Portuguese People Research Articles

Sleep Habits during COVID-19 Confinement: An Exploratory Analysis from Portugal

COVID-19 pandemic consequences are tragic, and many problems will persist after the health problem ends. Some studies have focused on mental health issues, reporting worrying percentages. It is known that there is a bidirectional relationship between mental health and sleep quality, and it would be expected that sleep would be affected by the pandemic. In order to know the Portuguese people’s habits before and during the confinement, we carried out a survey of 188 people aged 13 to 84 (38 ± 15) to find out the most frequent sleep patterns, habits and disorders before and during confinement. With this survey it was also intended to measure the most frequent changes in sleep patterns, habits, and disturbances on the general population and according to demographic data (gender, age group and professional status), sleep disorders arise, perceptions about sleep during confinement and if Portuguese think that in the future the sleep patterns will be the pre or during outbreak. Results indicate that, comparing before and during confinement, there is a slight correlation between gender and sleep disorders (before vs. during), a correlation between age group and professional status time to wake up, and between professional status and sleep disorders, and a strong correlation between the professional situation and changes in the invigorated feeling level (p < 0.001). Support for mental health and interventions to improve sleep quality should be offered to the population in general, and, according to our study, the Portuguese population.

Knowledge and Consumption Habits Related with White Crowberries (Corema album L.)

This study investigated the knowledge and consumption habits related with white crowberries (“camarinhas” in Portuguese) among the Portuguese population. It consisted of a questionnaire survey, undertaken on a sample of 501 participants, higher than 18 years old. For the treatment of data, basic descriptive statistics were used, complemented with the Mann–Whitney U test to assess some associations between categorical variables. Moreover, a tree classification analysis was carried out using a classification and regression tree (CRT) algorithm with cross-validation and a factor analysis was also used to treat the data. The results indicated that the majority of participants know the “camarinha” berry but the level of knowledge decreases from senior adults to young adults. On the other hand, the knowledge and overall perception about their nutritive value, sensorial characteristics and health benefits are low. Regarding the consumption of crowberries, it was found that more than half of the participants did not eat them, and 31.9% ate them only around once a year, mainly fresh, being hand-harvested from the wild by the participants. Furthermore, it was observed that the Portuguese considered that the information about crowberries is scarce, which could justify that only a small part of the participants recognized this plant as vulnerable, due to loss of its habitat, mainly by human actions and owing to lack of information. To fill the gap of information observed in Portuguese people, it is hoped that the project (IDEAS4life) that supports this work could contribute to increase the knowledge about this species and also to alert for the need of preserving this endogenous plant of the Southern European Atlantic coast.

Ageing (un)equally and (un)healthily: On the health status of Portuguese people aged 50+

Research on the health status and on socio-economic inequality in the health status of Portuguese adults with 50 years of age or more is scarce, but urgent, so that policy-makers can better understand the type of burdens that this ageing process will place on social welfare policies. We use data from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe Wave 6 to investigate the role of gender, income and education in self-reported health status and in morbidity amongst adults aged 50+ in Portugal by means of a multivariate analysis. Results from this exploratory study reveal a negative self-perception of health status amongst older individuals; high prevalence of chronic diseases since an earlier age; high levels of depression problems reported by women; and high disability amongst the oldest old. The results also show a prevalence of chronic diseases, mental health problems, and high disability, which will challenge the Portuguese social welfare system in terms of long-term care and pensions, and will additionally require an adequate (re)organization of the healthcare supply to older adults. Furthermore, the evidence calls for a gendered perspective of health and social policy in Portugal, particularly concerning mental health.

The Profile of Portuguese People when Choosing an Apartment

Abstract It is important to study and to know the determining factors of the housing purchase business, as this is often the greatest business deal in a family’s life. The purpose of this study is to identify the profile of the Portuguese regarding the determining factors when searching for apartments to acquire. The methodology used is based on a questionnaire that analyzes the determining factors in the choice of apartments to acquire and the sociodemographic profile of Portuguese people looking for an apartment. The sample consisted of 646 individuals who were looking for an apartment in different regions of Continental Portugal. The determining factors in the choice of apartments have quite adequate levels of validity and reliability, and four dimensions are obtained: negative externalities, positive externalities, a business located on the ground floor and rational interest in proximity to public services. Cluster analysis results show the formation of five clusters, classifying individuals into a generic cluster, urban business cluster, urban services cluster, urban citizens cluster and elitist cluster. This study is expected to contribute to increasing scientific knowledge on the topic and to help real estate developers better match their clients’ preferences.

“A Bad Race of Infected Blood” The Atlantic Profile of Gaspar Riveros Vasconcelos and the Question of Race in 1650 New Spain

Abstract Based on manuscripts from the Mexican National Archive recording a 1650 Inquisition trial for astrology, this article will present a reconstruction of the story of Gaspar Riveros Vasconcelos, a “mulatto” born in Tangier, a descendant of a Portuguese father and Angolan mother. He travelled the Atlantic commercial routes – visiting Angola, Pernambuco, Cartagena de Indias, La Havana – and got involved in political discussions with Spaniards residing in mid-seventeenth century Mexico City. This period was particularly tough for Portuguese people in Spanish America, given the 1640 breach of the dynastic union of Spain and Portugal, which had been formerly achieved in 1581 by King Philipp ii. Vasconcelos’ story allows us to reflect on identity formation in time, on the concept of race, as well as on the ways in which “a persona miserable de color pardo” could deploy his agency as Afro-Portuguese in colonial Mexico society. As such, this paper aims to reconsider the relevance of individual narratives which can generate a growing awareness of the importance that Afro-descendants had in the Ibero-American world and how they could influence the process of racialization in the local context of seventeenth century New Spain.

The impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health and Socio-Economic Conditions of the Portuguese People

The impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health and Socio-Economic Conditions of the Portuguese People

Religiosidade e Funcionamento Mental em Idosos Portugueses: Uma Perspetiva Sociopsicológica

Resumo O artigo tem como objetivo analisar a relação entre a religiosidade e o funcionamento mental em idosos portugueses. Os instrumentos metodológicos utilizados foram: um questionário sociodemográfico, a Escala de Orientação Religiosa-R e o Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5). Os resultados da análise mostraram que, embora sem uma relação estatisticamente relevante entre religiosidade e funcionamento mental de uma forma geral, existem, no entanto, diferenças significativas entre a frequência de participação em celebrações religiosas e melhores níveis de funcionamento mental.

Reasons for Drinking Alcohol and Their Relation to Sexual Behaviours among Young Portuguese People

Alcohol consumption is considered one of the factors with the greatest impact on health. In turn, the use/abuse of alcohol also presents itself as one of the main factors responsible for the involvement in sexual risk behaviours by young people. Therefore, understanding the main reasons that lead young people to consume alcohol is essential to invest in promoting their health and preventing sexual risk behaviours. This paper aims to study the validation of the Portuguese version of the DMQ-R SF in young people aged between 18 and 24 years old and to understand whether the reasons for drinking alcohol are associated with sexual risk behaviours and characteristics of groups of young people. The study includes 1166 young people, with an average age of 21.1 years (SD = 1.92), 72.3% being female. Most participants reported having drunk alcohol in the last 12 months (78.4%) and having had sexual intercourse (89.6%). More than one third of the participants reported having had sexual intercourse under the influence of alcohol or other drugs (39.2%) and 23.5% reported having occasional sexual partners. The reasons for drinking alcohol can be broken down into four types, namely personal satisfaction (enjoyment), social reasons (socialization), social integration (peer pressure), and reasons for dealing with uneasy situations or to overcome difficulties and relieve feelings that generate unease (coping). Regarding sexual behaviours, a significant relationship was found between the reasons for drinking alcohol and the two previously mentioned sexual risk behaviours, suggesting the need for the development of public policies aimed at education and health promotion of young people, including the implementation of educational practices in the academic environment, in the community and in health units.

De Caminha a Zé Carioca: invisibilidade, apagamento e silenciamento da identidade cultural indígena

Este artigo objetiva compreender, por meio de um estudo comparativo, como a identidade cultural indígena é representada nas narrativas apresentadas na Carta de Pero Vaz de Caminha e na revista em quadrinhos Especial Brasil 500 Anos − Zé Carioca, à luz de estudos antropológicos sobre identidade e processos culturais. Compreende-se que a revista é quase que uma ilustração contemporânea da carta de Caminha, uma vez que ambos retratam as diferenças culturais que há entre os povos indígenas e portugueses, representando a imagem do colonizador com fortes princípios morais, religiosos e de dominação, em oposição à imagem do nativo atrasado, sem cultura e ambição, estagnado no tempo à espera de quem explorasse seus recursos e potencialidades. As narrativas, textual e imagética, criam estereótipos que contribuem para a situação de invisibilidade, apagamento e silenciamento da identidade cultural indígena, sobretudo ao depreciá-la diante da cultura eurocêntrica do colonizador.

Population-based Estimates for High Risk of Severe COVID-19 Disease due to Age and Underlying Health Conditions.

COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease, which became a global threat to public health. Specific subsets of the population are more vulnerable, namely those with chronic diseases. We aimed to estimate the share of the Portuguese population at the highest risk for complications following COVID-19 infection due to both old age and specific comorbidities. Our sample included all people aged 65 years and above (2215 men and 3486 women) who participated in the fifth Portuguese National Health Interview Survey, conducted in 2014. In order to project the potential population at highest risk for COVID-19, we used the latest available official demographic estimates from the National Institute of Statistics - INE 2018. We used a more restrictive definition of risk combining old age criteria and the following chronic conditions as potential risk factors for COVID-19 according to the available literature: hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardio- and cerebrovascular disease. We estimated that 15.5% (n = 1 560 667) of the Portuguese population might be at increased risk for complications from COVID-19 because of old age and existing chronic conditions. Such estimates vary across the country (from 1.7% in Azores to 33.7% in Northern Portugal). Northern Portugal not only has the highest prevalence of selected morbidity (72.8%) within mainland Portugal, but also has the largest population at risk for COVID-19 (n = 526 607). This was followed by the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region (n = 408 564) and Central Portugal (n = 388 867). Our results should encourage authorities to continue protecting those more vulnerable to the pandemic threat, particularly on those areas of the country which are more likely to be further affected. We projected a considerable number of Portuguese people at the highest risk for severe COVID-19 disease due to both old age and pre-existing chronic conditions. Such estimates vary across the country.

Cultural Adaptation of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) for Portuguese People with Dementia

ABSTRACT Objectives Portugal is one of the most aged countries in the world and dementia is increasing among the Portuguese population. It is estimated to affect around 200,000 people in Portugal. There is a clear need for non-pharmacological interventions to ameliorate the symptoms of dementia and improve the quality of life. Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST), a worldwide well-known program developed in the United Kingdom (UK), is recognized as a cost-effective intervention, with benefits both in cognitive function and quality of life of people with mild to moderate dementia. We tested the feasibility and cultural appropriateness and adapted CST to Portuguese people with dementia. Methods The Formative Method for Adapting Psychotherapy (FMAP) model for cultural adaptation was used. A focus group discussion with health professionals and caregivers provided the basis for cultural adaptation, as well as feedback from participants, caregivers, and facilitators after a pilot study. Results Some modifications were required, especially related to linguistic issues, in 11 of the 14 CST sessions. The adapted program was found to be acceptable and enjoyable in a small sample of people with dementia in a rehabilitation context. Conclusions CST seems feasible and culturally appropriate in Portugal. A systematically developed and culturally adapted manual is ready to be used in a large-scale implementation and validation of CST in Portugal. Clinical implications CST is a valid program for the Portuguese culture, contributes to the availability of a structured and effective clinical intervention for PwD in Portugal and to the possibility of comparing programs across countries.

A kiss or a handshake?! Overview for a deep approach

Abstract The way we greet each other is often a source of controversy when it comes to microorganisms transmitted. The goal of this research is to give us a comparison of the quantity and type of microorganisms transmitted between a handshake and kisses on the face, first verifying which of these forms transmits more microbiological beings, and subsequently compare the results with the answers given to a questionnaire on hand and face hygiene. With a sample of 23 Portuguese people, without any skin pathology, the sampling type was probabilistic and the sampling technique was simple random. The technique used was through contact plates, containing an enriched medium (TSA), for each individual, a sample was collected by each route - face and hands. First, the microorganisms present in each pathway were counted, and then identified. The average in the face is 75.2 CFU, while in the hands it is 53.9 CFU, thus there is a significant difference between the two. A questionnaire was also used with questions related to hand and face washing. Regarding the count of CFU's on the plates, there was a higher number of microorganisms in the plates used in the face than in the hand. There is a difference between the amount of microorganisms present in the face and palm of the hands, and the first one has a higher score. This difference can be justified by the fact that we wash our hands more often throughout the day relative to the face. Regarding the type of microorganisms found, the vast majority were Staphylococcus spp and Micrococcus. In some of the plaques were present yeast and fungi, and, in smaller quantity, bacilli. To change these values, a good dissemination of information concerning the proliferation of bacteria, viruses and fungi is essential, as well as the dangers they represent. It is important to be aware of the importance of good hygiene of the skin, as a form of protection itself, but also collective, thus contributing to better public health. Key messages Need for good hand and face hygiene. Imperative to conduct more and deep studies about this issue.

El Brasil restituido

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar El Brasil restituido, peça de Lope de Vega y Carpio, publicada em 1625. A peça aborda a histórica retomada de Salvador pela armada luso-espanhola e colaciona os conflitos entre judeus, holandeses, portugueses e espanhóis. Para tanto, proporemos uma relação entre o domínio espanhol no Brasil (1580-1640) e o imaginário que esta colônia provocava na Península Ibérica seiscentista a partir de estereótipos como o da antropofagia. Abordaremos, sobretudo, a questão judia no contexto ibero-americano, demonstrando como a temática se incorpora à produção de Lope de Vega, além de destacar como o componente indígena é cotejado especificamente em El Brasil restituido. Ao mesmo tempo, situaremos El Brasil restituido dentro da tradição da comédia espanhola, especialmente a produção de Lope de Vega.

Discursos políticos presidenciais de Ano Novo. Gerir a incerteza

O regime político português é um regime semipresidencial. O Presidente da República tem funções específicas que tornam os discursos centrais na sua ação política. No trabalho agora apresentado, centramo-nos nos discursos, no modo como a linguagem é usada e construída em práticas sociais marcadas pela natureza linguística da interação. Pretendemos analisar as características discursivas de um género de discurso com tradição na República Portuguesa, as Mensagens de Ano Novo. Marcadas por um macroato de endereçamento de votos de Bom Ano a todos os portugueses, são determinadas pelas características das funções políticas do locutor e pelos objetivos que persegue em cada interação particular. Partindo das investigações realizadas em análise do(s) discurso(s) e em linguística da enunciação (ADAM, 2005, 2012; AMOSSY, 2000; BAKHTINE, 1984; BENVENISTE, 1966, 1970; KERBRAT-ORECCHIONI, 2002; HAILON, 2012; MAINGUENEAU, 2014; MOIRAND, 2003; MARQUES, 2015, entre outros), pretendemos estudar os modos como os presidentes da república portugueses constroem os seus discursos e neles se constroem também. Daremos particular atenção à organização enunciativa dos discursos, ao modo como o locutor se posiciona em face do seu próprio dizer e ao objeto do seu discurso e, ainda, em face dos alocutário(s), segundo uma agenda política que joga com a imagem do presidente, a sua legitimidade, que é institucional, mas sobretudo a sua credibilidade, que é política (CHARAUDEAU, 2005; MARQUES, 2014). Os dados em análise são constituídos por Mensagens de Ano Novo proferidas pelos três últimos presidentes da República Portuguesa, entre 1997 e 2017.

Happiness as a strength in the promotion of adolescent and adult young health.

to assess the relation between sociodemographic characteristics of young people associated with the subjectivity of being happy; to evaluate the relationship between the subjectivity of being happy and the perception of health status; to evaluate the relationship between the subjectivity of being happy and the school and family environments and peer groups at school. this is an observational study, with an intentional sample of 1,069 young Portuguese people, with ages varying from 14 to 24, most of them women, attending secondary education. The self-filling questionnaire was used. there are statistically significant associations between the subjectivity of being happy and schooling, perception of health status, family APGAR, school and family involvement, absence of problems or teasing by peers at school. a positive and holistic care coupled with the potential of obtaining and consolidating healthy lifestyles for young people will enable health professionals to perceive them as agents of individual and social change.

Validation and invariance across age and gender for the Melbourne Decision-Making Questionnaire in a sample of Portuguese adults

AbstractThe personal pattern of coping with the stress associated with making decisions characterizes the way an individual makes choices and judgments. The Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire (MDMQ) analyses these personal patterns and has been used across various cultures in order to assess four main strategies: vigilance, buck-passing, procrastination, and hypervigilance. We sought to adapt and validate a Portuguese version of the MDMQ. Our study was conducted with a sample of 523 Portuguese people aged 18 or older. The questionnaire retained the original four scales, which represent four different decisional patterns, showing good reliability and validity – concurrent as well as predictive – and invariance for gender and age. The coping pattern with the highest mean was vigilance, while procrastination had the lowest mean. In contrast to other studies of the MDMQ, our sample had a more diversified distribution of age. Young adults were less capable than older adults of managing stress when making decisions, due to their higher levels of buck-passing, hypervigilance, and procrastination. Vigilance showed stronger correlations to positive affect, satisfaction with life, and better decisional self-esteem, while the remaining scales were related to negative affect, reduced decisional self-esteem, and lower satisfaction with life. These decision-making styles are chosen depending on time constraints, pressure, or other contextual characteristics. These results suggest that individuals resort to more convenient patterns according to their situation, and that these patterns of decision-making can be trained, developed, and improved.

DICOTOMIAS ENTRE O CASAL REAL E O CASAL DO POVO: UM ESTUDO DAS PERSONAGENS D. JOÃO V / D. MARIA ANA E BLIMUNDA / BALTASAR EM MEMORIAL DO CONVENTO DE JOSÉ SARAMAGO

Tendo em vista a importância de José Saramago para a literatura portuguesa contemporânea e, em especial, para o romance histórico, este artigo visa ler Memorial do Convento de modo a observar a maneira como o autor constrói as personagens da história oficial, representantes da monarquia portuguesa, D. João V e a rainha D. Maria Ana, bem como, as personagens da ficção, Blimunda e Baltasar, representantes do povo de Portugal. Nota-se que, no contexto da obra, o autor tem a intenção de desmitificar o passado glorioso das figuras históricas, utilizando-se de recursos como a ironia e o deboche para descrevê-las, o que não ocorre quando o casal do povo é apresentado na obra.

On Belatedness. The Shaping of Portuguese Art History in Modern Times

Portuguese art history experienced remarkable development after World War II, especially with the work of José-Augusto França, who was responsible for establishing a historiographic canon for nineteenth- and twentieth-century Portuguese art that still endures. José-Augusto França developed a narrative that held Paris up as an artistic and cultural role model in relation to which he diagnosed a permanent delay in Portuguese art. This essay analyses França’s idea of belatedness in the context of Portuguese art historiography and political history and how it is part of a genealogy of intellectual thought produced in an imperial context, revisiting previous art historians and important authors, such as Antero de Quental and António Sérgio. Moreover, it aims to address how the concept of belatedness was associated with the idea of “civilisation” and the idea of “art as civilisation.” Belatedness also has implications in the constraints and specificities of writing a master narrative in a peripheral country – a need particularly felt in the second half of the twentieth century, to mark a political standpoint against the dictatorship that ruled from 1926 to 1974. Part of the reaction to fascism expressed the desire to follow other nations’ democratic example, but the self-deprecating judgements on Portuguese art were frequently associated with the identification of essentialist motifs – the “nature” of the Portuguese people, their way of thinking, of living, their lack of capacities or skills – and of a self-image of being “primitive” in comparison with other European countries that has antecedents going back to the eighteenth century. I will address the nostalgia for the empire and the prevailing notion of belatedness throughout the twentieth century regarding unsolved issues with that nostalgia.

Historical Development of the Portuguese Forest: The Introduction of Invasive Species

Portugal is a country with a territorial dimension of approximately 90,000 km2. However, the forest occupies a prominent position, since it represents about 35% of the total area of the country. Portuguese people always had a very close connection with the forest, which has provided the necessary resources for the development of its communities. The geological substratum of continental Portugal is very old and may therefore have witnessed the evolution of its plants, from the early beginning to the present time, as well as all sort of historical and environmental landmarks such as glacial periods or mass extinctions. Also, from the perspective of human occupation, Portuguese territory was crossed by hunter-gatherer populations who, initially, were constantly moving and looking for sustenance, but at a later stage, chose to settle. This relationship between human populations and the forest is, thus, very old and demonstrates the interdependence between the subsistence of the populations and the resources exploitation. Currently, the main national economic groups are based on forest industries, which depend directly on the exploitation of the three dominant species, Eucalyptus globulus Labill., Pinus pinaster Aiton and Quercus suber L., demonstrating the human role in the development of the forest, motivated by the satisfaction of its needs. This work reviews the historical development of the forest in mainland Portugal, from geological times to the present, including the arrival of exotic species that later acquired invasive behaviors and now occupy significant areas of the national territory.

A Evolução da Imprensa sobre Cinema em Portugal

A investigação sobre Jornalismo de Cinema (aqui entendido como um subgénero do Jornalismo Cultural) é praticamente inexistente em Portugal e sendo o cinema uma das manifestações artísticas com maior presença na imprensa portuguesa (de acordo com os dados do projecto de investigação A Cultura na Primeira Página[Baptista, 2014; 2017a; 2017b]), importa aprofundar a investigação sobre este subgénero do Jornalismo Cultural.
 Neste sentido, e numa perspectiva histórica, a relação entre o cinema e o jornalismo é quase tão antiga como a própria sétima arte. De acordo com Barroso (2008: p. 23), "desde os primórdios do cinema que se começa gradualmente a impor uma cultura cinematográfica impossível de conceber sem a existência de textos que falam dos filmes e leitores interessados nas fitas". Em Portugal, a primeira publicação dedicada em exclusivo ao cinema surge na década de 1910 e, a partir daí, proliferam as publicações sobre cinema que têm acompanhado a implementação do cinema na vida dos portugueses e a edificação do cinema português. É a partir da segunda metade do séc. XX que se começa a constatar “uma aceleração do gosto cinematográfico” (Barroso, 2008:26) e uma consolidação das publicações sobre cinema em Portugal.
 Neste artigo, focamos o nosso olhar nas décadas de 1950 a 1980 e, através da revisão de literatura e análise de conteúdo às principais publicações sobre cinema, procuramos traçar a evolução da imprensa sobre cinema em Portugal atendendo à história do cinema português e ao contexto em que essas publicações surgiram e circularam.