- Braga, Distrito de Braga, Portugal
Alice Matos
Universidade do Minho, Sociology, Faculty Member
Co-residential care is associated with poor caregiver health and a high burden. Although Portugal relies heavily on co-residential care by individuals aged 50 and over, studies on the impact of co-residential care provision on Portuguese... more
Co-residential care is associated with poor caregiver health and a high burden. Although Portugal relies heavily on co-residential care by individuals aged 50 and over, studies on the impact of co-residential care provision on Portuguese caregivers’ healthcare use are lacking. This study aims to analyze the impact of co-residential care (spousal and non-spousal care) on healthcare use of the Portuguese population aged 50 plus. Data from waves 4 (n = 1697) and 6 (n = 1460) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were used. Negative Binomial Generalized Linear Mixed Models with random (individual level) and fixed (covariates) effects were performed. The results show that the number of visits to the doctor decrease significantly over time for the co-residential spousal caregivers as compared to the non-co-residential caregivers. This result highlights the fact that the Portuguese co-residential spousal caregiver group is at a higher risk of not using healthcare...
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Em países com fortes tradições familialistas, os estudos científicos associam frequentemente a vida a solo, a sentimentos de solidão, que têm consequências negativas para o bem-estar de adultos mais velhos. Nas sociedades atuais, é... more
Em países com fortes tradições familialistas, os estudos científicos associam frequentemente a vida a solo, a sentimentos de solidão, que têm consequências negativas para o bem-estar de adultos mais velhos. Nas sociedades atuais, é inegável o papel desempenhado pela internet enquanto meio de comunicação. Tendo em conta este facto, visa-se analisar o papel que desempenha a internet na relação entre a vida a solo e a solidão, nos países do Sul da Europa. O presente estudo incide sobre uma amostra de 17228 indivíduos de 50+ anos, residentes em Portugal, Espanha, Itália e Grécia que foram inquiridos na vaga 6 do projeto Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Conclui-se que os indivíduos mais velhos que vivem sós e utilizam a internet manifestam, com menos frequência, sentimentos de solidão que os seus pares (indivíduos do mesmo escalão etário). Os resultados deste estudo reforçam, pois, a importância de políticas que visem a inclusão digital.
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Widowhood often reduces the Quality of Life of individuals of advanced ages by negatively affecting their social network ties. Yet conversely, the Internet has also created new opportunities for communication and interaction, thus... more
Widowhood often reduces the Quality of Life of individuals of advanced ages by negatively affecting their social network ties. Yet conversely, the Internet has also created new opportunities for communication and interaction, thus contributing to improved Quality of Life. This research analyses the role of the Internet in the relationship between widowhood and Quality of Life from a gender perspective.This study focuses on 31,814 individuals aged 65 or over residing in 17 European countries who participated in Wave 6 of SHARE – the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe.The linear regression analyses highlighted that the role of the Internet in the relationship between widowhood and Quality of Life varies according to gender. More specifically, in Europe, the Quality of Life for widowed women aged 65+ using the Internet is .414 higher (CI=.006 to .0822) than widows who do not use the Internet and married women or women in a de facto relationship whether or not they use th...
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Apesar da utilização de substâncias psicoativas ser um fenó-meno ancestral e normativo, é inegável que acarreta riscos. O consumo realizado pelos jovens tem despoletado bastante preo-cupação social e científica. Um dos fatores relacionado... more
Apesar da utilização de substâncias psicoativas ser um fenó-meno ancestral e normativo, é inegável que acarreta riscos. O consumo realizado pelos jovens tem despoletado bastante preo-cupação social e científica. Um dos fatores relacionado com o consumo juvenil de substâncias psicoativas é precisamente a influência dos pares que, na fase da adolescência e juventude, assume uma enorme importância. Desta forma, as estratégias de Educação pelos Pares têm sido utilizadas em vários interven-ções socioeducativas que procuram a prevenção ou a alteração de comportamentos de consumo de substâncias psicoativas dos jovens. Porém, vários estudos têm apontado a necessidade de se investir na discussão, conhecimento e avaliação da Educação pelos Pares (Brito & Mendes, 2012; Turner & Sheperd, 1999).Com o intuito de contribuir para este campo de investigação e para a diminuição destas necessidades, propôs-se conhecer a produção científica portuguesa acerca da Educação pelo Pares, dirigida a grupos de jovens, no âmbito da problemática do uso recreativo de substâncias psicoativas. Para o efeito procedeu-se a uma pesquisa realizada no RCAAP - Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal, no início de 2014. Dos 11 arti-gos científicos analisados, foi possível constatar que a produção científica portuguesa tem vindo sobretudo do campo da Saúde, nomeadamente da Enfermagem; têm prevalecido as metodolo-gias do tipo misto, com amostras não representativas; todos os estudos apresentam alguns indicadores positivos no que respeita à avaliação da Educação pelos Pares; e as suas recomendações passam pela continuação do investimento no conhecimento e avaliação do uso desta estratégia. A principal limitação desta pesquisa prende-se com o facto de não se encontrar no RCAAP toda a produção científica portuguesa, particularmente a que não se encontra em regime de acesso aberto. As principais conclusões retiradas deste trabalho prendem-se com a necessidade de se diversificar as áreas científicas envolvidas no estudo da Educa-ção pelos Pares utilizada com jovens que consomem substâncias psicoativas; com a necessidade de se apostar em metodologias que procurem aprofundar a análise e avaliação da Educação pelos Pares; e com a necessidade de se continuar a apostar no conhecimento e avaliação desta estratégia. A Educação pelos Pares tem apresentado potencial de intervenção e pode ser uma ferramenta bastante útil e económica para os trabalhadores so-ciais, tendo em conta o contexto de crise e contenção de custos que se atravessa
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[Excerto] O consumo de drogas é um fenómeno imbuído de aspetos culturais, sociais, de saúde individual e coletiva. O dilema legalizar ou criminalizar marcou o último século, tendo Portugal optado por descriminalizar o consumo de todas as... more
[Excerto] O consumo de drogas é um fenómeno imbuído de aspetos culturais, sociais, de saúde individual e coletiva. O dilema legalizar ou criminalizar marcou o último século, tendo Portugal optado por descriminalizar o consumo de todas as drogas, a partir do ano 2000, ao mesmo tempo que apostou em áreas de intervenção social como a Prevenção dos consumos, o Tratamento ou a Redução de Riscos e Minimização de Danos (RRMD). Informar as pessoas acerca de como reduzir os riscos e os danos associados aos consumos tem sido o grande objetivo da RRMD que trabalha essencialmente com consumidores numa lógica de adopção de comportamentos que permitam elevar a sua qualidade de vida sem que tal implique necessariamente a abstinência. Mas será que a informação transmitida tem contribuído para a diminuição dos comportamentos de risco? E quais as representações sociais que os consumidores têm acerca do modelo de legislação português relativo ao consumo de drogas? Através da realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas (N=19) e aplicação de questionários (N=71) a consumidores de drogas, foi possível constatar que (1) a informação transmitida no âmbito da RRMD tem efetivamente algum impacto na alteração dos comportamentos e que (2) a maioria das pessoas observadas considera, erradamente, ser crime consumir drogas embora algumas façam referência à descriminalização do consumo de drogas consideradas “mais leves”, como os cannabinóides
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Depression is a significant and limiting health problem, and living alone has been identified as an essential determinant of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. This study looks at this relationship by introducing a new... more
Depression is a significant and limiting health problem, and living alone has been identified as an essential determinant of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. This study looks at this relationship by introducing a new factor into the equation—the Internet—which has become increasingly relevant for communication and interaction. It aims to assess to what extent the use of the Internet can mitigate the association between living alone and depression in middle-aged and older adults. This study focuses on a sample of 64,260 individuals aged 50+ who are resident in Portugal, Greece, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia, and Croatia and were surveyed in the context of the SHARE project (Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe), Wave 6. The results showed that living alone relates to greater odds of depression. Nevertheless, of particular relevance is that they also ...
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Introdução. O envelhecimento demográfico é uma realidade não só a nível nacional, mas também a nível europeu. Desde 2009 que a Rede Europeia Anti-Pobreza/Portugal (EAPN Portugal) acompanha de forma sistemática a área do envelhecimento.... more
Introdução. O envelhecimento demográfico é uma realidade não só a nível nacional, mas também a nível europeu. Desde 2009 que a Rede Europeia Anti-Pobreza/Portugal (EAPN Portugal) acompanha de forma sistemática a área do envelhecimento. Precisamos de promover uma ação eficaz e estratégica de combate à pobreza deste grupo populacional e não podemos deixar de promover um trabalho próximo das pessoas idosas e, sobretudo, com elas. Por isso mesmo a participação tem sido um princípio central e estratégico da Organização e está na base de todo este trabalho dos Fóruns. Objetivos. Identificar junto das pessoas idosas as suas perceções relativamente ao envelhecimento positivo e o que elas consideram fundamental para garantir esse envelhecimento; delinear um conjunto de propostas de intervenção que possam ser colocadas em prática do ponto de vista político com vista a promover um envelhecimento saudável e combater os estereótipos associados às pessoas idosas e, por último, garantir a promoção...
BackgroundSocial isolation is a growing public health concern for older adults, as it has been associated with poor health and premature mortality. On the other hand, physical inactivity and an inadequate diet are important health risk... more
BackgroundSocial isolation is a growing public health concern for older adults, as it has been associated with poor health and premature mortality. On the other hand, physical inactivity and an inadequate diet are important health risk behaviours associated with physical and mental health problems. Considering that there is no research examining the possible relationship between social isolation and the above mentioned health risk behaviours of European middle-aged and older adults, this cross-sectional study aims to contribute to filling this gap.MethodsWe used data from the SHARE project (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe), wave 6 (2015), release 7.0.0 (N = 67,173 individuals from 17 European countries plus Israel). Statistical tests for a two-group comparison were carried out to assess the differences between highly socially isolated individuals and low/intermediate socially isolated ones. Logistic regressions by country were performed to examine whether social is...
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UNSTRUCTURED Social isolation has a negative impact on the quality of life of older people, which is why studies have focussed on identifying its sociodemographic, economic and health determinants. In view of the growing importance of the... more
UNSTRUCTURED Social isolation has a negative impact on the quality of life of older people, which is why studies have focussed on identifying its sociodemographic, economic and health determinants. In view of the growing importance of the internet as a means of communication, it is important to examine the extent to which this technology also contributes to social isolation or, conversely, counters it. This study specifically aims to clarify this relationship for which other surveys present contradictory results. The current research uses a logistic regression analysis and a sample of 66,998 individuals aged 50+ from 17 European countries (Portugal, Greece, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Poland, Czech Republic; Slovenia, Estonia, and Croatia) plus Israel, who were interviewed in SHARE (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe)- wave 6. The results show that countries differ in the level of social isolation and rate ...
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This study analyzes Portuguese seniors’ Internet activity and determine their reasons, benefits, and motivations for web use as well as the obstacles faced by non-users. Results were derived from a questionnaire completed by 189 seniors... more
This study analyzes Portuguese seniors’ Internet activity and determine their reasons, benefits, and motivations for web use as well as the obstacles faced by non-users. Results were derived from a questionnaire completed by 189 seniors enrolled in universities for seniors. 68.1% defined themselves as Internet users. The seniors asked principally go online to check e-mail and gather information. They state that the Internet is useful, helps them to stay up-to-date, and to preserve (but not expand) relationships. Non-user status is not attributed to old age or health reasons. According to the technology acceptance model, ease of use and perception of utility were related to both Internet use and its intensity of use. Family influence also played a key role. Gender differences were not found in Internet use, intensity of use, or in use motivations.
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Research Interests: Psychology, Social Sciences, Risk, Factors, Science Technology, and 3 moreDesemprego, Risco, and Unemployed
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Grandparenting in the 21st century is at the heart of profound family and societal changes. It is of increasing social and economic significance yet many dimensions of grandparenting are still poorly understood. Contemporary... more
Grandparenting in the 21st century is at the heart of profound family and societal changes. It is of increasing social and economic significance yet many dimensions of grandparenting are still poorly understood. Contemporary Grandparenting is the first book to take a sociological approach to grandparenting across diverse country contexts and combines new theorising with up-to-date empirical findings to document the changing nature of grandparenting across global contexts. In this highly original book, leading contributors analyse how grandparenting differs according to the nature of the welfare state and the cultural context, how family breakdown influences grandparenting, and explore men's changing roles as grandfathers. Grandparents today face conflicting norms and expectations about their roles, but act with agency to forge new identities within the context of societal and cultural constraints. Contemporary Grandparenting illuminates key issues relevant to students and researchers from sociology and social policy, including in the fields of family, childhood, ageing and gender studies
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Resumo Descrevemos os objectivos de um projecto que envolve sociólogos e geneticistas, que aborda os impactos sociais dos testes de DNA ordenados por tribunais, em Portugal, para apuramento da paternidade biológica de crianças sem "... more
Resumo Descrevemos os objectivos de um projecto que envolve sociólogos e geneticistas, que aborda os impactos sociais dos testes de DNA ordenados por tribunais, em Portugal, para apuramento da paternidade biológica de crianças sem " pai oficial ". Partimos da hipótese que estes testes configuram uma co-produção complexa entre as relações sociais de género, o judicial e o científico, que reclama a consolidação de uma " epistemologia cívica " da parte das mulheres. Os usos e os impactos do DNA não são neutros, antes social e localmente construídos por diferentes actores sociais. Sobressaem, contudo, desta ecologia de saberes e práticas heterogéneos, dois dispositivos principais de biopoder, projectados pela obrigatoriedade legal de identificar o pai de toda a criança: (a) a dominação de um conceito bio-genético de paternidade ao nível jurídico, que ganha importância pela " certeza " facultada pelo DNA; (b) a tradução de factos biológicos para comportament...
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Studies show that older individuals with multimorbidity are more susceptible to develop a more severe case of COVID-19 when infected by the virus. These individuals are more likely to be admitted to Intensive Care Units and to die from... more
Studies show that older individuals with multimorbidity are more susceptible to develop a more severe case of COVID-19 when infected by the virus. These individuals are more likely to be admitted to Intensive Care Units and to die from COVID-19-related conditions than younger individuals or those without multimorbidity. This research aimed to assess whether there are differences in terms of precautionary behaviours between individuals aged 50 + with multimorbidity and their counterparts without multimorbidity residing in 25 European countries plus Israel. We used data from the SHARE-COVID19 questionnaire on the socio-demographic and economic characteristics, multimorbidity, and precautionary behaviours of individuals. SHARE wave 8 and 7 databases were also used to fully identify individuals with multimorbidity. Our results showed that individuals with multimorbidity were more likely to exhibit precautionary behaviours than their counterparts without multimorbidity when gender, age, ...
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Spouse caregivers report lower levels of life satisfaction. However, social participation generates life satisfaction. The main goal of this study is to analyse the contribution of social participation to the life satisfaction of European... more
Spouse caregivers report lower levels of life satisfaction. However, social participation generates life satisfaction. The main goal of this study is to analyse the contribution of social participation to the life satisfaction of European and Israeli spouse caregivers aged 65 plus. The study uses cross-sectional data from 17 European countries, plus Israel, which are part of wave 6 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The sample was limited to individuals aged 65+, who were classified as non-caregivers (N = 25,313) or spouse caregivers (N = 1977). The mean scores of life satisfaction by country and caregiver status were calculated and tests for a two-group comparison and multilevel logistic regressions were performed. The spouse caregiver group reported lower levels of satisfaction with life. Tests for a two-group comparison show that the group of spouse caregivers reports fewer social activities than the non-caregivers group. Moreover, multilevel linear regressions allowed us to conclude that providing spousal care at older ages (65+) is related to lower life satisfaction but that providing spousal care and reporting having social participation is related to higher life satisfaction than in the group of spouse caregivers who are not involved in social activities, and non-caregivers. Social participation is a key issue in the life satisfaction of spouse caregivers aged 65 years and older. The social participation of spouse caregivers should be a concern to relatives, communities, social and health professionals, as well as public policymakers.
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Home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic is usually associated with worsening mental health. In the case of older adults, although they have been identified as a vulnerable group in terms of mental health, the results of studies on... more
Home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic is usually associated with worsening mental health. In the case of older adults, although they have been identified as a vulnerable group in terms of mental health, the results of studies on the relationship between home confinement and mental health are not consistent and few studies have adopted a gender perspective. Using data from the SHARE Corona Survey (2020), we aimed to analyse the role of gender on the relationship between home confinement and increased depression in individuals aged 50 and over living in Europe and Israel. Our study shows that, although women reported increased depression/sadness during the Covid-19 pandemic more often than men, it was the latter who experienced the greatest increase.
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espanolHoy dia la relevancia de Internet es cada vez mayor en todos los ambitos. Participar en la misma es fundamental para estar integrados socialmente. La investigacion sobre las tecnologias de la informacion y de la comunicacion (tic)... more
espanolHoy dia la relevancia de Internet es cada vez mayor en todos los ambitos. Participar en la misma es fundamental para estar integrados socialmente. La investigacion sobre las tecnologias de la informacion y de la comunicacion (tic) ha tendido a centrarse en jovenes o en mayores inactivos. Sin embargo, el aumento de la esperanza y la calidad de vida conllevan que los mayores activos supongan un volumen creciente y significativo de la poblacion. En este estudio se analizan la familiaridad, usos, motivaciones y beneficios de la utilizacion de Internet por parte de mayores universi- tarios portugueses. Se administro un cuestionario a 85 personas inscritas en programas universitarios de mayores en Portugal. Presentamos los principales resultados acerca de su familiaridad con Internet, los usos que realizan de la misma y los principales beneficios de su utilizacion. Conforme a los resultados, se alerta del riesgo de brecha digital y se destaca la potencial utilidad de los programas ...
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Host families are an alternative to placement in elder care institutions. This system provides an elderly person with a place to live in a family environment, which implies the establishment of inter-generational relationships and a... more
Host families are an alternative to placement in elder care institutions. This system provides an elderly person with a place to live in a family environment, which implies the establishment of inter-generational relationships and a degree of intimacy between the elderly person and the members of the host family. This research explores the dynamics of the inter-generational relationships between elderly people and their host families. It is based on semi-structured interviews with 17 elderly people living with host families in Portugal. The inter-generational relationships are variable and express – with varying intensity – feelings of affection, interaction through activities and exchanges of resources between the elderly person and the host family, which indicate “intimate”, “close”, “neutral” or “detached” relationships.
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Peer education interventions have grown significantly in recent decades, but sociological studies on the subject are limited. To respond to this need, we carried out an exhaustive inventory and characterization of 67 peer education... more
Peer education interventions have grown significantly in recent decades, but sociological studies on the subject are limited. To respond to this need, we carried out an exhaustive inventory and characterization of 67 peer education projects developed in Portugal. The information given by the project managers was processed using a content analysis technique. This practice is growing, benefiting from public and private promotion. Although it has demonstrated some efficacy, further improvements can be made. The characterization undertaken allowed us to build a typology that summarizes this practice and that can be useful for researchers and practitioners in a context of globalization of risks and increased social intervention and reflexivity.
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Resumo A globalização, os impactos económicos, sociais e ecológicos, a alteração da relação entre as organizações e as entidades interessadas favoreceram a mudança de padrão e comportamentos organizacionais e mudaram as bases da... more
Resumo A globalização, os impactos económicos, sociais e ecológicos, a alteração da relação entre as organizações e as entidades interessadas favoreceram a mudança de padrão e comportamentos organizacionais e mudaram as bases da sustentabilidade organizacional. A Responsabilidade Social Organizacional institucionalizou-se progressivamente como campo de gestão associado à transparência, ética e cidadania, geradoras de capital simbólico associado à reputação e à legitimação. Nesta reorientação estratégica da relação das organizações com o ambiente onde operam, o voluntariado empresarial aflora como um instrumento de criação de valor económico e social. Este tem amplitude interna e externa, mobilizando colaboradores, organizações e comunidades. A sua adoção tem atraído uma preferência crescente pelas pressões institucionais para a isomorfização, pela melhoria do capital social organizacional ou pelo
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is having major adverse consequences for the mental health of individuals worldwide. Alongside the direct impact of the virus on individuals, government responses to tackling its spread, such as... more
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is having major adverse consequences for the mental health of individuals worldwide. Alongside the direct impact of the virus on individuals, government responses to tackling its spread, such as quarantine, lockdown, and physical distancing measures, have been found to have a profound impact on mental health. This is manifested in an increased prevalence of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. As older adults are more vulnerable and severely affected by the pandemic, they may be at increased psychological risk when seeking to protect themselves from COVID-19. Methods: Our study aims to quantify the association between the stringency of measures and increased feelings of sadness/depression in a sample of 31,819 Europeans and Israelis aged 65 and above. We hypothesize that more stringent measures make it more likely that individuals will report increased feelings of sadness or depression. Conclusions: We found that more stringent measures acro...
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Introduction: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, and Portugal reported its initial cases. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on Portuguese individuals aged over 60 years... more
Introduction: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, and Portugal reported its initial cases. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on Portuguese individuals aged over 60 years old.Material and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE 8: COVID-19 Survey). We selected a sample of 1080 noninstitutional Portuguese individuals aged ≥ 60 years.Results: The study sample consisted of 605 (56%) women and 475 (44%) men, with a mean age of 70 ± 9.1 years. In total, 80% of the participants experienced higher levels of anxiety, 73% felt more depressed and 30% experienced additional sleep problems comparedto the period before the pandemic. Interestingly, there were no statistically significant differences between the sexes or the two selected age groups (60 - 74 and over 75 years old) regarding the incidence of these changes. Only 23%, of those that were ...
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Understanding how psychosocial factors can promote better cognition in mid- and later life is important for making recommendations regarding policies and intervention programmes. This study focuses on two psychosocial aspects (social... more
Understanding how psychosocial factors can promote better cognition in mid- and later life is important for making recommendations regarding policies and intervention programmes. This study focuses on two psychosocial aspects (social connectedness and social engagement) in order to assess their independent contribution to explaining cognition, but also how their interrelationship acts on cognition. We hypothesised that each of the factors is positively associated with cognition, but also that a combination of both factors contributes more to cognition than each of the factors independently. Our sample comprises 66,504 individuals who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Multilevel linear regression analyses were performed. The results show that higher levels of social engagement and social connectedness are associated with improved cognition. When studying the interaction of social engagement and social connectedness and its association with...
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Background Social isolation has a negative impact on the quality of life of older people; therefore, studies have focused on identifying its sociodemographic, economic, and health determinants. In view of the growing importance of the... more
Background Social isolation has a negative impact on the quality of life of older people; therefore, studies have focused on identifying its sociodemographic, economic, and health determinants. In view of the growing importance of the internet as a means of communication, it is essential to assess whether internet use interferes with social isolation. Objective This study specifically aims to clarify the relationship between internet use and social isolation of individuals aged ≥50 years, for which other surveys present contradictory results. Methods We performed logistic regression analysis with social isolation as the dependent variable, internet use as the interest variable, and several other sociodemographic, economic, and health characteristics of the individuals as control variables. The sample size was 67,173 individuals aged 50 years and older from 17 European countries (Portugal, Greece, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembur...
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In occidental societies, working classes are psychosocially an economically dependent of paid work. Traditionally it assures basic needs and shapes identity. Involuntary job loss can provoke ill-being as it may result in deprivation,... more
In occidental societies, working classes are psychosocially an economically dependent of paid work. Traditionally it assures basic needs and shapes identity. Involuntary job loss can provoke ill-being as it may result in deprivation, depressive feelings, anxiety, and low self-...
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Background Middle-aged and older adults play an important role in the provision of informal support, however, the impact on the health of those individuals who provide informal care is unclear. The main objectives of this study are: (1)... more
Background Middle-aged and older adults play an important role in the provision of informal support, however, the impact on the health of those individuals who provide informal care is unclear. The main objectives of this study are: (1) to assess the prevalence of co-residential caregiving provided by individuals aged 50+; (2) to analyze differences between the group of Portuguese co-residential caregivers and the group of Portuguese non-caregivers; (3) to examine the longitudinal effect of providing informal care on the health of co-residential informal caregivers in Portugal. Methods Data from wave 4 and wave 6 of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were used. A linear mixed model and a generalized mixed model were used to analyze the longitudinal effect of providing informal care on the health (physical health and depressive symptoms) of Portuguese individuals aged 50 + . Results In both SHARE waves analyzed, Portugal had the highest percentage of co-resi...
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Na esteira da alteração dos padrões demográficos, a velhice marca de modo sem precedentes a sociedade contemporânea. Ser idoso tem sido largamente descrito na literatura como uma experiência de solidão, sentimento de caráter multifacetado... more
Na esteira da alteração dos padrões demográficos, a velhice marca de modo sem precedentes a sociedade contemporânea. Ser idoso tem sido largamente descrito na literatura como uma experiência de solidão, sentimento de caráter multifacetado que se origina na insatisfação com as relações interpessoais. Este trabalho foca a associação entre tal estado psíquico e o envelhecimento, e mensura a incidência deste sentimento em uma amostra composta por 64 idosos que participaram do projeto Bem Envelhecer, da Rede Europeia Anti-Pobreza (EAPN/Portugal). Privilegia-se neste estudo a relação entre as variadas dimensões da solidão e o cruzamento da mesma com diversas variáveis. Para tanto, fora aplicado um inquérito com questões sociodemográficas e a escala SELSA-S (Short Version of the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults). Os resultados apontam para a preponderância entre os participantes da pesquisa dos vínculos familiares, em detrimento dos sociais e românticos, e o período etário ...
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Studies on the quality of life (QoL) of older adults have tended to focus on sociodemographic, economic, and health characteristics and, more recently, have analyzed the importance of confidant networks. The Internet has redesigned... more
Studies on the quality of life (QoL) of older adults have tended to focus on sociodemographic, economic, and health characteristics and, more recently, have analyzed the importance of confidant networks. The Internet has redesigned individuals' daily lives and has become one of the main means of communication. In addition to the aforementioned variables, research must also gauge the importance of this technology and how it can influence the relationship between confidant networks and QoL of older adults. This article aims to analyze the contribution of the Internet on the QoL of older adults as well as the manner that it affects the aforementioned relationship. The present study focuses on a sample of 1,906 individuals aged 50+ who are resident in Portugal and were surveyed in the context of the SHARE project (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe), wave 4. The results of the regression analyses reveal the importance of the Internet on the QoL of older adults. The data also underline the moderating role played by the Internet on the relationship between the confidant network and the QoL of individuals aged 50+, in particular the fact that this technology optimizes the positive impact of confidant networks on QoL. The results obtained thus reinforce the importance of policies aimed at the e-inclusion of older adults as a way to promote their QoL.
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This article presents an analysis of public policies implemented in Portugal between 2008 and 2013 affecting the older segments of the population, specifically those aged 50 years and over. Research on this period is relevant because it... more
This article presents an analysis of public policies implemented in Portugal between 2008 and 2013 affecting the older segments of the population, specifically those aged 50 years and over. Research on this period is relevant because it was a time of economic and financial crisis and concomitant changes in government policy. By making a content analysis of the laws published on the website of the Diario da Republica (Portuguese State Gazette) three periods could be distinguished: January 2008 to May 2010, which was dominated by an emancipatory logic reflecting respect for social rights; June 2010 to September 2012; and then October 2012 to December 2013, in which a logic of austerity prevailed, especially in the last period, with negative consequences for the quality of life of senior citizens.
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The changing demographic structure of the population, resulting in unparalleled growth of the elderly population, means that e-inclusion of this population group is considered to be a social and political priority in the context of the... more
The changing demographic structure of the population, resulting in unparalleled growth of the elderly population, means that e-inclusion of this population group is considered to be a social and political priority in the context of the Information Society. Most research studies have only considered individual variables -such as age, gender, education, income and health- in the explanatory models of e-inclusion of senior citizens, while ignoring macro variables, such as the welfare systems and public policies in each country. Simultaneously, most studies focus on small-scale samples, lack international comparisons and do not consider the combined effect of several variables that influence Internet use. This study aims to analyse possible differences between two countries that have different welfare systems and public policies, after controlling for the effects of the individual variables that have been identified in the literature as relevant for Internet use. The study focuses on a ...
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Several studies have documented the importance of social networks for quality of life (QL) in old age. This article presents a review and critical analysis of the literature on the relationship between the social networks of the elderly... more
Several studies have documented the importance of social networks for quality of life (QL) in old age. This article presents a review and critical analysis of the literature on the relationship between the social networks of the elderly and their QL/well-being. A survey using interdisciplinary search engines [Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Scholar Google, Science Direct and Online Knowledge Library (b-on)], followed by an in-depth examination of the 37 documents subsequently identified, selected based on content, the geographical context of the study and its publication date, suggested a number of tendencies. In the first place, networks of friends have a greater impact on the QL/well-being of elderly persons than family networks. Secondly, the positive effect of the existence of more than one type of relationship was revealed (such as simultaneous friendships and family relationships). Finally, literature suggests emotional closeness has a positive impact on QL/well-being. The present s...
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Research Interests:
Dissertacao de mestrado em Comunicacao (area de especializacao em Comunicacao, Arte e Cultura)