Publications by authors named "Joao Apostolo"

Objectives: To improve postdischarge telephone follow-up in the context of chronic disease management (peripheral artery disease), in a vascular surgery service.

Introduction: Patients with chronic diseases, such as peripheral artery disease, present a higher risk of complications and greater constraints regarding their adherence to treatment, leading to an increasing mortality rate and decreased functional capacity. Comprehensive discharge planning plus postdischarge telephone follow-up may reduce 30-day re-hospitalization rates.

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Background: A large number of workers attend work despite being ill. Attending work during sickness can have a number of consequences for the worker (e.g.

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The global relevance of pressure injury (PI) prevention technologies arise from their impact on the quality of life of people with limited mobility and the costs associated with treating these preventable injuries. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to evaluate the design of a prototype integrating Smart Health Textiles for PI prevention based on feedback from specialist nurses who care for individuals who are prone to or have PIs. This is a mixed methods study.

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Although the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a well-established instrument for the assessment of depressive symptoms in older adults, this has not been validated specifically for Portuguese older adults with cognitive impairment. The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of two Portuguese versions of the GDS (GDS-27 and GDS-15) in a sample of Portuguese older adults with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment. Clinicians assessed for major depressive disorder and cognitive functioning in 117 participants with mild-to-moderate cognitive decline (76.

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Background: In a society increasingly committed to promoting an active life in the community, new resources are needed to respond to the needs of citizens with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. The potential of several individual cognitive interventions to be provided by caregivers has been explored in the literature.

Objective: To synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of caregiver-provided individual cognitive interventions in older adults with dementia.

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Pressure injuries (PIs) are a major public health problem and can be used as quality-of-care indicators. An incipient development in the field of medical devices takes the form of Smart Health Textiles, which can possess innovative properties such as thermoregulation, sensing, and antibacterial control. This protocol aims to describe the process for the development of a new type of smart clothing for individuals with reduced mobility and/or who are bedridden in order to prevent PIs.

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The Short Functional Geriatric Evaluation (SFGE) is a multidimensional and short questionnaire to assess biopsychosocial frailty in older adults. This paper aims to clarify the latent factors of SFGE. Data were collected from January 2016 to December 2020 from 8800 community-dwelling older adults participating in the "Long Live the Elderly!" program.

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This study aimed to evaluate a clothing prototype that incorporates sensors for the evaluation of pressure, temperature, and humidity for the prevention of pressure injuries, namely regarding physical and comfort requirements. A mixed-method approach was used with concurrent quantitative and qualitative data triangulation. A structured questionnaire was applied before a focus group of experts to evaluate the sensor prototypes.

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Background: The incidence of diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) is increasing worldwide. Therapeutic footwear is usually recommended in clinical practice for preventing foot ulcers in persons with diabetes. The project Science DiabetICC Footwear aims to develop innovative footwear to prevent DFU, specifically a shoe and sensor-based insole, which will allow for monitoring pressure, temperature, and humidity parameters.

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Background: Prolonged standing environments constitute an occupational risk factor for nurses, particularly for developing foot and ankle disorders. The definitions and potential relationship to hours spent walking or standing are poorly understood. This scoping review aimed to synthesize the main disorders found on nurses' ankles and feet, their prevalence, the influence of hours spent walking or standing, and gender differences.

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A scoping review was conducted to map and analyze the concept of telecare services and the trends in telecare use. This scoping review was conducted according to Arksey and O'Malley's framework. A search was conducted in CINAHL (via EBSCO), ERIC, Academic Search Ultimate, and MEDLINE/PubMed databases.

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Frailty is a complex interplay between several factors, including physiological changes in ageing, multimorbidities, malnutrition, living environment, genetics, and lifestyle. Early screening for frailty risk factors in community-dwelling older people allows for preventive interventions on the clinical and social determinants of frailty, which allows adverse events to be avoided. By conducting a narrative review of the literature employing the International Narrative Systematic Assessment tool, the authors aimed to develop an updated framework for the main measurement tools to assess frailty risks in older adults, paying attention to use in the community and primary care settings.

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New technologies, namely eHealth platforms, are being used more than ever before. These platforms enable older people to have a more independent lifestyle, enhance their participation, and improve their well-being. Information and communication technologies are expected to be linked to the triad of aging, social inclusion, and active participation, which is in line with the implementation of Smart Healthy and Age-Friendly Environments.

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Objectives: To promote evidence-based practices related to the prevention of adverse events associated with medication administration (only chemotherapy) in a hospital service.

Introduction: The medication management process in a hospital setting is highly complex, going through multiple stages from drug selection, procurement and storage, to prescription, validation, dispensing, preparation, administration and monitoring.

Methods: An evidence implementation project based on an audit and feedback approach was conducted from December 2019 to April 2021 using the JBI Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice.

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Objectives: To implement evidence-based practice related to care and flushing of nasogastric tubes inserted for feeding, in a general medicine ward.

Introduction: Nasogastric tube feeding is a widely used nutritional support form. Although performed by qualified professionals, it is not a harm-free intervention.

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Bedridden patients usually stay in bed for long periods, presenting several problems caused by immobility, leading to a long recovery process. Thus, identifying physical rehabilitation programs for bedridden patients with prolonged immobility requires urgent research. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to map existing physical rehabilitation programs for bedridden patients with prolonged immobility, the rehabilitation domains, the devices used, the parameters accessed, and the context in which these programs were performed.

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Cognitive impairment can represent a predecessor to neuro-degenerative processes; however, evidence suggests that non-pharmacologic interventions such as reminiscence therapy (RT) and cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) can potentially stabilize or reverse this trend. Community-based settings are widely regarded as the key area of intervention by healthcare professionals in this field. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effects of an RT and a CST program in the cognition, depressive symptomatology, and quality of life (QoL) of older adults with cognitive decline who attend community support structures (CSS) in central Portugal.

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The article describes some of the achievements of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA), after eight years in operation. These results were achieved thanks to the collaborative work of the action groups (AGs) and reference sites (RSs). RS regional ecosystems include key organisations committed to investing in innovation to foster active and healthy ageing.

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Objectives: Mixed methods systematic reviews (MMSRs) combine quantitative and qualitative evidence within a single review. Since the revision of the JBI methodology for MMSRs in 2020, there has been an increasing number of reviews published that claim to follow this approach. A preliminary examination of these indicated that authors frequently deviated from the methodology.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study explored links between lifestyle factors and frailty in 160 older adults (ages 65-80) in Portugal, discovering that 43% were pre-frail and 18% were frail, with most frail individuals showing some cognitive decline.
  • - Frailty was more common in women, emphasizing the need for interventions targeting physical activity, cognitive engagement, and healthy eating to help reverse pre-frailty.
  • - A healthy lifestyle is crucial for older adults, focusing on good sleep, nutrition, and managing health conditions like diabetes and blood pressure to reduce frailty risks.
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WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Being a caregiver of a relative with severe mental illness often impacts the quality of life, physical and mental health. The use of coping strategies related to spirituality can enhance physical and mental well-being. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This review found 26 primary studies that refer to spiritual aspects of the experience of caring for a relative with mental health problems.

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Musculoskeletal disorders can be significantly disabling, particularly those related to work, when the underlying mechanisms and clinical variables are not well known and understood. Nurses usually remain in standing positions or walk for long periods, thus increasing the risk for the development of musculoskeletal disorders, particularly on the foot, such as plantar fasciitis or edema. This type of disorders is a major cause of sickness, absence from work, and also dropout ratios among nursing students, which contributes to the shortage of nursing professionals.

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Background: Frailty is associated with a prodromal stage called pre-frailty, a potentially reversible and highly prevalent intermediate state before frailty becomes established. Despite being widely-used in the literature and increasingly in clinical practice, it is poorly understood.

Objective: To establish consensus on the construct and approaches to diagnose and manage pre-frailty.

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