Portuguese Language Countries Research Articles

Community of Portuguese Language Countries: Formation, development, and role on the international arena

This article addresses the pertinent issue of irreversible transformations in the diplomacy of contemporary states, international organizations, and peoples. Using the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) as a case study, the contribution of historical, cultural, and linguistic heritage is analyzed as a specific factor fostering positive changes and progress in the lives of the people of these member states. The study aims to analyze the role of the CPLP in modern diplomacy and identify its influence on the formation of relationships between states. The aim of this research is to study the contribution of the CPLP to the development of Portuguese Language Countries. The authors conducted a comprehensive study of the history, development, and achievements of this international organization over its 27 years of existence. Special attention is given to the activities of the International Institute of the Portuguese Language (IIPL). The research successfully achieved its goal and addressed the tasks through the application of SWOT analysis. The relevance of this research lies in the growing importance of multilateral cooperation among countries sharing a common linguistic heritage. Understanding the dynamics and transformations within the CPLP is essential for grasping the changing nature of global diplomacy and the role of language as a unifying force in international affairs. The research successfully examined the formation and development of the CPLP as an actor in international relations, analyzed the activities of the Institute of the Portuguese Language as an accountable body of the organization, and studied the influence of the CPLP on the development of relations among Portuguese Language Countries. Based on the research findings, the authors conclude that the sovereign equality of CPLP member states is a paramount result of the global transformation of diplomatic relations between former metropolis and former colonies.

La Galice et les États de langue portugaise: une communauté de droit?

Galicia, an autonomous community and historic nationality of Spain, has linguistic and cultural, as well as social and economic links with Portugal and Brazil. But what is its legal relationship with the Portuguese-speaking states as a whole? This question arises because of the maturity of the international Portuguese-speaking organisation, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, or CPLP, and its international attractiveness. What opportunities does Galicia have to join this organisation? Can the CPLP, as a structure, integrate in its organisation a sub-national entity, as is the case for Galicia? What are the points of contact between the law of the Portuguese-speaking countries and Galicia? Finally, what is Galicia’s interest in joining the ‘Lusophony’? While Galicia has indeed developed political, cultural and legal relations with the CPLP, it is doubtful whether a genuine common legal culture is emerging, either within the CPLP, or between Galicia and the Portuguese-speaking states.

Language Policy in Portuguese-speaking Countries: Institutional Aspect

The article examines the features of language policy in Portuguese-speaking countries. According to the author, language policy is the key to the solution of the linguistic problems of the national community and to the formation of the language environment. Language policy measures can be applied in three areas: institutional, educational and economic ones. In the field of institutional activity, legislative documents, especially the constitutions, are of primary importance. They determine the official or co-official status of the language. This study analyses the texts of the Constitutions and of the key acts of the Commonwealth of Portuguese Language Countries, which are the Declaration of Unification and the Charter. In addition, digital editions of the updated orthographic dictionaries were considered as a means to developing a unified spelling standard, which takes into account the national and territorial differentiation of the Portuguese language. The author notes that the language policy in Portuguese-language countries, being an instrument of nation-building and a symbol of the development of national culture, is at the same time a means to achieving political goals and a manifestation of historically marked identity. Through the analysis of the content of official documents, the author comes to the conclusion that Portuguese-speaking countries, being ethnically heterogeneous, are converging within the framework of language policy. Language policy, in turn, takes into consideration the priorities of youth policy, which involves the integration of young people with the help of the latest technological resources.

The burden of Noncommunicable Diseases in Portuguese Language Countries.

The present study analyzed trends in premature mortality from Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) between 1990 and 2019, the projections up to 2030, and the risk factors (RFs) attributable to these diseases in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study and the analysis of the burden of premature mortality due to NCDs were used for nine CPLP countries, applying age-standardized rates, using RStudio. Portugal, Brazil, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, and Guinea Bissau showed declining premature mortality rates caused by NCDs, while East Timor, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Mozambique showed an increase in rates. Projections indicate that none of the countries is expected to achieve the goals of reducing premature mortality due to NCDs by one third by 2030. The attributable burden of disease showed that the most important RFs in 2019 were: high systolic blood pressure (SBP), tobacco, dietary risks, high body mass index (BMI), and air pollution. It can therefore be concluded that there are profound differences in the burden of NCDs among the countries, with better results in Portugal and Brazil, and that no CPLP country is likely to reach the NCD reduction target by 2030.

Carga das Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis nos Países de Língua Portuguesa

Abstract The present study analyzed trends in premature mortality from Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) between 1990 and 2019, the projections up to 2030, and the risk factors (RFs) attributable to these diseases in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study and the analysis of the burden of premature mortality due to NCDs were used for nine CPLP countries, applying age-standardized rates, using RStudio. Portugal, Brazil, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, and Guinea Bissau showed declining premature mortality rates caused by NCDs, while East Timor, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Mozambique showed an increase in rates. Projections indicate that none of the countries is expected to achieve the goals of reducing premature mortality due to NCDs by one third by 2030. The attributable burden of disease showed that the most important RFs in 2019 were: high systolic blood pressure (SBP), tobacco, dietary risks, high body mass index (BMI), and air pollution. It can therefore be concluded that there are profound differences in the burden of NCDs among the countries, with better results in Portugal and Brazil, and that no CPLP country is likely to reach the NCD reduction target by 2030.

The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Mental Health and Suicidal Behaviors: A Study from Portuguese Language Countries

Background: Research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) demonstrates that they can be associated with physical and mental health problems throughout the lifecourse. However, few studies have examined this topic in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLC). Objective: This study aims to assess the impact of ACEs on mental health and suicidal behaviors in a sample of participants from the CPLC. Participants and Setting: The sample consists of 1006 participants aged between 18 and 80 years (mean = 41.76; SD = 14.19). Methods: This study used an online survey that included a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) to assess somatization, depression, and anxiety symptoms, and overall mental functioning, the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) to assess suicidal behaviors, and the Family Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire to assess ACEs. Results: Emotional abuse was the most reported ACE (32.7%). Participants from Brazil had higher levels of somatization, depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation and attempt, while participants from Portugal had a higher probability of suicide in the future. ACEs were strong and significant predictors of psychological symptoms and the likelihood of suicide in the future, with emotional abuse and emotional neglect being the domains with the greatest contribution, respectively. Conclusions: ACEs are a prevalent and general phenomenon across several countries. It is urgent to alert policymakers and mental health professionals of the need to intervene with children and families to ensure their harmonious and adjusted development, thus promoting quality of life and well-being of populations.

Epistemic communities and the challenges of training health technicians during the COVID-19 pandemicComunidades epistémicas y retos en cuanto a la educación de los técnicos en salud durante la pandemia de COVID-19

This article discusses the role of the epistemic community linked to the training of health technicians through analysis of the actions initiated by the Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Collaborating Center for the education of these technicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of comparing these actions with the main elements that define the constitution and functioning of epistemic communities according to the specialized literature. It is argued that, despite the differences in the historical configuration of national healthcare and training systems, the emergence of common challenges in the training of technicians allowed the articulation of demands, the sharing of diagnostic assessments, and the cooperation between the International Network of Health Technicians Education, the Ibero-American Network of Health Technicians Education, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries Network of Health Technician Schools, promoting the exchange of experiences, the search for strategic solutions, and the dissemination of recommendations across countries. By reaffirming the central role of health technicians in epidemiological surveillance, diagnosis and assistance, the COVID health emergency demanded immediate and consistent responses from governments and educational institutions, favoring the strengthening of the health technician epistemic community through the circulation of discourses and the hegemonization of meanings for the education of technicians. These actions, however, do not translate into stability or homogeneity for the epistemic community, since their articulation is always provisional and contingent, nor do they ensure the capacity to directly influence policies in each country.

Micromorphology and Chemical Studies on Anacardium occidentale L. Stem Bark as an Herbal Medicine.

The red and white types of Anacardium occidentale L. stem barks (AoB) are used in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, including Portugal, to make traditional herbal preparations for the treatment of diabetes. This work aims to obtain the macroscopic, micromorphological, chemical, and purity data necessary to use both types of AoBs as medicinal plants safely. Macroscopically, a brown inner (red AoB) or a dark-brown inner surface (white AoB) was observed. Light and scanning electron microscopy showed that sclereid cells with thin cell walls were significantly larger (p < 0.001) in red AoB than in white AoB, but calcium oxalate druses and starch grain areas were significantly larger (p < 0.001) in white AoB than in red AoB. The chromatographic profiles (thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography) of both types of AoBs were characterized by the presence of gallic and protocatechuic acids and other phenolic derivatives. The condensed tannins were the major secondary metabolites class (143.69 ± 4.67 mg and 73.79 ± 4.46 mg catechin equivalents/g AoB in red and white types, respectively). The loss on drying and the total ash were, respectively, 7.07 ± 0.16% and 2.31 ± 0.18% in red AoB and 6.58 ± 0.16% and 1.94 ± 0.14% in white AoB. The obtained data are helpful in ensuring the quality of AoB as raw material for the pharmaceutical market.

THE IMPACT OF LIFE TRAUMA ON THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR: A STUDY FROM PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE COUNTRIES

Introduction: The word “trauma” is commonly used to refer to a stressful event, however, each person’s individual adaptability and coping capacity is what defines whether an event is traumatic for them. The psychological trauma resulting from a traumatic event compromise both the mental and physical health of the traumatized individual. Several studies report the incidence of traumatic experiences in community and clinical samples and in specific populations. Suicide is still a major global public health concern and globally more than 700,000 people die from suicide every year. There is substantial research regarding the impact that exposure to a traumatic event has on mental health and suicidal behavior in various study populations, but this area remains unexplored in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLC). Objective: This study aims to 1) describe the traumatic experiences, mental health levels and suicidal behavior, comparing differences between country of residence; 2) assess correlations between traumatic experiences and mental health and suicidal behavior; and 3) assess the impact of exposure to a traumatic event on mental health and suicidal behavior. Methods: The participants of this study are 1006 individuals from Portugal, Brazil, and African Countries with Portuguese as an Official Language (ACPOP). The measurement instruments included a sociodemographic questionnaire, Brief Symptoms Inventory-18 (BSI-18), Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ), and the Portuguese version of Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). Results: The results indicate that the rates of anxious, depressive, and somatic symptomatology are within the average range for a community population in Portugal. The ACPOP participants reported greater impact of war, while Portuguese participants reported greater impact of disasters and Brazilian participants reported greater impact of psychological and sexual abuse, assault, and death of a family member. Brazilian participants showed the worst levels of mental health and greater suicidal thoughts, but Portuguese participants showed greater probability of committing suicide. Although strong correlations were found between traumatic experiences and mental health levels and suicidal behavior, only physical and sexual abuse were positively correlated with all BSI-18 and SBQ-R subscales. A linear regression analysis revealed that traumatic experiences explain 23.4% of the variance in mental health levels and 11.6% of the variance in suicide probability. Conclusion: Mental health is of paramount importance for quality of life. Therefore, it is important to understand the risk factors for poor mental health outcomes including suicide risk, in this case exposure to traumatic events, for a direct and effective intervention and prevention. Our results elucidate and reinforce the impact of traumatic experiences on mental health and its role as a predictor of suicide attempts, contributing to a better understanding about these themes to assist future preventive or remedial intervention. Governments of Portuguese Language Countries should include strategies aimed at minimizing the impact of traumatic experiences when implementing mental health policies and prevention campaigns.

THE IMPORTANCE OF POSITIVE FACTORS IN PROTECTING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR AMONG CITIZENS OF THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE COUNTRIES (CPLC)

Introduction: When it comes to mental health, traditional research has been revolving around risk factors and their repercussions on mental health. On the other hand, understanding positive factors underlies prevention strategies of self-improvement of these skills, and social and clinical interventions necessary to maintain good health and well-being. Social support, self-esteem and resilience have been the focus of several studies of this scope, having been associated with better mental health outcomes and lower suicidal behaviors. Objectives: With this study, our objectives are to assess the importance of social support, self-esteem and resilience in protecting mental health and suicidal behavior, to determine differences between countries of residence, to assess levels of association between variables, as well as determining the effect of sociodemographic variables, country of residence, social support, self-esteem and resilience in predicting mental health and suicidal behavior. Method: In this study participated 1006 citizens of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLC), between 18 and 80 years of age (mean = 41.76; SD = 14.19). 40.7% of the participants lived in Brazil, 29.9% lived in the ACPOL and 29.4% were from Portugal. For this study, we included a sociodemographic questionnaire that asked about the participants’ age, country of residence, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, professional status, educational attainment, socioeconomic status and marital status. To identify the presence of psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety, or somatization) and thus measure participants’ mental health, we utilized the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). To assess suicidal behavior, we included the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire – Revised (SBQ-R). To check for social support (family, friends and significant others), the Portuguese version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was utilized. To measure self-esteem, we utilized the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). To measure resilience, we utilized the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale–10 (CD-RISC-10). A website was created for the purpose of the investigation, to disseminate the questionnaire online through mailing lists and social media, from May to October 2021, using a convenience sample method. Results: The results showed statistically significant differences between the CPLC countries for social support, self-esteem, resilience, mental health, and suicidal behavior. The positive factors were negatively correlated with mental health and suicidal behavior. When added to sociodemographic variables, social support, self-esteem, and resilience are good predictors of both mental health and suicidal behavior. Conclusion: We concluded that, as previously shown in other studies, social support, self-esteem, and resilience all constitute protective factors for mental health and suicidal behaviors. Self-esteem took on an especially relevant role, possibly due to its moderating effect in positive life outcomes, less prevalence of psychological symptomatology and general mental well-being, since a strong sense of self-esteem is also linked to better locus of control and higher personal psychological resources to handle adversity.

The Importance of Positive Factors in Protecting Adverse Mental Health Outcomes and Suicidal Behavior among Citizens of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries

Research on positive factors underlies strategies for promoting mental health and preventing suicidal behaviors. Objectives: To assess the importance of social support, self-esteem, and resilience in protecting against adverse mental health outcomes and suicidal behavior in different Portuguese Language Countries. Method and Results: We collected an online sample of 1006 citizens from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLC), mean age of 41.76 years. Instruments assessed psychological symptoms, suicidal behaviors, social support, self-esteem, and resilience. We found statistically significant differences between CPLC countries, and positive factors were found to be inversely correlated with adverse mental health and suicidal behavior. Conclusions: Positive factors protect mental health and prevent suicidal behaviors. Self-esteem was particularly important, likely due to its intrinsic nature which has an overall influence on other psychological assets. Cultural differences should be taken in account when planning preventive and protective programs that should be specific to cultural needs.

Fact-checking initiatives in Portuguese language countries: checking methods and financing strategies

Abstract Purpose Fact-checking has been changing in recent years from an initial stage in which fact-checkers were more concerned with political discourse to a stage in which combating misinformation becomes the primary purpose. This work examines more closely the standardizing and the customizing aspects of active fact-checking outlets in Portuguese-speaking countries, focusing on the verification methods and organizational models in use. Design/methodology/approach Based on Content Analysis, we collected manually 318 posts during June 2019 from each fact-checking outlets website and then examined each post according to six general concepts: discourse, sources, context, classification, graphic representation, and financing. There were 15 active fact-checking outlets in Brazil (13) and Portugal (2). No active outlets were found in the African countries. Findings Although there is room for inventiveness in fact-checking practices, it is restricted to the classification models adopted and the graphic representation demanded by them. Only two largest Portuguese-speaking countries (Brazil and Portugal) have active fact-checking initiatives during the study period. In Mozambique, we found the outlet named Mozcheck that was inactive with no published content during the research period. From our analysis, we detected a pattern between the type of misinformation and the media to which it is most often linked: false information was circulated mainly in texts, while false contexts were mainly circulated in videos and images led to more manipulated content. In addition, in relation to the sources used to verification of the content, we noticed a large volume of posts relied only on sources came from contacts with press offices – this was especially true for political issues. Practical implications The analyzed data indicates that the standardization tendencies are related to the connection of these initiatives with traditional media. While the contrasting aspects of the fact-checking practices are related to the classification models and the graphic representation created by the outlets. Social implications It indicates that fact-checking outlets is still tied to traditional media in terms of its organizational and institutional business model. Inventiveness and innovation are restricted to the practice of fact-checking conducted by journalists and other professionals. Originality/value This is the first study to compare the practice of fact-checking in Portuguese-speaking countries and, besides looking at aspects of journalistic practice, it also seeks to analyze organizational elements of fact-checking outlets.

The Relationship between Portuguese and Indigenous Languages in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries: An Existential Sociolinguistics Perspective

Abstract&#x0D; &#x0D; This study analyzes the relationship between Portuguese and indigenous or regional and national languages in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). It proposes a multilingual language policy and the implementation of the political legitimacy of linguistic minority rights (PLLMR) as a demonstration of a decolonized treatment of languages other than Portuguese (LOTP) in the community. Using the theoretical framework of existential sociolinguistics and the method of philosophical reflection, this study addresses the question of how can CPLP implement multilingual policy in its governmental processes and sustain its Lusophone international politico-economic and sociocultural organization identity. In conclusion, it argues that the implementation of multilingual policy will demonstrate a decolonized governmental attitude, a sustainable existential intercultural mindset (SEIM), and a global intercultural citizenship in fostering existential justice rather than an anti-humanist governance or what I call econotechnocracy.

The Impact of Life Trauma on Mental Health and Suicidal Behavior: A Study from Portuguese Language Countries.

Several studies report the incidence of traumatic experiences in community and clinical samples, and substantial research demonstrates the impact of traumatic events on mental health and suicidal behavior, but this area remains unexplored in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLC). Thus, this study aims to (1) describe traumatic experiences, mental health levels and suicidal behavior among individuals from Portugal, Brazil and African Countries with Portuguese as an Official Language (ACPOL); (2) assess correlations between traumatic experiences and mental health and suicidal behavior; and (3) assess the impact of exposure to a traumatic event on mental health and suicidal behavior. The measurement instruments included a sociodemographic questionnaire, Brief Trauma Questionnaire, Brief Symptoms Inventory-18, and the Portuguese version of the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. ACPOL participants reported greater impact of war, Portuguese participants reported greater impact of disasters, and Brazilian participants reported greater impact of psychological and sexual abuse, assault, and death of a family member. Brazilian participants showed the worst levels of mental health and suicidal thoughts. Strong correlations were found between traumatic experiences and mental health levels and suicidal behavior. Traumatic experiences contributed to the explanation of mental health levels and probability of committing suicide.

Imported Malaria in Portugal: Prevalence of Polymorphisms in the Anti-Malarial Drug Resistance Genes pfmdr1 and pfk13.

Malaria is one of the ‘big three’ killer infectious diseases, alongside tuberculosis and HIV. In non-endemic areas, malaria may occur in travelers who have recently been to or visited endemic regions. The number of imported malaria cases in Portugal has increased in recent years, mostly due to the close relationship with the community of Portuguese language countries. Samples were collected from malaria-infected patients attending Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Ocidental (CHLO) or the outpatient clinic of Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT-NOVA) between March 2014 and May 2021. Molecular characterization of Plasmodium falciparum pfk13 and pfmdr1 genes was performed. We analyzed 232 imported malaria cases. The majority (68.53%) of the patients came from Angola and only three patients travelled to a non-African country; one to Brazil and two to Indonesia. P. falciparum was diagnosed in 81.47% of the cases, P. malariae in 7.33%, P. ovale 6.47% and 1.72% carried P. vivax. No mutations were detected in pfk13. Regarding pfmdr1, the wild-type haplotype (N86/Y184/D1246) was also the most prevalent (64.71%) and N86/184F/D1246 was detected in 26.47% of the cases. The typical imported malaria case was middle-aged male, traveling from Angola, infected with P. falciparum carrying wild type pfmdr1 and pfk13. Our study highlights the need for constant surveillance of malaria parasites imported into Portugal as an important pillar of public health.

Colonial Past in Italian Relations with the Former African Colonies

The subject of article is influence of the colonial past on the relations of former metropole, namely Italy, with its former colonies in Africa. The question is considered in the context of the fact that the British, French or even Portuguese colonialisms definitely left interstate entities. In other words, they continue to considerably influence the relations with their former African colonies. Italian one, in its turn, left nothing like the Commonwealth of Nations, the International Organisation of La &#x0D; Francophonie or the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. However, by 2021 even in relations with each individual former colony of Rome in Africa (Eritrea, Somalia and Libya), it was replaced by the current agenda. Only in the case of Eritrea, which emerged as a result of Italian rule, there is probability, that in the nearest future the colonial past will affect its relations with Italy. Somalia, and especially Libya, which had been a reminder of the need to repair colonial damage for more than half a century, ceased to exist as single &#x0D; states. As a result, the long-ended colonialism ceased to be vital for their relations with the former metropole in a positive and negative way. Moreover, the author highlights that for any former colony, not only in Africa, or a country with big Italian community, Rome did nothing comparable with at least the Dutch Language Union. It means, that the elimination of any trace of Italian colonialism from international affairs is related not only to its weakness, but also to the lack of efforts made by modern Italy.

The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) and the Luso-African identity

The article aims at searching for the correlation between the Luso-African identity, understood as a form of cultural identity based on the concept of Lusophony, and The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), an international organisation that brings together countries whose official language is Portuguese. The CPLP is considered as an institutional emanation of the idea of Lusophony. However, for almost 25 years since its creation it still receives a lot of criticism. Despite the multiplicity of initiatives that it proposed, for a long time it seemed that the CPLP did not really move beyond the concept phase. Furthermore, until recently the organisation has focused mainly on cultural and political cooperation, leaving behind its enormous economic possibilities and provoking questions about an untapped potential of the CPLP. The paper attempts to reflect on the hypothesis that the limited capacities of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries regarding the African continent are, at least partially, related to the problem with Luso-African identity. The considerations presented in the article are based on the critical reading of the literature of the subject, qualitative analysis of the already existing data (official documents and the press, available statistics), as well as the author’s reflections drawn from observations, interviews and informal talks conducted during field research in Mozambique (2015) and Guinea-Bissau (2016), along with multiple study visits to Portugal (2011-2016), while realizing the research project devoted to the problem of state dysfunctionality in the Lusophone Africa.

Usage and promotion on Chinese medicine in Portuguese-speaking countries

As the continuous opening-up and communication have been seen between China and other countries, traditional Chinese medical science and Chinese medicine now have gain popularity in China as well as the surrounding countries. As a window that China’s opening-up through, Macau has been serving as a link between China and Portuguese language countries. The Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macau), also known as Forum Macau, since it was established in 2003, has further enhanced the mutual exchange of commerce, culture and technologies. Promoting the industry of Chinese medical science among Portuguese-speaking countries has become one of the priorities of the Forum Macau. With multiple years of collaboration, among the Portuguese-speaking countries, Chinese medical science has gained promotion to some extent, as well as recognition from the government and people. The current study introduced the development of Chinese medical science among Portuguese-speaking countries from aspects such as legislation, cooperation and promotion, medical assistance, and clinical usage.

PRAGMATIC FRIENDSHIP OF CHINA AND EAST TIMOR, ITS PREREQUISITES AND POSSIBLE PERSPECTIVES

This article is devoted to cooperation between the People's Republic of China and East Timor (Timor-Leste) as part of Chinese cultural and economic expansion to Southeast Asia. There're a number of reasons for this kind of support, including traditional backup for Timor's independence, China's desire to diversify its energy sources and gain new markets for Chinese goods; consolidate its status as an important partner of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries and to prevent the possible growing influence of Taiwan (the Republic of China). Economically, China for Timor-Leste means cheap imports and potential exports; while Timor remains the base for many projects of Chinese businessmen ever since its getting independence, despite the crisis of 2006. This cooperation leads to impact on other significant actors in the region, such as Indonesia and Australia, which also support Timor, as well as the United States; which oppose the expansion of Beijing's influence in this geostrategically important area. The example of Timor-Leste also illustrates the growing sophistication of Chinese diplomacy and its commitment to using soft power as a counter to the obsolete perception of China as a threat that prevailed earlier in Southeast Asia. In conclusion, if Timorese oil reserves run low, cooperation between two states can be slightly transformed from economic to military; however, the radical changes in Timor's foreign policy, which struggled for their independence for so long, are unlikely.

Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale: validation study in a Portuguese sample

ObjectiveThe objective of this paper was to evaluate the structural validity and convergent validity of the first Portuguese version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC).SettingsThe data sets come from two studies conducted in Portugal, respectively, from the Resilience Effect in Coping with Trauma (RECT) project and from the Health Impact Assessment of Employment Strategies (HIAES) project.ParticipantsThe sample is composed of 476 participants from the RECT project and 405 participants from the HIAES project. In both projects, convenience samples were used.MeasuresThe original CD-RISC items were translated to Portuguese and were used in a survey along with additional psychosocial and biomedical measures.ResultsIndependent exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) with each of the two samples revealed that the best solution in both samples had three factors consistent with the self-efficacy, spirituality and social support factors from the original scale. A Confirmatory factor analysis using the two samples together and specifying the three factors from the EFA revealed a good overall fit and, comparatively, better fit than a model specified with the five factors from the original scale. The study of the convergent validity revealed that bivariate correlations between the three factors and validated measures of stress, life satisfaction, mental health and physical health are globally consistent with previous research.ConclusionsThis study makes available to the broad Community of Portuguese Language Countries a validated measure of resilience extensively used for research and intervention. The results encourage future studies using this translated version of CD-RISC to explore further the three-factor structure found here and to test the convergent validity with new samples.