Browsing by Author "Amaral, Maria Odete"
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- Determinantes de saúde numa amostra de crianças portuguesasPublication . Veiga, Nélio; Pereira, Carlos; Loureiro, Rosalina; Amaral, Maria Odete; Coelho, Inês; Pereira, JoanaIntrodução: Os estilos de vida actuais podem estar associados a comportamentos de risco que estão na base do perfil de saúde de um país. Objetivos: O objectivo do estudo consiste na avaliação dos determinantes da saúde e sua associação com variáveis sóciodemográficas numa amostra de crianças portuguesas dos 3 aos 10 anos de idade. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal desenhado com um total de 1617 crianças de escolas públicas, a partir dos dois principais grupos escolares de Tondela e Vouzela, Portugal. A amostra final do estudo foi construído com um total de 1365 crianças com idades compreendidas entre os 3 e 10 anos de idade. A recolha de dados foi realizada através da distribuição de um questionário auto-administrado aos pais e cuidadores das crianças. Resultados: Verificou-se que as crianças mais velhas tinham uma menor adesão a hábitos alimentares saudáveis e uma maior prevalência de atividade física. Os meninos tinham níveis mais elevados de atividade física e maior prevalência de sedentarismo, em comparação com as meninas. A área de residência das crianças foi associada a uma maior prevalência de consumo de fastfood e comportamentos sedentários. Torna-se evidente a necessidade de realizar intervenção sobre os grupos sociais mais vulneráveis para obter a igualdade em saúde de forma mais eficaz. A definição de estratégias de promoção da saúde deve ser seriamente considerada nas comunidades, a fim de melhorar os estilos de vida saudáveis entre as crianças portuguesas e as suas famílias.
- Foreign languages and employability: a complex relationship. Case study in the region of Viseu (Portugal)Publication . Delplancq, Véronique; Costa, Ana Maria; Oliveira, Ana Maria; Amante, Susana; Abrantes, José Luís; Pato, Lúcia; Amaral, Maria Odete; Relvas, Susana; Fidalgo, SusanaThe challenges of today's societies when it comes to employability and to the reality of the current labour market are more and more delicate and diversified. One of the major commitments we expect from higher education is to prepare its students to face this kind of complexity, understanding its nuances and having the capacity to adapt quickly to situations which are common in companies’ lives. From this perspective, the assessment of the impact that the mastery of FL (foreign languages) among our students can have on the different business sectors becomes paramount. It involves reorganising the work carried out with the students during their academic path and raising awareness of future professionals so they may understand the importance of obtaining and mastering communicative skills in foreign languages that will provide them with the right tools to ensure an effective response to the requirements they will have to meet when they apply for a job. The close connection that exists between higher education institutions and the business world also allows the companies to realize that they should (re)think their recruitment policy in order to take into account the importance of foreign languages. Bearing this in mind, the project "Foreign Languages and Employability" (FLE), that will be presented in this article, started in January 2017, at the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (IPV), in Portugal. It focuses on creating a closer relationship with the local business community in order to understand its needs regarding foreign languages. The aim of the project is to strengthen the more practical aspects of the students’ education to ensure the graduates’ employability and a successful professional development. Data collection is carried out through the analysis of job offers, through the replies given to online surveys and through semi-structured interviews. The project includes representatives of the different IPV schools (Agrarian, Education, Health, Technology and Management) working in different sectors of the institution.
- Prevalence and determinants of oral microflora among Portuguese adolescentsPublication . Pereira, Carlos; Veiga, Nélio; Resende, Carlos; Amaral, Maria Odete; Pereira, JoanaAbstract Introduction: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and determinants of salivary Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and the associated risk of development of dental pathologies on a sample of Portuguese adolescents. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was designed including a inal sample of 447 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years old, attending a public school in Sátão, Portugal. A self-administered questionnaire was illed out by the adolescents. Clinical examination of oral health status was carried out and saliva collection was accomplished by the passive drool method. The identiication of the different types of bacterial strains was accomplished using the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique. Results: The prevalence of S. mutans in the studied sample was 99.5% Lactobacillus, 80.8% S. mutans and 15.2% A. actinomycetemcomitans. The presence of S. mutans was associated with gender (male = 76.1% vs female = 83.6%; P = .04) and dental pain in the presence of severe dental caries (77.3% vs 87.8%; P = .006). The infection with A. actinomycetemcomitans was associated with age (< 15 years = 12.3% vs ≥ 15 years = 20.3%; P = .03) and residence area (rural = 18.2% vs urban = 11.0%; P = .04), and may be related with a higher risk of periodontal disease development in adulthood. Conclusions: A. actinomycetemcomitans infection was found to be associated with socio-demographic variables, suggesting that, if not clinically well identiied and treated, may cause serious oral diseases during adulthood. It has been described that the oral microlora is one of the main etiological factors for dental caries and periodontal diseases development, but cannot be considered in an isolated manner.