to these services, resulting in inequalities in healthcare delivery.

Therapeutic Interventions to Improve Static Balance in Type 2 DiabetesMellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by an abnormal increase in blood glucose levels resulting from insulin secretion and/or dysfunctional activity that can lead to several serious complications in addition to decreased postural balance.

Objective: This study aimed to identify and analyze the main interventions used to improve static balance in patients with DM.

Methods: For the selection of articles, a bibliographic search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane databases.

Patient organisations' views, motivations and experiences on patient involvement in cancer research: a pilot study in Portugal.

Objectives: To characterise Portuguese cancer-related patient organisations and analyse their views, motivations and experiences on patient involvement in cancer research.

Design: A multistakeholder group, comprising patient representatives and researchers, codesigned a questionnaire after a literature review, online sessions and collaborative mind maps. In May 2021, a survey was conducted among representatives of Portuguese cancer-related patient organisations, focusing on four dimensions: experience in cancer research; perception of its outcomes; motivations and expectations on patient involvement in research; and organisation characteristics.

Do sociodemographic factors influence the levels of health and oral literacy? A cross-sectional study.

Background: Oral health literacy has gained importance in dental literature, and its relationship with oral health status and association with health status (HL) has been reported. Then, an association between the levels of HL and OHL could be expected. This study aimed to assess the levels of HL and OHL according to sociodemographic factors and to explore a possible association between HL and OHL.

Artificial intelligence in medicine: A comprehensive survey of medical doctor's perspectives in Portugal.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly influential across various sectors, including healthcare, with the potential to revolutionize clinical practice. However, risks associated with AI adoption in medicine have also been identified. Despite the general understanding that AI will impact healthcare, studies that assess the perceptions of medical doctors about AI use in medicine are still scarce.

Facilitators of and Barriers to Accessing Hospital Medical Specialty Telemedicine Consultations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transition in health care, which required a rapid adaptation for stakeholders. Telemedicine has emerged as an ideal tool to ensure continuity of care by allowing remote access to specialized medical services. However, its rapid implementation has exacerbated disparities in health care access, especially for the most susceptible populations.

New records of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) from Portugal revealed by DNA barcoding, with the description of sp. nov.

This study presents the first results of DNA barcoding of water mites from Portugal. DNA barcodes were recovered from 19 water mite specimens morphologically assigned to eight species, seven of them newly reported from Portugal. Two species, (Lundblad, 1941) and (K.

Hepatic Coma Secondary to Fontan Conduit Thrombosis.

Introduction: The Fontan procedure is used to treat congenital heart defects and has improved long-term survival. Long-term complications include liver disease due to congestive hepatopathy. Fontan-related cirrhosis can manifest with ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding and encephalopathy.

COVID-19-Related Acalculous Groove Pancreatitis.

Introduction: Groove pancreatitis is a rare form of chronic pancreatitis. Its radiological diagnosis is challenging and it can be difficult to distinguish from pancreaticoduodenal malignancy.

Case Description: A 64-year-old woman was admitted to our internal medicine ward after she contracted severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation.

Portuguese Version of the HLS-EU-Q6 and HLS-EU-Q16 Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties.

Health literacy refers to the competencies of individuals and the general population to navigate all the areas of health care, making health decisions. Health professionals need a set of skills and information to adapt to people's health literacy. To succeed, it is crucial to determine the health literacy level of a population, in this case, the Portuguese.

Association between perception of COVID-19 risk, confidence in health services and avoidance of emergency department visits: results from a community-based survey in Portugal.

Objectives: To examine the association between the perception of COVID-19 risk, confidence in health services and avoidance of emergency department (ED) visits in Portugal during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design: Community-based, cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Volunteer sample that completed the online survey between April 2020 and May 2021.

Physical Distancing and Mental Well-Being in Youth Population of Portugal and Brazil during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic may affect youth's physical and mental well-being, partially because of the countries' rules to contain the virus from spreading. However, there is still uncertainty about the impact of physical distancing on youth's mental health. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of feeling agitated, anxious, down, sad, or low mood (FNF) due to physical distance measures and verify which factors are associated with young Portuguese and Brazilian people.

The Implication of the First Wave of COVID-19 on Mental Health: Results from a Portuguese Sample.

The social conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic had a great potential to affect the mental health of individuals. Meta-analyses indicate a rise in these problems in these periods among general populations, patients and health professionals, even with substantial heterogeneous results. This paper examines mental health impacts specifically during the first wave of COVID-19.

Zinc in sickle cell disease: A narrative review.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited disease caused by hemoglobin S mutated hemoglobin S. It is characterized by chronic hemolysis, intermittent vaso-occlusive crises followed by ischemia-reperfusion, and organ damage. These patients have an increased risk of multiple micronutrient deficiencies, such as zinc.

The links of stress, substance use and socio-demographic factors with domestic violence during the Covid-19 pandemic in Portugal.

Background: Lockdown, as a measure implemented to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, left many domestic violence (DV) victims trapped with their abusers. This study intends to explore the links between perceived stress, substance use and socio-demographic factors with DV experiences during COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 1062 participants over 16 years old, residing in Portugal.

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy after Implementation of a Mass Vaccination Campaign.

An online cross-sectional study on COVID-19 vaccination adhesion was conducted in Portugal nine months after vaccination rollout (September-November 2021). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with hesitancy to take the COVID-19 vaccine in the community-based survey, "COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion". Hesitancy was 11%; however, of those, 60.

How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Migrant Populations in Lisbon, Portugal? A Study on Perceived Effects on Health and Economic Condition.

Increasing evidence on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that its social and health impacts are being disproportionately shouldered by socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, including migrants. Knowledge of how these populations are experiencing the COVID-19 crisis is scarce. We examined the effects of the pandemic on the perceived individual financial situation and health condition of migrants in Lisbon, Portugal, and described the most affected subgroups.

Factors Associated with the Patient's Decision to Avoid Healthcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes in healthcare use. This study aimed to identify factors associated with a patient's decision to avoid and/or delay healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used data from a community-based survey in Portugal from July 2020 to August 2021, "COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion", which included data regarding health services use, risk perception and confidence in health services.

Double jeopardy from the COVID-19 pandemic: risk of exposure and income loss in Portugal.

Background: Increasing evidence indicates that the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had immediate health and social impact, disproportionately affecting certain socioeconomic groups. Assessing inequalities in risk of exposure and in adversities faced during the pandemic is critical to inform targeted actions that effectively prevent disproportionate spread and reduce social and health inequities. This study examines i) the socioeconomic and mental health characteristics of individuals working in the workplace, thus at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure, and ii) individual income losses resulting from the pandemic across socioeconomic subgroups of a working population, during the first confinement in Portugal.