Portugal has Europe’s second-highest prevalence of psychiatric illnesses, and this is the reason why mental health literacy (MHL) and stigma should be addressed. This study aimed to investigate the mental health literacy and stigma levels among different groups of people from Póvoa de Varzim, a municipality in the north of Portugal. Students, retired people, and professionals (education, social, and healthcare fields) were recruited using a convenience sample from June to November 2022. Participants’ MHL levels were evaluated using the Mental Health Promoting Knowledge Scale (MHPK), Mental Health Literacy Measure (MHLM) and Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS). Stigma levels were evaluated using Community Attitudes towards Mental Illness (CAMI) and the Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS). A total of 928 questionnaires were filed. The respondents included 65.70% of women, a mean age of 43.63 (±26.71) years and 9.87 (±4.39) years of school education. MHL increased with age, education level and was higher in women (p < 0.001). A higher level of MHL was seen in health professionals (p < 0.001). Findings revealed that older people stigmatized people with mental illness more (p < 0.001), and the female gender stigmatize less (p < 0.001). In addition, results showed that stigma decreased with higher mental health literacy (r between 0.11 and 0.38; p < 0.001). To conclude, specific campaigns that promote mental health literacy should be tailored to specific profiles within this population to address those that have more stigma.

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is an emerging treatment for people diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to the limited accessibility of psychotherapies. This research aims to determine the guidelines for developing a Virtual Reality–War Scenario program for Armed Forces veterans with PTSD and encompasses two studies: Study 1, a systematic electronic database review; Study 2, a focus group of twenty-two Portuguese Armed Forces veterans. Results showed a positive impact of VRET on PTSD; however, there were no group differences in most of the studies. Further, according to veterans, new VRET programs should be combined with the traditional therapy and must consider as requirements the sense of presence, dynamic scenarios, realistic feeling, and multisensorial experience. Regardless, these findings suggest VRET as a co-creation process, which requires more controlled, personalized, and in-depth research on its clinical applicability.

Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of mobile apps designed for mental health proposes and mHealth has been perceived as a promising approach to help people with schizophrenia to manage their condition. However, adoption rates are relatively low and long-term user engagement is a major issue. The aim of this study is to identify and better understand what strategies and factors may influence user engagement and facilitate prolonged use of apps for people with schizophrenia to better manage their illness. A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework and following PRISMA ScR guidelines. The sources consisted of searching four electronic databases. Rayyan software was used for this study selection process and a narrative approach was used to synthesize the extracted data. A total of 28 studies which met the inclusion criteria were identified. The engagement strategies included push notifications, message prompts, personalization, application customization, goal setting, game-like features, use of different multimedia formats, social connectedness, support (peers and professionals), reliability of content and quality of feedback received. Some demographic factors may influence adherence such as age, gender, education level and socioeconomic status. Other factors also may play a role impacting engagement: health status, data privacy and security, involvement in design process, incentives for participation, app usage fitting in the user routines, initial training, and constant technical support. Included studies present high heterogeneity in outcome measures and thresholds criteria to assess engagement. Understanding what influences engagement and how to measure it is essential to enhance the design of mobile apps and deliver scalable solutions to help people with schizophrenia better manage their illness in their real-world uptake.

Healthcare workers are a susceptible population to be psychologically affected during health crises, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience has been pointed out in the literature as a possible protective factor against psychological distress in crisis situations. This can be influenced by internal and external factors, such as individual characteristics and organizational factors. Thus, this study aims to characterize the overall resilience levels among healthcare professionals in Portugal and to understand the perspectives of this healthcare workers regarding organizational factors that improve individual resilience. This is a mixed-method study: a first quantitative study using a cross-sectional design to administer the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) to 271 healthcare professionals (Mage 33.90, SD = 9.59 years, 90.80% female), followed by a qualitative study through 10 in-depth interviews. The mean score for the total RSA was 178.17 (SD = 22.44) out of a total of 231. Qualitative analysis showed 4 major themes on factors that enhance resilience: “Professional’s Training,” “Support and Wellbeing Measures,” “Reorganization of Services” and “Professional Acknowledgment.” The findings may contribute to the development of targeted interventions and support systems to enhance resilience and well-being among healthcare workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant disruptions in health education. At the time of crisis, digital technologies were instrumental in delivering synchronous and asynchronous online classes. The maximization of digital technologies during emergency remote education ensured the training continuity of future healthcare professionals. Nevertheless, online education does not reflect all the potential that instructional technologies can offer to the education sector. There have been emerging technologies and tools that can shape learning in higher education. Moreover, digital health is increasingly becoming an integral part of healthcare services as practitioners require new knowledge and skills to serve digitally-enabled patients. Consequently, in addition to adding these topics to the health curricula, we can also benefit from the use of technology as a health intervention. In this chapter, the authors discussed how curricula can profit from technology inclusion, and which limitations need to be considered to empower learners, educators, and leaders in the digital age.

Background: Healthy aging encompasses more than the absence of disease, emphasizing the preservation of functional abilities for enhanced well-being and quality of life. Nature-based interventions are scientifically proven contributors to healthy aging. Objective: To develop an evidence map showcasing nature-based interventions targeting older individuals’ health and well-being. Methods: The evidence map was developed through critical analysis of systematic reviews and clinical trials utilizing the tools AMSTAR2 and CONSORT. A systematic search spanning the past decade was conducted across databases: Cochrane, SCOPUS, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and LILACS. Results: Twelve articles met the eligibility criteria. Nature-based interventions such as forest bathing, hiking, therapeutic gardens, virtual reality, and forest sounds were identified. Outcomes were categorized into physical aspects (cardiovascular and pulmonary; neuro-immuno-endocrinological) and mental/behavioral aspects. The final map integrated interventions, outcomes, and quality assessments. Conclusions: The survey highlights the positive impact of nature-based interventions on the health of the elderly. This study provides insights across various domains, fostering the development of programs and policies in management to promote healthy aging. Regarding healthcare, it encourages discourse among professionals regarding the integration of nature-based practices for equitable care in both individual and group settings. Furthermore, it underscores the need for research in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in Brazil, where the study was conducted.