Viseu District Research Articles

Eating habits: what foods do children between 12 and 36 months consume?

to identify toddlers' eating habits. a cross-sectional study of quantitative analysis, with a sample of 808 toddlers who attended day care centers in the district of Viseu, Portugal, between November 2018 and September 2019. Data were collected using a questionnaire directed at parents. the prevalence of children who ate six meals a day was 42.8%, and 42.5%, those who ate five meals. It was found that 2.0% of children consumed chocolates, 1.0%, desserts, and 0.4%, carbonated beverages, daily. On average, dairy product (M=5.61; SD=2.62) and meat/fish/egg (M=4.80; SD=3.57) consumption was higher than recommended, while fat (M=0.48; SD=0.40), legume (M=0.49; SD=0.45), vegetable (M=1.18; SD=0.87) and water (M=0 .51; SD=0.29) consumption was lower. there was a higher or lower consumption than recommended for some foods, highlighting the need to implement nursing intervention programs aimed at promoting healthy eating habits in toddlers and families.

Parents' perception of toddlers' nutritional state

Background: Parents' perception of children's body image may assume an important role in children's development. Aims: to assess parental perception on toddlers' nutritional status. Methods: Study conducted with toddlers' parents who attended nurseries in the district of Viseu, Portugal. Data collection instruments: a survey which included questions for social and demographic characterisation and the ‘Toddler Silhouette Scale’. Findings: Most parents have considered that the children's silhouette, ideal (98.4%) and real (95.8%), corresponded to the one regarding normal weight. 21.1% of the children seen by the parents as having a normal weight, had in fact excess weight, 9% suffered from obesity and 0.5% were underweight. Conclusions: The results suggest the existence of an inaccurate parental perception about their children's weight, reinforcing the importance of nurses who inform parents about their children's nutritional status and guide them to adopt healthy lifestyles.

The Prevalence of Polypharmacy and Potentially Inappropriate Medications and Its Relationship with Cognitive Status in Portuguese Institutionalized Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in a population of older adults living in nursing homes. Furthermore, we also intended to assess the possible association between polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications and cognitive impairment in institutionalized older adults. A cross-sectional study analyzed data from 193 nursing home residents in the district of Viseu, Portugal, between September 2018 and June 2019, with a mean age of 82.4 ± 6.2 years (ranging from 65 to 95 years old); 72.5% (n = 140) were female participants. Major polypharmacy was presented in 80.8% of the study population, who took 7.6 ± 3.3 drugs per day. Using the Beers Criteria, we found that 79.3% took PIMs. There was a positive association between polypharmacy and PIM (p < 0.001), showing that higher medicines intake increased the number of PIMs. Polypharmacy was not associated with the functionality of the older adults to perform activities of daily living, but was associated with cognitive impairment. The older adults with lower scores on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) took more drugs (p = 0.039) and used more PIM (p < 0.001). Moreover, patients taking five or more prescription drugs per day (major polypharmacy) consuming any psychiatric, gastrointestinal or oral antidiabetic agents (regardless of whether they were considered potentially inappropriate or not) had higher odds of displaying cognitive impairment than those who did not (p < 0.05). Older adult residents of the studied nursing homes were potentially affected by polypharmacy and inappropriate polypharmacy. This observation reveals the need to adopt and implement strategies that make drug therapy more adequate and safer for older adults.

Empowerment estructural: potenciando la capacidad innovadora de las organizaciones

O objetivo fundamental deste trabalho de investigação é identificar o nível de empowerment estrutural em colaboradores pertencentes a empresas com características inovadoras. Desenhou-se um estudo de caráter exploratório, descritivo e correlacional com a utilização de métodos de investigação quantitativa. A amostra é constituída por 90 colaboradores pertencentes a três empresas consideradas como possuindo características inovadoras, do distrito de Viseu, Portugal. Os resultados permitem verificar o impacto do empowerment estrutural nas características sociodemográficas e profissionais dos colaboradores nas três empresas consideradas como inovadoras, em função de quatro dimensões: oportunidade, informação, apoio e recursos. Efetivamente, estas quatro dimensões apresentaram relações significativas entre si e contribuem positivamente para a perceção dos colaboradores sobre o empowerment estrutural. Verificou-se também que os colaboradores que têm menor experiência profissional e menos tempo de serviço nas empresas apresentam um maior nível de empowerment estrutural.

Comportamientos de salud bucal, lesiones dentales y conciencia del uso de protectores bucales entre una muestra de atletas portugueses: estudio transversal

Aim: To determine the oral health behaviors, the prevalence of dental injuries, the level of information about first-aid procedures in the case of dental avulsion and the mouthguard awareness in a sample of Portuguese athletes. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional research among 1,048 athletes from the district of Viseu, Portugal. A self-administered questionnaire included demographic data and questions about: I) oral hygiene habits, II) occurrence of orofacial trauma, III) use of mouthguards and IV) athletes’ knowledge regarding first-aid management in case of dental avulsion was given. The comparison between different variables was made by Chi-square test with level of significant set at p-value ≤0.05. Results: The mean age of the sample (76.24% male) was 18.14±8.17 years. Overall, the results demonstrated a low use of dental floss (25.48%) and a high number of athletes (21.94%) that had not visited a dentist in more than a year. The prevalence of dental trauma was 5.06% and the most common dental injuries experienced by athletes were crown fractures (60.38%). Nearly half of the participants (45.23%) reported not knowing how to act following a dental avulsion. The rate of mouthguard use was very low (9.73%). There was a significant relationship between the prevalence of dental injuries and the use of mouthguards (p=0.000; Cramér’s V=0.145). Conclusion: The prevalence of dental trauma in our population was low. A low number of athletes use a mouthguard and there is a lack of knowledge concerning dental trauma issues. Prevention programs and promoting actions among this population are important and should be adopted.

Teachers’ perception of the head of department’s performance and of pedagogical supervision

Introduction: Within Portuguese schools the Head of Department is an intermediate manager, a supervisor and a leader who must be capable of playing a leading role and demonstrating the appropriate communicative skills so that he can mobilize the teachers who are part of his team to fulfill their educational ideals. For this reason, pedagogical supervision takes on a prominent role in the activities he has to develop. Objectives: To know how teachers at the several levels of education, other than that of Higher Education, perceive head of department’s performance within the current Portuguese school organization and of some factors that can influence that performance, notably the specialized training in pedagogical/instructional supervision. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional methodology was used using a survey carried out through the application of a questionnaire. The sample was composed of 106 teachers from all academic departments who were working in a school grouping located in the Viseu district. The data collected were subject to a descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Results: The teachers seem to value the promotion of an articulated work between the different teachers of the academic department to which they belong and between teachers from different departments, the creation of encouragement actions that would foster a reflection on their teaching practices and an openness to change and innovation. They also consider that the Head of Department should promote collaborative work, as well as generate and share knowledge. However, they state that the Head of Department’s workload and the consequent lack of time to respond to all requests that his position requires may have a negative influence on his performance. Conclusions: The Heads of Academic Department should assume the need for training in their activity to ensure legitimacy and credibility in the most wide-ranging aspects and dimensions, both at a personal/relational level, and at a professional level.

Fauna artrópode em estufa de produção hidropónica de morangos

Hydroponics contributes to overcoming constraints on soil productivity or the excessive consumption of production factors, allowing anticipation and prolongation of production, as well as greater cost-effectiveness. This assay was carried out in order to understand how these changes may affect the living organisms that exist in this ecosystem, in particular the arthropod population (pests and beneficials). A weekly monitoring was carried out between March and June 2015, in order to identify the arthropod fauna present in a hydroponic strawberry production in a superintensive system, located in Viseu district. By visual observation we were able to identify 2391 arthropods, distributed by two classes, seven orders and nine families. Through adhesive chromotropic traps, 6436 arthropods were identified, distributed in four classes, fourteen orders and 174 morpho-species. The classes represented were: Arachnida, Entognata, Insecta and Malacostraca, with greater abundance of the Insecta class (6284 insects of nine orders).

Determinantes das atitudes dos jovens face ao ambiente: contributos para a educação multidisciplinar

INTRODUCTION The concept of Environmental Education (EE) contains a variety of objectives, based on the improvement of the human-nature relationship. Therefore, the EE should be implemented in schools, as they represent institutions that create the foundations for the construction of concepts and values, directing subjects right sustainable environment behaviours. OBJECTIVES We aim to explore the interactive correlation between social, scholar, familiar and psychological related variables which could influence the subjects behaviours in environmental related questions. METHODS A cohort of 500 subjects belonging from the Viseu district, studying in basic-level, from the economy-middle-classe (45.0%), were analysed. The majority were females (50.5%) from urban areas (57,4%) and with an average age of 13 years old (M=13.38). Different protocols of analysis were applied, using distinct tools to examine the collected data. The used scales of measurement were previous validated and gauged for the Portuguese population. Moreover, in the present work we constructed a new data-evaluation scale, called Scale for School performance in Environmental Education, which was validated and presented significative consistency/reliability value (Cronbach's Alpha =0.861). RESULTS The results pointed out female living in urban areas as subjects having the more positive attitudes in questions related to environmental care (M=18.05). Religion practices (M=109.4) and familiar functionality (F=4,603; p=0,010) were shown as significative variables in the promotion of positive environmental behaviours. However, the most significative value, explaining the major percentage of subjects attitudes variances (R2=189 ; p=0,000), was the role of School entities promoting EE, encouraging positive environmental behaviours. The subjects Self-Knowledge was also presented as a statistically significative value, evidencing an interaction/correlation between the environmental responsibility and the behavioural factor showed as a determinant and predictive in what concerns to subjects environmental attitudes. CONCLUSIONS Psychological variables, family and school context, associated with the attitudes of young adolescents towards the environment and should therefore be considered when designing and implementing programs and support interventions for environmental education.

Radiological Quality of Water in Areas with Old Uranium Mines in the District of Viseu, Portugal

Radionuclides were determined in streams and rivers receiving mine drainage in areas of old uranium mines at the centre of Portugal. Results showed enhanced radioactivity levels in some areas impacted by uranium mining and milling wastes, but lower than several years ago. Current treatment of mine drainage contributed to decrease radioactivity levels in streams. In some horticulture areas, such as at Cunha Baixa, water from irrigation wells was contaminated by acid mine drainage and is not suitable for human consumption and for irrigation. Villages and towns near those old uranium mines currently have tap water from public networks supplied from artificial lakes in major rivers of the region. This tap water showed compliance with the recommended limits of total alpha and total beta radioactivity and is suitable for human consumption.

Validation of Emotional Intelligence Measure (MIE) for the Portuguese population

ObjectiveTo describe the process of validating Emotional Intelligence Measurement (MIE) Scale for Portuguese senior citizens. DesignObservational, cross-sectional quantitative study. FrameworkSenior citizens attending senior universities and from the community in the district of Viseu. Participants1084 subjects participated with a mean age of 72.98 years, residing in the district of Viseu, no longer involved in formal activities (retired) and participating voluntarily in study. Main measurementsthe Emotional Intelligence Measuring (MIE) Scale, socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status, residence). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the MIE scale were performed. ResultsThe MIE showed very good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.952). The main component and rotation factor analysis varimax extracted 36 items and five factors which explain 54.78% of the total variance. After confirmatory factor analysis and re-specification of the model, the global indicator values of the adjustment model for the MIE revealed a quality of good fit (X2/df=3.46; RMR=0.025). The final version of the MIE was composed of 33 items and five factors that represent emotional intelligence skills: Factor 1 - Empathy (12 items); Factor 2 - Self-motivation (10 items); Factor 3 - Self-awareness (4 items); Factor 4 - Self-control (4 items); Factor 5 - Sociability (3 items). ConclusionThe MIE scale is shown to be suitable to assess emotional intelligence in Portuguese senior citizens.

Assessment of Family Functionality Among the Elderly With Chronic Illness

The family APGAR scale was developed by Smilkstein, Ashworth, and Montano (1982). The satisfaction assessment of the elderly with chronic illness regarding family is essential. This study aims to describe the socio-demographic and clinical profile of elderly people with chronic illness and correlate with perceived family support. This is a cross-sectional, analytical study of 294 elderly people (51.4% female), patients at the Health Centre in the district of Viseu - Portugal, diagnosed with chronic illness (77.9% cardiovascular); Mean age was 72.22 ± 6.13, 70.7% were married and 52% had 4 years of schooling; Data was gathered using a questionnaire and the Family APGAR (Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve). In relation to family functionality, 18.7% perceive families as highly functional, 26.9% mildly dysfunctional and 54.4% severely dysfunction. There is a statistically significant relationship between the family APGAR and the presence of chronic illness ( p < 0.001). We found no statistical significance between the family APGAR and gender ( p = 0.26), age ( p = 0.26), marital status ( p = 0.32) and educational level ( p = 0.28). Economic, political and social changes in our society has an impact on the family and the support they provide which is manifested among vulnerable groups, as is the case of an elderly person with chronic illness. Thus, we propose specialised psychological support for this age group which is more vulnerable and without the needed support from within the family.

Comportamentos de saúde oral em adolescentes portugueses

BackgroundThe frequency of toothbrushing, use of dental floss and regular dental appointment are important determinants of oral health. The aim of this study was to assess the oral hygiene behaviors in a Portuguese sample of adolescents, namely the prevalence of toothbrushing, use of dental floss and regular dental appointments and the association of these behaviours with socio-demographic aspects. Participants and methodsA sample of adolescents attending twenty-six public schools of the district of Viseu, Portugal, was enrolled in this cross-sectional study. In each school we assessed all students from the 7th to the 12th grades aged twelve to eighteen years old. A self-administered questionnaire with questions about oral health behavior, knowledge and socio-economic status was answered by the adolescents in the classroom. We sent 8768 questionnaires and received 7644 (87.2%). The questionnaires without sex and age information and those related to adolescents younger than twelve and older than eighteen years old were excluded from the analysis. The final sample included in the analysis was composed by 7563 adolescents (4117 female). ResultsThe prevalence of toothbrushing (twice-a-day or more) is 23.5%, more frequent in female sex (25.5% vs. 21.2%, p<0.01). Toothbrushing (twice a day or more) is associated with parents’ level of education (<4 yrs=18.2%, 4-12 yrs=23.2% and >12 yrs=44.2%, p<0.01) and residential area (urban=36.9% and rural=16.7%, p<0.01). Daily flossing was reported by 4.4% adolescents, more frequent amongst female sex (4.6% vs. 4.1%, p<0.05). 37.1% refer never using dental floss, 40.5% uses sometimes and 18.1% as to unknowing the use of dental floss. 86.7% of adolescents visited a dentist during their life, and 55.0% visited once or more times in the previous twelve months. The more frequent reasons referred for the dental appointments in the last months are: 49.8% for a dental check-up, 27.8% when having a toothache and 21.6% for oral treatments. ConclusionThese findings showed that oral health behaviors in adolescents are associated with demographic and socio-economic factors. A high proportion of adolescents don’t make a routinely dental check-up and visit a dentist only when they have dental pain. Oral hygiene habits were more frequent in female sex. Community-oriented oral health programmes should be considered in order to increase the level of knowledge and to change attitudes related with oral health among adolescents.

Stone Materials, Constructions Techniques and Alterations in Historic Buildings: Examples from Minas Gerais, in Brazil and from the Braga and Viseu Districts in Portugal

The use of stone materials in constructions and in the art of sculpture in Brazil, as well as the related constructions techniques employed, was strongly influenced by Portugal between the mid-sixteenth century and the early nineteenth century. One of those techniques consisted of erecting the whole constructions using stone materials, without the use of mortar, by solely juxtaposing smaller and larger stones. Some remaining buildings and descriptions dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century, involving the use of carved stone in “mineiro” – or Minas Gerais – constructions, known as minhota, or made in the fashion of Minho, bear proof to the use of that technique and, specially, to the influence this ancient Portuguese province had on the constructing style and on the way of working the stones in Minas Gerais. However, when we consider the frequency with which that technique was used, there is evidence that the use of “stone blocks” was much more common in certain regions of Portugal such as in constructions situated in the district of Braga, in the old province of Minho. Also from Portugal, from the old province of Beira Alta, there should be considered beautiful examples of constructions featuring the use of the dry stone technique which involved utilizing blocks of granitic rock as those seen in the Viseu district. In addition to the description of the stone materials utilized in these buildings, both Brazilian and Portuguese, and in the production of several sculptural elements associated with some of these architectural sets, evidence is provided which shows the occurrence of very similar deterioration processes which are responsible for the imprinting of certain features into these cultural assets, identified by the loss of materials and formation of crusts due to biological colonizations.

Póvoa Dão Village: An Instance of "Heritagization" for Tourist Attraction and Local Development

The valorization of cultural heritage very often means the search for new uses and rationales for material items that have lost their usefulness or intangible cultural expressions in risk of disappearing. These new uses may ensue from heritage processes through which material or intangible assets acquire values of cultural identity. This requires a process of legitimization, either through academic study, public recognition, or valorization by the market, among others. Based in regional and national periodicals information and semistructured interviews with key informants, this article examines a case in which such a process was legitimized through the market, by means of which a medieval abandoned village, Póvoa Dão, in the district of Viseu (central Portugal), was restored and given a new use in the tourism industry. The village was completely rebuilt in accordance with an architectural plan that respected the original design. The process began by creating market value for a set of buildings as well as for a number of goods and activities that derive directly from its location in a rural area, such as gastronomy and agricultural activities carried out according to traditional methods. The article concludes that the market can play an important role in the valorization of heritage and contribute to create identity and cultural value after rehabilitation. New forms of sociability are identified in the "new" village in contrast to the old rural sociability. last, but not the least, this study looks into some of the ways in which villages rehabilitation can contribute to local development.

Alpha Emitting Radionuclides in Drainage from Quinta do Bispo and Cunha Baixa Uranium Mines (Portugal) and Associated Radiotoxicological Risk

Two large uranium mines, Quinta do Bispo and Cunha Baixa, district of Viseu, North of Portugal, were exploited until 1991. Sulfuric acid was used for in situ uranium leaching in Cunha Baixa mine and for heap leaching of low grade ores at both mines. Large amounts of mining and milling residues were accumulated nearby. Since closure of mines, the treatment of acid mine waters has been maintained and treated water is released into surface water lines. Analysis of radionuclides in the soluble phase and in the suspended matter of water samples from the uranium mines, from the creeks receiving the discharges of mine effluents, from the rivers and from wells in this area, show an enhancement of radioactivity levels. For example, downstream the discharge of mine effluents into Castelo Stream, the concentrations of dissolved uranium isotopes and uranium daughters were up to 14 times the concentrations measured upstream; (238)U concentration in suspended particulate matter of Castelo Stream reached 72 kBq kg(-1), which is about 170 times higher than background concentrations in Mondego River. Nevertheless, radionuclide concentrations decreased rapidly to near background values within a distance of about 7 kilometers from the discharge point. Enhancement of radioactivity in underground waters was positively correlated with a decrease in water pH and with an increase of sulfate ion concentration, pointing out to Cunha Baixa mine as the source of groundwater contamination. The radiotoxic exposure risk arising from using these well waters as drinking water and as irrigation water is discussed and implementation of environmental remediation measures is advised.

P02-18 Risk behaviours in adolescence: Prediction cognitive and psychosocial

This investigation's main goal was to determine if some psychosocial (self-concept, control locus, assertiveness and satisfaction towards social support) and cognitive variables (health beliefs and attitudes towards health) were associated to health related behaviours. The sample was constituted by 829 teenagers, 382 male and 447 female, whose average age is 14.66 years old, who attended the 9th grade of the public and daily schools in the district of Viseu, Portugal.Results:1.Study on the association between health and risk behaviours and psychosocial variables: The better the self-concept, the better the behaviours; The higher the satisfaction with social support, the better the behaviours; The higher the assertiveness, the better the behaviours; The association between control locus and healthy and risk behaviours is not significant.2.Study on the association between health and risk behaviours and cognitive variables: The more favourable the attitudes towards health, the better the behaviours; The more adequate the health beliefs, the better the behaviours.3.Study on the psychosocial variables interaction effects with cognitive variables in health and risk behaviour prediction: The interaction variable was revealed as the best health and risk behaviour predictor is the variable resulting from Factor 1 - behavioural aspect (Self-Concept) and Factor 4 - preventive attitude (Attitudes Towards Health) interaction, with a determination coefficient (R2) of .409. The patterned coefficient analysis Beta (beta=.427) indicates that the higher this interaction effect (F1 - behavioural aspect * F4 - preventive attitude) the better the behaviours.

Body-Image and Obesity in Adolescence: A Comparative Study of Social-Demographic, Psychological, and Behavioral Aspects

In current society, body and beauty's cult emerge as one of the main factors of adolescence. That leads adolescents to be dissatisfied with their own appearance, to psychological maladjustment, and nutritional disorders. This quantitative, exploratory, and cross-sectional research evaluates how adolescents perceive their weight and the prevalence of obesity in a sample of adolescents from the district of Viseu (Portugal). It also attempted to compare the relation of body-image and obesity with sociodemographic (school, sex, age, socioeconomic status, family functioning), psychological (self-concept, depression, school success) and behavioral aspects (physical inactivity). After data analyses, it was verified that the prevalence of obesity was 8.8% but 12.7% considered themselves obese. These adolescents had higher physical inactivity, poorer family functioning, a lower self-concept, and a higher depression index. The really obese adolescents were older and had poorer academic results. Obesity was higher in boys, but girls perceived themselves more as being obese. In conclusion, it is essential to evaluate weight perception in addition to body mass index (BMI), because the main problem could be related not only to being obese, but also to the perception of having a higher than ideal weight.

Use of sulprostone in the medical evacuation of uterine contents

The authors describe a one year experience in the Viseu District Hospital Maternity with the use of prostaglandin E2 analog Sulprostone to expel the conceptus. The drug was used in continuous intra-venous administration using a dilution of 1000 mcg of sulprostone in 1000 cc of saline solution. Initially the infusion rate was 0,90 mcg/min (XVIII drops/min) which, was altered to 1,50 mcg/min (XXX drops/min) after a meeting in Espinho in the spring of 1994. The results are presented as success (complete expulsion of uterine contents), partial success and failure. Success (complete and partial) was obtained in 33 cases (62%) and failure in 20 cases (38%). The longer the gestational age the more effective was the drug. Tolerance was very good. We concluded that Sulprostone is an excellent method for medical emptying of the uterus in second and third trimesters.

Magnesium-metasomatism in basic horn felses near Farminhão, Viseu district (northern Portugal)

Contact-metamorphism of amphibolites near Farminhão has involved three phases: 1. (1) Early phase of moderately high t and lower pH 2O; a tremolitic hornblende rich in the cummingtonite molecule is formed together with spinel and forsterite in amphibolites which have been considerably enriched in Mg; in less magnesian rocks the hornblende is correspondingly less Mg-rich, while plagioclase is stable instead of spinel and forsterite. 2. (2) Main phase of contact-metamorphism under higher t and pH 2O (hornblende-hornfels facies); tschermakitic hornblendes rich in the richterite molecule are formed in mineral assemblages as hornblende-spinel-orthopyroxene, hornblende-plagioclase-orthopyroxene, and hornblende-plagioclase-gedrite (cummingtonite). 3. (3) Waning phase with relatively high t and low pH 2O involving the formation of pargasite-rich hornblendes. Mg-metasomatism is related either to the early phase of contact-metamorphism or to a preceding hydrothermal chloritization; the Mg is derived from metamorphosed pelitic sediments surrounding the amphibolites. Na, Ca and Si are the chief elements removed on Mg-metasomatism; part of the Ca is involved in an internal Ca-metasomatism causing the local formation of vesuvianite-rich amphibolites.