Portuguese Journal of Public Health最新文献

{"title":"Unveiling the Cost-Effectiveness of Chlamydia Screening Strategies: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Emídio Mata, António Angélico-Gonçalves, Ana Rita Leite, Diogo Queiroz Almeida","doi":"10.1159/000542685","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000542685","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cost-effectiveness analyses of preventive screening strategies are paramount for public health to ensure effective resource use, especially for sexually transmitted infections such as Chlamydia, which lead to significant quality-adjusted life years (QALY) loss.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>This study systematically reviewed EMBASE, PubMed, and SCOPUS databases, from inception to October 2022, Chlamydia infection screening strategies' cost-effectiveness studies analyzing Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) of QALYs versus no screening. Out of 487 studies, six were included, each employing distinct screening approaches, assumptions, and prevalence and incidence rates. The ICERs varied from USD 2,350/QALY gained with annual screening of women aged 15-24 years to EUR 117,529/QALY gained with women and men screening (age 16-29).</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>The results underscore the impact of the different assumptions on ICERs and highlight the importance of precise epidemiology on Chlamydia infections. Studies characterizing the local population are crucial for accurate cost-effectiveness analysis and public health policy formulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"43 1","pages":"47-58"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11957475/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143765343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Food Insecurity in the Community: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Portuguese and Immigrant Population of Amadora.","authors":"Ana Raimundo Costa, Ana Hernando, Joana Sousa","doi":"10.1159/000542686","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000542686","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Food insecurity, defined as limited or uncertain access to adequate food, is recognized as a public health problem linked to poor eating habits, chronic diseases, and social inequalities. This study aims to characterize and compare food insecurity status among immigrant and Portuguese populations receiving primary healthcare in Amadora.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted based on interviews with individuals aged 18 and above, living in Amadora for at least 1 year. Sociodemographic and health status variables were collected, and food insecurity was assessed using a Portuguese-adapted version of the US Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module. Data analysis included binary logistic regression to explore the predictive capacity of variables, with food insecurity as the outcome.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The estimated prevalence of household food insecurity was 29.7%, with 10.5% classified as severely food insecure. Single individuals (OR: 3.090; CI: 1.353-7.059), those with basic education (OR: 3.296; CI: 1.175-9.247); immigrants (OR: 4.358; CI: 2.206-8.611), households with three or more members (OR: 2.686; CI: 1.019-7.079), and incomes below EUR 1,100 (OR: 7.359; CI: 2.613-20.726) were more likely to belong to food insecure households. When Portuguese households were analyzed, low income (OR: 8.730; CI: 2.607-29.232) and smoking habits (OR: 3.375; CI: 1.345-8.469) were found to be potential determinants of food insecurity. As for immigrant households, being single (OR: 6.002; CI: 1.404-25.659), having a household with three or more members (OR: 13.953; CI: 2.119-91.887), and low income (OR: 7.110; CI: 1.257-40.226) increased the risk of food insecurity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this study show that food insecurity is significantly associated with sociodemographic and health factors, with differences between Portuguese and immigrant populations. Awareness of this problem and the need for monitoring should therefore be raised to prioritize community interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"43 1","pages":"26-37"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11957477/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143765342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving Access to Mental Health Care through a Stepped Care Approach: Preliminary Results from a University Students' Sample.","authors":"Marisa Marques, Sofia Caetano, Sandra Xavier, Ana Melo, Andreia Ferreira, Joana Martins, Célia Lavaredas, Bruno Silva, Sofia Morais, Diana Moura, Nuno Madeira, António Queirós, Maria João Martins","doi":"10.1159/000540772","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000540772","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Recently, university counseling services have been faced with an increasing number of students seeking psychological support. However, human resources and time constraints limit the services to respond adequately. Recently, national guidelines for Mental Health Services in Higher Education recommended the stepped care approach to increase efficiency. The present study aimed to explore the implementation of a stepped care model in a Portuguese public university, analyzing students' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and presenting the flow of the stepped care approach and the students' waiting periods in each step.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An observational study was conducted in the University of Coimbra's health services between May 2019 and June 2021. Descriptive statistics were performed to describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the sample, the flow of the stepped care approach, and students' waiting periods.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We enrolled 295 students in the present study. The findings of this study revealed that over 40% had a clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depressive disorders. In terms of students' flow within the stepped care model, 82% of students sought psychological help through self-referral. Concerning the implementation of the stepped care model, results have shown that most students wait less than a month to access each step.</p><p><strong>Discussion/conclusions: </strong>Although preliminary, our results suggest that the stepped care model might be a useful service organization, mainly in a community in which accessibility to services and speed of response are particularly important. Most students being self-referred highlight the importance of direct contact between the university community and the health services. Additionally, anxiety and mood disorders were the most prevalent diagnoses in our sample, which also points to the relevance of a stepped care approach, since other studies have highlighted its advantages for this kind of clinical population.</p>","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"42 3","pages":"221-230"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12215101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144555198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Local Climate Change Adaptation under the Lenses of Public Health: A Case Study from Porto, Portugal.","authors":"José Pedro Silva, Gloria Macassa, Henrique Barros, Ana Isabel Ribeiro","doi":"10.1159/000540747","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000540747","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Climate change is a pressing public health issue. Urban populations, especially in coastal areas, are highly vulnerable. As climate change progresses, local adaptation becomes increasingly important. We present a case study about the inclusion of public health concerns in local climate change adaptation in Porto (Portugal).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analysed two local adaptation plans using qualitative content analysis and conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of 6 key stakeholders with different profiles. We did a qualitative content analysis of the respective transcripts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Porto is undergoing health-relevant consequences of climate change, which are expected to worsen further in the future. Porto's geographical and demographic characteristics and urban environment make its population highly vulnerable to climate change-related health risks. Public health is recognized as a central element in local adaptation efforts. Drivers for integrating health concerns include growing climate change awareness, a sense of urgency, social capital, institutional networks, access to resources, and political commitment. Nevertheless, challenges like data limitations, resource constraints, climate knowledge gaps, communication issues, and political cycles hinder both local adaptation and the integration of health considerations.</p><p><strong>Discussion/conclusion: </strong>In Porto, health seems both a powerful mobilizing issue and a central topic concerning local adaptation. However, the complex and long-term nature of climate change and the associated uncertainty hinder adaptation efforts. High-quality data about both the local climate and population health are thus essential. The transversal nature of risk is recognized and multi-sectorial approaches, public participation, mainstreaming, and policy integration are necessary to prevent imbalances. Local adaptation efforts, including health-related efforts, are shaped by the international (belonging to the European Union), national, and local contexts. Successful local adaptation and inclusion of health aspects require mainstreaming and policy integration across different areas and involvement of multiple stakeholders, including the population, in order to maximize resources and avoid undesired trade-offs.</p>","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"42 3","pages":"169-183"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12215102/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144555199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of Digital Interventions in Reducing Occupational Stress: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Bima Indra, Valie Palmasutra, Febry Afrianto Setyawan","doi":"10.1159/000540748","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000540748","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Occupational stress is the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities, challenging their ability to cope. It is a pervasive concern in modern work environments, impacting workers' well-being and organizational productivity. Current available methods to manage workers' stress include providing psychologist consultations and using digital intervention. Digital interventions, including smartphone apps and website programs, have emerged as accessible tools for stress reduction. However, there is a need to assess their effectiveness systematically. A systematic review encompassed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from the inception to May 2024. A comprehensive search in four electronic databases identified 15 eligible RCTs. Of a total of 15 included studies, all studies demonstrated a significant reduction in occupational stress with the use of digital interventions. Interventions varied in duration, frequency, and delivery platforms, with smartphone-based applications being predominant. Common intervention components included meditation, coping stress management, and nutritional and exercise content. Positive effects on worker mental health were observed to persist for up to 3-12 months post-intervention. The findings underscore the potential of digital interventions to promote employee well-being and contribute to healthier and more productive work environments. Digital interventions offer promising avenues for addressing occupational stress and promoting worker well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"42 3","pages":"252-265"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12215113/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144555246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Motivational Interviewing to Address Vaccine Hesitancy: Insights from an Intervention in Portugal.","authors":"Joana Mendonça, Ana Patrícia Hilário, Luís Gouveia","doi":"10.1159/000539600","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000539600","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research, to date, suggests the need for healthcare professionals to adapt their communication style to the needs and characteristics of parents when discussing childhood vaccination. Motivational interviewing (MI) has been recognized as an important communication style, based on a patient-centred model of care, leading to the responsibility and motivation to change in cases of vaccine hesitancy. The current study intended to assess the attainment of MI competencies by healthcare professionals in Portugal who may interact with vaccine-hesitant parents. The pre- and post-training survey results showed a significant increase in the participants' scores in all three pre-defined dimensions: acquisition of knowledge, perception of skills application, and sense of confidence. Our results suggest that integrating MI training into healthcare professionals' curriculum appears to be a promising avenue to pursue to foster their immunization-related communication skills in Portugal and elsewhere.</p>","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"42 3","pages":"195-205"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12215105/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144555200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wasting and Its Associated Nutritional and Non-Nutritional Factors among Under-Five Children in Marrakesh Province, Morocco.","authors":"Soufiane El Moussaoui, Kamal Kaoutar, Ahmed Chetoui, Keltoum Boutahar, Abdeslam El Kardoudi, Mohamed Najimi, Mounir Bourrous, Fatiha Chigr","doi":"10.1159/000540091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000540091","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Malnutrition is the most common nutritional disorder in developing countries and it remains one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the prevalence of wasting and its associated factors among under-five children in Marrakesh province in Morocco.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A community-based cross-sectional study design was used to determine the prevalence of wasting and its associated factors among under-5 years old children. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 430 children paired with their mothers. Anthropometric measurements and determinant factors were collected. SPSS version 19.0 statistical software was used for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated to the wasting of the children. Statistical association was declared significant if <i>p</i> value was less than0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, the prevalence of wasting was 9.3%. The proportions of severe and moderate wasting children were 6.5% and 2.8%, respectively. Higher odds of wasting children among illiterate mothers were 17 times more likely compared with mothers with high levels (ORa = 17.17; 95% CI: 1.01-13.70). In line with this, the odds of wasting children among lower household incomes were 13 times more likely when compared to those with higher household incomes (ORa = 13.114; 95% CI: 1.13-7.60). Similarly, the odds of wasting children among mothers primiparous were 12 times more likely compared with multiparous (ORa = 12.88; 95% CI: 1.04-4.08). The odds of wasting children were more observed among children who did not benefit from exclusive breastfeeding (ORa = 12.297; 95% CI: 2.47-13.03, 1.03-5.34).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The current study showed that the prevalence of wasting among under-five children in Marrakesh province was relatively common. Mother's education level, household income, parity, and exclusive breastfeeding were significantly associated with wasting. Therefore, nutritional educational intervention programs in Marrakesh province should focus on these factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"42 3","pages":"231-239"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12215099/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144555201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of the Alcohol Industry's Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in Portugal.","authors":"Francisca Pulido Valente, Ana Carolina Baptista, Bárbara S Vieira","doi":"10.1159/000540348","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000540348","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In Portugal, the alcohol industry (AI) engages in corporate political activity, influencing decision-making and potentially obstructing the implementation of evidence-based alcohol policies, such as higher taxes, stricter advertising laws, and mandatory warning labels on all alcoholic beverages. Yet, no research has been conducted specifically on the industry's corporate social responsibility activities (CSR), which can also hinder the implementation of these cost-effective policies while serving as a means for nurturing its reputation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study addresses this gap by examining the CSR practices of ten AI actors in Portugal. Through qualitative content analysis, data collected from their websites was categorized based on an adapted framework considering seven CSR categories.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results revealed CSR practices across all categories, with corporate philanthropy and alcohol information provision and education accounting for 65% of the analyzed data. The findings highlight potential conflicts between the public health initiatives of AI in Portugal and its profit-driven objectives.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>CSR activities undermine health protection and alcohol harm prevention efforts by promoting a dubious discourse about an undeniably harmful substance. The present study recommends considering vigilant monitoring, regulation, or even the ban on CSR practices of AI in Portugal.</p>","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"42 3","pages":"240-251"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12215087/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144555245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Potential of Physical Activity for the Control of Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Cancer: An Often-Overlooked Ally for Public Health and Healthcare Management.","authors":"Alberto J Alves, João L Viana","doi":"10.1159/000540039","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000540039","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":"42 2","pages":"81-83"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11498911/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142523281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Supported Accommodations for People with Serious Mental Disorders: Staff’s Assessment of Work Challenges and Their Impact during COVID-19","authors":"B. Pedrosa, Graça Cardoso, S. Azeredo-Lopes, M. Gonçalves-Pereira, D. Aluh, Ugnė Grigaitė, Margarida Santos-Dias, Manuela Silva, J. Caldas-de-Almeida","doi":"10.1159/000539431","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000539431","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Few studies analysed the impact of COVID-19 on supported accommodations (SAs) for people with serious mental disorders. This study aimed to analyse staff’s assessments of work challenges in SAs during COVID-19, the impact of the pandemic on staff, their perception of the impact on residents, and associated factors. Methods: To assess work challenges and the impact of the pandemic on staff and their perception of the impact on residents, a questionnaire was administered to the staff of SAs. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were conducted, involving work challenges and staff’s sociodemographic characteristics, and impact on staff. Results: In total, 117 staff from 32 SAs responded. A challenging environment was felt by most participants (68.4%). There were significant differences in work challenges experienced by staff, namely, according to profession and years working in mental health. A negative impact of COVID-19 was reported by 26.5% of staff, which was associated with their feeling that residents were no longer getting an acceptable service (OR = 7.04, 95% CI [1.43, 34.65], p = 0.016) and with staff feeling at risk of infection at work (OR = 7.99, 95% CI [1.39, 45.86], p = 0.020). Relapse and deterioration of residents’ mental health were perceived by 43.6% of staff. Conclusions: Several work challenges occurred in SAs during COVID-19, which had a negative impact on staff and reportedly on residents. Implications range from the organisational to the clinical levels and may apply internationally and in similarly challenging situations.","PeriodicalId":37244,"journal":{"name":"Portuguese Journal of Public Health","volume":" 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141831851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}