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  • Quality of life in elderly Portuguese war veterans with post-traumatic stress symptoms
    Publication . Pereira, MG; Machado, JC; Pereira, M; Lopes, C; Pedras, S
    BACKGROUND: Studies show that post-traumatic stress symptoms among Portuguese veterans who participated in Colonial War (1961-75) are high, even though 43 years have gone by since the end of the war. AIMS: This study analyzed the role of family type, personality traits, and social support as predictors of post-traumatic stress symptoms and quality of life in war veterans, and whether satisfaction with social support was a mediator between neuroticism/post-traumatic stress symptoms and quality of life. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted including 230 war veterans with a mean age of 60 years (SD=3.82). RESULTS: Results indicated a high prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptoms as well as high neuroticism, 16.5 (SD=4.41); 81% of veterans presented high psychological distress, suggesting emotional disturbance and 71% belonged to extreme families (families with cohesion and adaptability problems). Results showed that age (β=-0.166, p<0.05), social support (β=-0.184, p<0.01), and neuroticism (β=0.325, p<0.001) predicted post-traumatic stress symptoms. Age, professional status, social support, post-traumatic stress symptoms, family type, neuroticism, and extroversion predicted different dimensions of quality of life. Finally, a path analysis showed that satisfaction with social support was a mediator in the relationship between neuroticism and quality of life (β=-0.066; p<0.01) and between post-traumatic stress symptoms and quality of life (β=-0.108; p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Four decades after the Colonial War have passed, there is still a high prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptoms. Screening elderly veterans who present post-traumatic stress symptoms, for the presence of neuroticism traits, and assessing family type and social support, should be a standard practice in health care services, especially in the oldest and those who are retired. Social support should be promoted in order to enhance quality of life in this population.
  • Hoarding Disorder: A Case Report
    Publication . Vilaverde, D; Gonçalves, J; Morgado, P
    Hoarding disorder is characterized by a persistent difficulty discarding items, the desire to save items to avoid negative feelings associated with discarding them, significant accumulation of possessions that clutter active living areas and significant distress or impairment in areas of functioning. We present a case of a 52-year-old married man who was referred to the psychiatry department for collecting various objects that were deposited unorganized in the patient's house. He reported to get anxious when someone else discarded some of these items. This behavior had started about 20 years earlier and it worsened with time. The garage, attic, and surroundings of his house were cluttered with these objects. On admission, in the mental status examination, it was observed that the patient was vigil, calm, and oriented; his mood was depressed; his speech was organized, logic, and coherent; and there were no psychotic symptoms. A psychotherapeutic plan was designed for the patient, including psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and exposure to discarding objects. A pharmacological treatment with fluvoxamine 100 mg tid and quetiapine 200 mg was added to the therapeutic plan, with the progressive improvement of the symptoms. Nine months later, the patient was able to sell/recycle most of the items. Studies evaluating treatment for HD are necessary to improve the quality of life of the patients and to reduce the hazards associated with the disorder.
  • Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Mental Vulnerability Questionnaire in Undergraduate Students
    Publication . Sequeira, CA; Barbosa, EM; Nogueira, MJ; Sampaio, FM
    PURPOSE: Translate, adapt the language, and assess the psychometric properties of the Mental Vulnerability Questionnaire (MVQ) in a Portuguese population sample of young adults. DESIGN AND METHODS: A psychometric validation study was performed. The sample comprised 166 undergraduate students. Factor analysis was applied to extract three indicators. FINDINGS: The MVQ showed divergent validity with the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (p < .001) and convergent validity with the Mental Health Inventory including five items (p < .001). Reliability was verified through the assessment of internal consistency, evidencing positive outcomes (Cronbach's α = 0.81). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The MVQ shows psychometric properties enabling its adaptation to clinical practice and research, essential to an effective screening of mental vulnerability.
  • Nurses' knowledge and practices in cases of acute and chronic confusion: a questionnaire survey
    Publication . Sampaio, FM; Sequeira, C
    PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe nurses' knowledge and practices toward patients with acute or chronic confusion. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used, and 249 nurses engaged in clinical practice fulfilled an online self-report questionnaire. FINDINGS: Tools for diagnosing acute confusion/delirium are never used by 57.80% of the nurses. Between 80% and 81% of nursing interventions involve managing patients' physical environment and between 62% and 71% deal with managing communication. Theoretical training in the use of tools for assessing and intervening in cases of confusion was significantly associated with nurses' knowledge and practices. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These results suggest the need for increased investment in nurses' training.
  • Nursing psychotherapeutic interventions: a review of clinical studies
    Publication . Sampaio, FM; Sequeira, CA; Lluch Canut, MT
    AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To summarise current knowledge about nursing psychotherapeutic interventions in adults. BACKGROUND: In Portugal, the provision of psychotherapeutic interventions is considered a competence of mental health nurses. However, literature is not totally clear about the differences between 'psychotherapy' and 'psychotherapeutic interventions' and about the specific characteristics that define a nursing psychotherapeutic intervention. DESIGN: Narrative review. METHODS: A literature review utilising MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, the Web of Science, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and MedicLatina computerised databases for the period from 2003-2013. A total of 151 eligible articles were identified. Relevant data were extracted, and findings were synthetised in a narrative synthesis. RESULTS: Nursing psychotherapeutic interventions are frequently based on 'Cognitive-Behavioural' rationale. The usual length of these interventions varies between 5-16 weeks, in a total of 5-12 sessions of 45-60 minutes. The mechanisms of change are heterogeneous, but the therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the client seems to be the most important positive predictive factor of nursing psychotherapeutic interventions. Some of the most used outcome assessment measures include the Beck Depression Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the CORE-OM. The effectiveness of nursing psychotherapeutic interventions has been widely demonstrated in many studies. However, the need of further studies to prove its cost effectiveness is evident. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to have a better understanding of nursing psychotherapeutic interventions, one that explains its conceptual limits, to improve mental health nursing knowledge and create suitable models of psychotherapeutic intervention in nursing. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings of this review can create awareness for some weaknesses of nursing knowledge about the psychotherapeutic intervention and for the need to produce knowledge, to nurture the nursing discipline in the area of psychotherapeutic intervention with even more theoretical and practical support.
  • Impacto da crise financeira e social na saúde mental
    Publication . Sequeira, C; Sá, L; Carvalho, JC; Sampaio, F
    Preocupados com o impacto da crise nanceira e social na saúde mental das pessoas, neste artigo fazemos uma ref exão sobre as últimas evidências disponíveis sobre o tema em Portugal e no mundo, procurando recentrar a atenção dos pro ssionais de saúde mental, naquilo que necessita ser promovido: a centralidade dos cuidados nas pessoas e a continuidade dos cuidados em saúde mental. A instalação da crise financeira, que a todos apanhou desprevenidos, veio revelar as fragilidades e falta de preparação dos sistemas de saúde para lidar com problemas sociais que, frequentemente, constituem risco para o surgimento de psicopatologia. A forma como as famílias e as pessoas foram capazes de fazer face às suas necessidades, em termos de bem-estar, é também revelador da capacidade de adaptação e resiliência dos portugueses. A crise nanceira e social teve e continuará a ter consequências em várias dimensões da vida das pessoas, pelo que re etimos também sobre algumas estratégias para a minimização dos efeitos da crise na saúde mental das pessoas.
  • Compreender a Sintomatologia Depressiva após a Cirurgia Bariátrica: o Papel do Peso, da Alimentação e da Imagem Corporal
    Publication . Sousa, P; Bastos, AP; Venâncio, C; Vaz, AR; Brandão, I; Costa, JM; Machado, P; Conceição, E
    INTRODUCTION: Depressive symptoms have been reported as prevalent after bariatric surgery. This study aims to analyze the role of weight, eating behaviors and body image in depressive symptomatology in bariatric surgery patients assessed post-operatively. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study including 52 bariatric surgery patients assessed post-operatively with a follow-up time ranging from 22 to 132 months. Psychological assessment included a clinical interview (Eating Disorder Examination) to assess eating disorders psychopathology, and three self-report measures: Outcome Questionnaire 45 - general distress; Beck Depression Inventory - depressive symptoms; and Body Shape Questionnaire - body image. RESULTS: Our data show that depressive symptoms after surgery are associated with loss of control over eating, increased concerns with body image, and body mass index regain. Multiple linear regressions was tested including these variables and showed that body mass index regain after surgery, loss of control over eating and concerns with body image significantly explained 50% of the variance of post-operative depressive symptoms, being the concern with body image the most significant variable: greater dissatisfaction with body image was associated with more depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: The results of this study showed that a subgroup of patients presents a significant weight gain after bariatric surgery, which is associated with episodes of loss of control over eating, concerns with body image and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: These results stress the relevance of body image concerns after surgery and the importance of clinically addressing these issues to optimize psychological functioning after bariatric surgery.