Browsing by Author "Sousa, Helena"
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- Caring for patients with end‐stage renal disease during COVID‐19 lockdown: What (additional) challenges to family caregivers?Publication . Sousa, Helena; Frontini, Roberta; Ribeiro, Oscar; Paúl, Constança; Costa, Elisio; Amado, Leonilde; Miranda, Vasco; Ribeiro, Fernando; Figueiredo, DanielaCaring for a patient with end‐stage renal disease undergoing in‐centre haemodialysis can be a stressful experience, likely to involve significant burden. Within the context of the new coronavirus pandemic, these patients are highly vulnerable to infection by COVID‐19, which might increase the care demands and burden of family caregivers.
- Dispositivos IoT como ferramentas de Ambient Assisted Living para pessoas com Distrofia Muscular de DuchennePublication . Tavares, Rafael; Sousa, Helena; Ribeiro, JaimeIntrodução: A Distrofia Muscular de Duchenne (DMD) consiste numa doença genética com afetação muscular severa. A perda muscular gradual provoca alterações no perfil ocupacional e situações de privação, evidenciando-se a necessidade de apoio de terceiros. Os cuidadores são solicitados para as mais variadas tarefas e frequentemente entram em sobrecarga. Os smart speakers (SS), como o Amazon Echo e o Google Nest, estão estabelecidos no mercado mundial e disponíveis para a população geral. A inteligência artificial programada nestes dispositivos de conversação abre espaço para a criação de intervenções aplicáveis num contexto de casa inteligente e apresentam potencial para serem utilizados como unidade de controlo ambiental (ECU), controlando outros dispositivos em rede Internet of Things (IoT). Objetivo: Esta investigação tem como objetivo analisar potenciais variações na participação e desempenho um indivíduo com DMD, na sobrecarga dos cuidadores, e ainda o potencial dos SS enquanto ECU, através da integração de dispositivos IoT controlados por SS no ambiente domiciliário. Material e Métodos: Este estudo de caso consiste num estudo exploratório-descritivo, em que serão aplicadas entrevistas semiestruturadas e o instrumento WHOQOL-Bref ao participante e cuidadores, ao que se acrescenta a MOHOST ao indivíduo e QASCI aos cuidadores. Resultados: Perspetiva-se que a implementação de dispositivos IoT evidencie um aumento do controlo do ambiente e de oportunidades para a participação, reduzindo as solicitações ao cuidador e a sua sobrecarga, influenciando a qualidade de vida dos intervenientes. Conclusão: Os dispositivos IoT constituem soluções de baixo custo, de implementação rápida e personalizável, e com configurações user-friendly, tendo potencial para atuar como ECU.
- Livro de Atas da 1ª Conferência Lusófona de Terapia OcupacionalPublication . Ribeiro, Jaime; Trigueiro, Maria João; Marques, António; Pinto, Élia Silva; Reis, Helena; Sousa, Helena; Ferreira, Isabel; Braúna, Mônica; Rocha, Nuno; Portugal, Paula; Santana, Raquel; Pestana, Susana; Coelho, Tiago; Pedrosa, Varela Vanda; Simões-Silva, VítorA 1ª Conferência Lusófona de Terapia Ocupacional ocorreu no dia 9 de julho de 2021, em modo virtual (vídeo conferência). Esta conferência surgiu do Núcleo Académico da Terapia Ocupacional (NATO) da Rede Académica de ciências da Saúde da Lusofonia (RACS). Pretendeu dinamizar e disseminar a produção científica em Terapia Ocupacional, em língua portuguesa. Pretendeu também contribuir significativamente para a discussão dos temas mais atuais e emergentes e contar com a participação de investigadores e profissionais do mundo lusófono. Só com partilha de conhecimento científico é possível fazer progredir a profissão e sustentar a prática em evidência sólida de forma a promover conhecimento e reconhecimento da Terapia Ocupacional. Nesta primeira edição, em formato virtual, no seguimento da pandemia que assolou o planeta, foram apresentados assincronamente 15 pósteres em formato vídeo e disponibilizados em https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKUR7eWoyi2QAmZdHuB8qapIIA3PGxPVf . Foram também apresentadas de forma síncrona 14 comunicações livres que resultaram em 13 artigos completos que foram publicados na RevSALUS - Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da Saúde da Lusofonia – RACS - https://revsalus.com/index.php/RevSALUS . Uma comunicação oral encontra-se em artigo completo neste livro. Neste livro de Atas encontram-se publicados os resumos dos artigos completos publicados na RevSalus assim com os artigos curtos que originaram os vídeo-pósteres. Com mais de 100 participantes internacionais, esta edição obteve um sucesso considerável atendendo à sua novidade e constrangimentos pandémicos. O futuro augura-se frutífero e preenchido numa rede lusófona que expande de forma sustentável. Sucessos para a Terapia Ocupacional e para a Rede Académica das Ciências da Saúde da Lusofonia.
- Smart Speakers as an Environmental Control Unit for Severe Motor Dependence: The Case of a Young Adult with Duchenne Muscular DystrophyPublication . Tavares, Rafael; Inácio, Andreia; Sousa, Helena; Ribeiro, JaimeDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a disease that primarily affects males and causes a gradual loss of muscle strength. This results in a deterioration of motor skills and functional mobility, which can impact the performance of various occupations. Individuals with DMD often rely heavily on caregivers to assist with daily activities, which can lead to caregiver burden. A case study was conducted to explore and describe potential variations in the performance of a young adult diagnosed with DMD and his caregivers resulting from the integration of smart speakers (SS)-controlled Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the home environment. The study also examined the potential of SS as an environment control unit (ECU) and analysed variations in caregiver burden. Smart devices and SS were installed in the most frequently used spaces, namely, the bedroom and living room. The study employed WebQDA software to perform content analysis and Microsoft Excel to calculate the scores of the structured instruments. The implementation of the IoT-assisted environment compensated for previously physical tasks, resulting in a slight increase in independent performance and reduced demands on caregivers.
- “Together We Stand”: A Pilot Study Exploring the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effects of a Family-Based Psychoeducational Intervention for Patients on Hemodialysis and Their Family CaregiversPublication . Sousa, Helena; Ribeiro, Oscar; Paúl, Constança; Costa, Elísio; Frontini, Roberta; Miranda, Vasco; Oliveira, Jaime; Ribeiro, Fernando; Figueiredo, DanielaThis pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a family-based psychoeducational intervention for patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and their family members. This was a single-group (six dyads), six-week, pre–post pilot study, delivered in a multifamily group format. Feasibility was based on screening, eligibility, content, retention, completion, and intervention adherence rates. Acceptability was assessed at post-intervention through a focus group interview. Self-reported anxiety and depression and patients’ inter-dialytic weight gain (IDWG) were also measured. The screening (93.5%), retention (85.7%), and completion (100%) rates were satisfactory, whereas eligibility (22.8%), consent (18.4%), and intervention adherence (range: 16.7–50%) rates were the most critical. Findings showed that participants appreciated the intervention and perceived several educational and emotional benefits. The results from the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test showed that a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms (p = 0.025, r = 0.646) was found, which was followed by medium to large within-group effect sizes for changes in depression symptoms (p = 0.261, r = 0.325) and patients’ IDWG (p = 0.248, r = 0.472), respectively. Overall, the results indicated that this family-based psychoeducational intervention is likely to be feasible, acceptable, and effective for patients undergoing HD and their family caregivers; nonetheless, further considerations are needed on how to make the intervention more practical and easily implemented in routine dialysis care before proceeding to large-scale trials.
- Wastewater as a nutrient source for hydroponic production of lettuce: Summer and winter growthPublication . Santos, Ounísia; Vaz, Daniela; Sebastião, Fernando; Sousa, Helena; Vieira, JuditeSolutions combining soilless cropping systems with wastewater reuse can offer benefits in the agriculture sector, reducing pressure on water resources, promoting sustainable production, and reclaiming wastewater. However, assessing the sanitary risks associated with wastewater reuse is of utmost importance. This study aimed to investigate the hydroponic growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa L.) in wastewater from an urban treatment plant with different levels of treatment and evaluate potential sanitary risks. Crop growth took place in a greenhouse, during summer and winter periods, using wastewater after primary (PTW) or secondary (STW) treatment, and a nutrient solution (NS), as control. Physical and chemical water quality parameters, morphological crop growth parameters, and environmental conditions inside the greenhouse were monitored. Toxicity analyses were carried out through cell viability assays with the Caco-2 cell line and total coliforms and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were determined. Wastewater-grown plants achieved acceptable growth, even though presenting lower fresh weight than NS-plants. STW-plants’ growth was limited essentially by nutrient deficiency, and PTW-plants were affected by nutrient deficiency, pH values, solid load, and N-NO2 concentration. Higher temperatures in summer led to faster crop growth, and lower temperatures in winter allowed better nutrient uptake by the crop. Wastewater-grown plants did not evidence toxicity in leaf extracts up to 1 % w/v. Coliform enumeration data indicated an accumulation in plant roots, with high removal from the wastewater. E. coli was not detected on plants’ leaves and total coliforms were within acceptable limits. Furthermore, the results point to an improvement in the wastewater quality, with minimum removal values of 75.2 % BOD5, 83.1 % COD, 43.4 % P, 44.9 % N, and 90.4 % K. The results demonstrated the viability of wastewater reuse for hydroponic production allowing a better understanding of its processes and contributing to mitigating water scarcity for food production, and the impacts of treated wastewater discharge in freshwater courses, particularly those associated with nutrient delivery to aquatic systems.