Júlio Belo Fernandes

Prof. Dr. Júlio Belo Fernandes

Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz, Caparica, Portugal
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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

8Years (2019-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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Júlio Belo FernandesJúlio Belo Fernandes
Júlio Belo Fernandes
SFSónia Fernandes
Sónia Fernandes
AAAna Luísa Silva Almeida
Ana Luísa Silva Almeida
Diana Alves VaretaDiana Alves Vareta
Diana Alves Vareta
Carol A. MillerCarol A. Miller
Carol A. Miller
There is a need to increase older adults’ access and adherence to falls prevention strategies. This study aims to explore older adults’ perceived barriers to participation in a fall prevention strategy. A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 older adult users of a Day Care Unit from a Private Institution of Social Solidarity in the region of Lisbon and Tagus Valley in Portugal. The recruitment was made in September 2019. The interviews were recorded transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using the method of constant comparisons. The barriers to participation in a fall prevention strategy are healthcare system gaps, social context, economic context, health status, psychological capability, and lack of knowledge to demystify myths and misconceptions about falls. There are different barriers to participate in a fall prevention strategy. It is urgent to eliminate or reduce the effect of these barriers to increase older adults’ participation in fall prevention strategies.

29 March 2021 in Journal of Nursing Scholarship
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Júlio Belo FernandesJúlio Belo Fernandes
Júlio Belo Fernandes
SFSónia Belo Fernandes
Sónia Belo Fernandes
AAAna Silva Almeida
Ana Silva Almeida
RCRhona Cruzet Cunningham
Rhona Cruzet Cunningham
Purpose: To explore the barriers to family resilience in caregivers of people who have schizophrenia.Design: A qualitative descriptive approach was used.Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia registered at the psychiatry outpatient unit of a hospital center. Content analysis was performed on audio‐recorded and verbatim‐transcribed interviews. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist was applied to this study.Results: A total of 31 family caregivers participated, the majority of whom were female (71%) with an average age of 57.5 years. Most participants lived with and cared for their relative (90.3%). The caregiver role was assumed mostly by mothers (54.8%) and fathers (22.6%). Barriers to family resilience in caregivers of people experiencing schizophrenia broadly fall under five categories: lack of knowledge about the disease, social stigma, expressed emotion, involvement in the relationship, and blame.Conclusions: In view of the paucity of studies exploring and understanding the barriers to family resilience, this study presents itself as one of the first in this area. There are different barriers to family resilience. This research provides an overview and an understanding of key barriers to family resilience in caregivers of people experiencing schizophrenia.Clinical Relevance: There is a need for nurses to help families to be resilient. By understanding the barriers to resilience, nurses are able to focus on these factors and help families to remove or reduce their influence.

Júlio Belo FernandesJúlio Belo Fernandes
Júlio Belo Fernandes
Diana Alves VaretaDiana Alves Vareta
Diana Alves Vareta
SFSónia Fernandes
Sónia Fernandes
AAAna Luísa Silva Almeida
Ana Luísa Silva Almeida
DPDina Peças
Dina Peças
LRLiliana Roldão
Liliana Roldão
There is an increasing emphasis on developing person-centered care in rehabilitation settings. However, this care practice has not been fully implemented due to several factors. This study explores rehabilitation workforce perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to implementing person-centered care (PCC). This was a quantitative descriptive study, which was developed based on interviews with 12 healthcare professionals from a private institution in the region of Lisbon and Tagus Valley in Portugal. The recruitment was made in October 2020. Braun, Clarke, Hayfield, and Terry’s content analysis was applied to the transcripts, and these were transcribed verbatim. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist were applied to this study. Participants described barriers such as an unsupportive organization and leadership, staff constraints, heavy workload, and resistance to change. Unique to this study, a patient’s clinical characteristics were identified as barriers to person-centered care. As facilitators, they described leadership, staff satisfaction, a positive physical environment, training and education, and shared decision-making. It is essential to understand the perceptions of the rehabilitation workforce, as they play an integral role in providing PCC. This study serves as a guide to facilitate person-centered care, as it provides an understanding of key barriers and facilitators for its implementation in rehabilitation settings.

15 May 2024 in Frontiers in Medicine
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Júlio Belo FernandesJúlio Belo Fernandes
Júlio Belo Fernandes
SFSónia Fernandes
Sónia Fernandes
JDJosefa Domingos
Josefa Domingos
CCCidália Castro
Cidália Castro
ARAna Romão
Ana Romão
CGCatarina Godinho
Catarina Godinho
Introduction: Cognitive and motor impairments are common among stroke survivors. Physical therapy is often used to improve the functional capacity of stroke survivors. However, limited adherence to rehabilitation programs is a challenge. Motivation plays a crucial role in the success of rehabilitation programs as it influences individual adherence to treatment and overall health outcomes. This review aims to identify current trends in motivational strategies used by healthcare professionals for stroke survivor rehabilitation.Methods: Following the framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley, a scoping review was conducted. We performed a literature search using MEDLINE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Nursing & Allied Health, and MedicLatina databases.Results: A total of 906 papers were identified. After selecting and analyzing the articles, 17 papers were included in this review. Health professionals use various strategies to motivate stroke survivors. These approaches include establishing a therapeutic alliance, improving patients’ health literacy, defining realistic goals, fostering problem-solving skills, personalizing the rehabilitation program, showcasing success stories, utilizing persuasive techniques, offering encouragement and compliments, providing emotional support, and effectively managing symptoms.Conclusion: The knowledge gathered in this review can guide healthcare professionals in helping patients overcome barriers to rehabilitation, improve their motivation, and ultimately enhance their recovery outcomes.

27 February 2024 in Journal of Clinical Medicine
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Júlio Belo FernandesJúlio Belo Fernandes
Júlio Belo Fernandes
SFSónia Fernandes
Sónia Fernandes
CCCidália Maria Castro
Cidália Maria Castro
Júlio Belo FernandesJúlio Belo Fernandes
Júlio Belo Fernandes
Background: Stroke stands as a significant global health concern, constituting a leading cause of disability worldwide. Rehabilitation interventions are crucial in aiding the recovery of stroke patients, contributing to an overall enhancement in their quality of life. This scoping review seeks to identify current trends in gait rehabilitation for stroke survivors. Methods: The review followed the methodological framework suggested by Arksey and O’Malley. Electronic databases, such as CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, and Nursing & Allied Health Collection, were systematically searched in November 2023. Inclusion criteria comprised papers published in either English or Portuguese from 2013 to 2023. Results: From the initial search, a total of 837 papers were identified; twenty-one papers were incorporated into this review. Thirteen distinct categories of gait rehabilitation interventions were identified, encompassing diverse approaches. These categories comprise conventional rehabilitation exercises, traditional gait training with integrated technology, and gait training supported by modern technologies. Conclusions: Although traditional rehabilitation exercises have historically proven effective in aiding stroke survivors, a recent trend has emerged, emphasizing the development and integration of innovative therapeutic approaches that harness modern technologies.

22 February 2022 in Journal of Personalized Medicine
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Júlio Belo FernandesJúlio Belo Fernandes
Júlio Belo Fernandes
CFCarlos Família
Carlos Família
CCCidália Maria Castro
Cidália Maria Castro
Aida de Jesus Correia SimõesAida de Jesus Correia Simões
Aida de Jesus Correia Simões
Stigma is a substantial obstacle when caring for people with mental illness. Nursing students’ negative attitudes towards people with mental illness may impact the quality of care delivered and consequentially patient outcomes. In this study, we assessed the stigmatising attitudes and beliefs of nursing students towards people with mental illness and examined its relationship with several psycho-socio-demographic variables. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive correlational study, which was developed with a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 110 nursing students. Stigmatising attitudes and beliefs were assessed using the Portuguese version of the Attribution Questionnaire AQ-27. Results show that the dimensions of stigma with higher scores were help, pity, coercion and avoidance. However, significant differences were only observed depending on the year of study (fourth-year students, who already had clinical placements in this area, are less likely to show stigma), the relationship (family is less prone to show coercion), the history of mental health treatment (students with a history of mental health treatment have more tendency to help) and whether they considered working in the mental health field (students who have considered working in this field are less prone to show anger, avoidance and think of patients as dangerous). Therefore, we conclude that education in a classroom setting alone is not enough to reduce stigma in nursing students, clinical placement in the area is required to achieve such results. It is thus essential to improve nursing curricula worldwide so that students are exposed to both psychiatric nursing theory and clinical practice in the first years of the nursing degree.