Browsing by Author "Sousa, Pedro"
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- Apoiar no autocuidado de utentes e cuidadores informaisPublication . Dixe, Maria dos Anjos; Querido, Ana; Soares, Elsa; Gomes, José Carlos; Pereira, Cidália; Teixeira, Liliana; Sousa, Pedro; Amado, Sandra; Peralta, Teresa
- Are you ready for the challenge? Social Media Health Challenges for Behaviour ChangePublication . Saboia, Inga; Almeida, Ana Margarida Pisco; Sousa, Pedro; Pernencar, CláudiaChallenges are one of the most common strategies used by Opinion Leaders on Social Media to engage users. They are often found in different areas; in the Health field, the use of challenges is growing, namely through initiatives aiming at eating behaviour change. Instagram is considered to be one of the most used Social Media applications to develop these initiatives, allowing Opinion Leaders to communicate and engage with their online followers. Despite this scenario, little is known regarding how Health Challenges are being used and what is their impact on behaviour change. Previous research has already shown how Opinion Leaders use Instagram to promote eating behaviour change. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize, describe and discuss Social Media Health Challenges, aiming to analyse Instagram challenges on healthy eating. The study was organized in two phases: the first one is a literature review based on Prisma method that supported the conceptualisation of SocialMedia Challenges and the design for the second phase where Social Media Health Challenges of Opinion Leaders, such as Nutritionists, Health Lifestylers and Patient Opinion Leaders (POLS) were analysed. Results showed that most of the challenges are promoted by Patient Opinion Leaders and Health Lifestylers. Followers adhere to Social Media Health Challenges related to weight loss, engaging with Opinion Leaders. The psychological-cognitive components (such as habits, motivation, and self-control) were found in the analysed challenges, and Instagram is one of the used tools to promote these Initiatives. These results point to new paths regarding future research on other behaviour change online initiatives.
- Association between food choices motivators and physical activity in body image (dis)satisfaction in Portuguese adolescentsPublication . Dias, Sara Simões; Lages, Marlene; Frontini, Roberta; Luís, Luís; Dixe, Maria dos Anjos; Sousa, PedroConcerns about weight and body image are common among adolescents since they are particularly vulnerable to body-image dissatisfaction due to the normal physiological, social, and psychological changes they are going through. This study aims to analyse the relationship between food choice motivations and physical activity in body-image perception among adolescents. Twelve to sixteen years old adolescents were recruited from three school districts. The Portuguese version of the Food Choices Questionnaire (FCQ) was used to assess food choice motivators, and the Quantification de l’Activité Physique en Altitude Chez les Enfants was used to assess physical activity and to calculate daily energy expenditure (DEE). Body image perception was measured using Collins’ sequence of seven silhouettes. Body image (dis)satisfaction was estimated by the present body shape minus the desired body shape. ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to compare groups, and the post-hoc Bonferroni test was used to compare target groups. A multinominal logistic regression was performed to analyse the association between gender, age, hours of sport’s competition, FCQ, and body dissatisfaction. All analyses were performed in IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0. The sample comprised 286 adolescents (51.4% females). Means of FCQ categories varied between 0.33 and 0.97 (range: −2 to 2). Regarding the categories of FCQ, statistically significant differences were found in the category of body satisfaction and weight control among the three groups (p = 0.004). A preventive effect was found of choosing food regarding body satisfaction and weight control, on body-image dissatisfaction.
- A Clinical Decision Support System for Remote Monitoring of Cardiovascular Disease Patients: A Clinical Study ProtocolPublication . Ventura, Filipa; Sousa, Pedro; Dixe, Maria dos Anjos; Ferreira, Paulo; Martinho, Ricardo; Dias, Sara Simões; Morais, João; Gonçalves, Lino M.Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17. 9 million lives each year. Cardiac rehabilitation is shown to reduce mortality and hospital readmissions, while improving physical fitness and quality of life. Despite the recommendations and proven benefits, acceptance and adherence remain low. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions may contribute to more personalized and tailored patient recommendations according to their specific needs. This study protocol aims to assess the effectiveness of a user-friendly, comprehensive Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for remote patient monitoring of CVD patients, primarily on the reduction of recurrent cardiovascular events. Methods and Analysis: The study will follow a multicenter randomized controlled design involving two cardiology units in the Center Region of Portugal. Prospective CVD patients will be approached by the healthcare staff at each unit and checked for eligibility according to the predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. The CDSS will suggest a monitoring plan for the patient, will advise the mHealth tools (apps and wearables) adapted to patient needs, and will collect data. The clinical study will start in January 2023. Discussion: The success of the mHeart.4U intervention will be a step toward the use of technological interfaces as an integrating part of CR programs. Ethics and Dissemination: The study will undergo ethical revision by the Ethics Board of the two hospital units where the study will unfold. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on 18th January 2022 with the number NCT05196802. The study findings will be published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals and encounters and in a user-friendly manner to the society.
- Determinantes do acesso ao serviço de urgência por utentes não urgentesPublication . Dixe, Maria dos Anjos; Passadouro, Rui; Peralta, Teresa; Ferreira, Carlos; Lourenço, Georgina; Sousa, PedroEnquadramento: A utilização dos serviços de urgência (SU) por situações não urgentes constitui uma preocupação a nível nacional e mundial. Objetivos: Avaliar as características sociodemográficas e o acesso ao SU por utentes não urgentes e identificar os fatores que motivam a sua procura. Metodologia: Neste estudo transversal recorreu-se a uma entrevista e à consulta dos processos clínicos eletrónicos de 357 doentes triados como não urgentes num SU de um hospital português seguindo-se uma amostragem acidental. Resultados: Os utentes da amostra são maioritariamente do sexo feminino, de meia-idade, com reduzidas habilitações literárias, que recorrem ao SU, sobretudo no período diurno e por iniciativa própria. Os motivos mais referenciados foram: A minha doença justifica a ida à urgência (91,7%) e Posso realizar os exames todos no mesmo dia (65,6%). A maioria dos utentes (87,9%) teve alta clínica, sendo que 84,9% dos utentes tem acesso ao médico de família. Conclusão: Foram identificados múltiplos determinantes do acesso ao SU, permitindo apontar sugestões que visam uma utilização racional dos cuidados de saúde.
- Development of an mHealth Platform for Adolescent Obesity Prevention: User-Centered Design ApproachPublication . Reis, Catarina I.; Pernencar, Cláudia; Carvalho, Marta; Gaspar, Pedro; Martinho, Ricardo; Frontini, Roberta; Alves, Rodrigo; Sousa, PedroObesity is a chronic condition that influences the quality of life of patients and families while increasing the economic burden for the world population. Multidisciplinary prevention programs are crucial to address it, allowing an early introduction of healthy behaviors into daily habits. Mobile health interventions provide adequate support for these programs, especially considering the gamification techniques used to promote users’ engagement. TeenPower is a multidisciplinary mHealth intervention program conducted in Portugal during 2018 to empower adolescents, promoting healthy behaviors while preventing obesity. An agile software development process was applied to the development of the digital platform that holds a web-based application and a mobile application. We also propose a model for future developments based on the user-centered design approach adopted for this development and the assessment conducted in each phase. The user-centered design approach model proposed has three distinct phases: (1) design study; (2) pre-production usability tests; and (3) post-production data. Phase 1 allowed us to obtain the high-fidelity version of the graphical user interfaces (n = 5). Phase 2 showed a task completion success rate of 100% (n = 5). Phase 3 was derived from statistical analysis of the usage of the platform by real end users (n = 90). We achieved an average retention rate of 35% (31 out of 90 participants). Each technique has provided input for the continuous design and improvement of the platform. This allowed the creation of a tailored platform that could meet users’ expectations. Nevertheless, the retention rate decreased significantly over a short period of time, revealing the need for further work in the improvement of the gamification experience.
- Dietitians and Nutritionists Behaviour on Social Media: A Scoping Literature ReviewPublication . Saboia, Inga; Almeida, Ana Margarida Pisco; Sousa, Pedro; Pernencar, C.At its present state, Social Media (SM) is an important stage to promote user participation, acting as an open space for the discussion of a multitude of fields, one of which being health. Professionals, like Registered Nutritionists and Dietitians (RNDs), whose access to media was traditionally more restricted, are also more engaged in this new context, creating a new scenario. To better understand how is this group of professionals using social media to communicate with their audiences is the main objective of this study. To approach this topic, a mapping was conducted, followed by a presentation of the summary of the evidence discovered: RDNs demographic and professional profile; their most used social media tools; the reasons why they use social media; their common behaviours and attitudes, as well as a review of the gaps and shortcomings in the literature. A literature review, using a structured approach was also conducted. 2877 works were screened, but only 8 were associated with answers. Of these 8, there were 2 studies that partially presented a quantitative analysis. Results show lacks in consolidated studies that can be used to support the creation of knowledge in this field. This lead to conclude that research about social media usage by nutritionist, at present, remains in a nascent stage and requires further studies.
- Editorial: mHealth tools for patient empowerment and chronic disease managementPublication . Sousa, Pedro; Martinho, Ricardo; Parreira, Pedro; Luo, GangModern societies are facing new healthcare challenges with the integration of digital health interventions as a part of their healthcare systems. However, the digital transformation of healthcare requires active patient engagement as a core component of healthcare interventions. In the case of chronic diseases, new digital tools are believed to help maintain and improve patient health and care, by optimizing the course of disease treatment. Indeed, facilitating access to quality health services and building the capacity to reduce risk are key priorities around the world. Nevertheless, health systems are facing unprecedented financial pressures at a time of growing demand for their services. Technology can help people use care services less by promoting healthier lives. Prompt advances in wearable sensor technologies and mobile communications could close the gap between home- and clinic-based care delivery models by linking accessibility, availability, and responsive, tailored clinical oversight. Digital health solutions can help democratize access to medical care. Even though mobile health (mHealth) tools are widely recognized as a promising resource capable of changing healthcare, additional research is needed to enhance knowledge about their limitations and benefits for chronic disease management and patient empowerment. Nota: Extrato retirado do corpo do artigo.
- Efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatments in inclusion body myositis: a systematic reviewPublication . Santos, Eduardo José Ferreira; Farisogullari, Bayram; Yapp, Nicholas; Townsley, Hermaleigh; Machado, Pedro; Sousa, Pedro; Combe, BernardObjective: To identify the best evidence on the efficacy of treatment interventions for inclusion body myositis (IBM) and to describe their safety. Methods: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of pharmacological treatments of adults with IBM, conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook, updating a previous Cochrane review. The search strategy was run on Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Assessment of risk of bias, data extraction and synthesis were performed independently by two reviewers. Data pooled in statistical meta-analyses, if possible. Results: From a total of 487 records, 48 were selected for full-text review, 14 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, but only 2 RCTs were included in meta-analyses due to clinical heterogeneity (different drug interventions or dosages). Treatments included various immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory agents, alongside interventions modulating muscle growth and protein homoeostasis. Efficacy was assessed across multiple outcomes, namely muscle strength, physical function, mobility and muscle trophicity. Trials of methotrexate (MTX), intravenous immunoglobulin, interferon beta-1a and MTX, MTX and anti-T-lymphocyte immunoglobulin, oxandrolone, MTX and azathioprine, bimagrumab, arimoclomol, and sirolimus provided low-quality to high-quality evidence of having no effect on the progression of IBM. Conclusions: Drug interventions for IBM were not effective for most of the outcomes of interest. We observed inconsistency of outcome measures across trials. More RCTs are needed, of adequate size and duration, and using a standardised set of outcome measures.
- Planning a health promotion program: Mobile app gamification as a tool to engage adolescentsPublication . Pernencar, Cláudia ; Sousa, Pedro; Frontini, Roberta; Martinho, Ricardo; Runte, Daniel; Mendes, Denis; Carvalho, MiguelOver the past decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been alerting about the existing overweight prevailing among the adolescents’ group. This group is considered a nutritional risk group mainly because of less correct eating patterns and misbehaviors towards physical activity. To prevent obesity within this risk group, we are working on a mobile application involving gamification techniques. This article presents the preliminary results of a design study for this app, and explores possible design guidelines and processes based on results achieved in preliminary user interface and experience tests.