Aims and objectives: To determine the prevalence of domestic violence (physical, psychological or sexual) during pregnancy and to characterise these women.Background: Pregnant women are not immune to domestic violence and therefore may be subject to any form of physical, psychological or sexual violence by partners. Health professionals’ knowledge and awareness are important in the identification and intervention of pregnant women who experience domestic violence.Methods: Quantitative, descriptive, correlational study, using a nonprobabilistic convenience sample consisting of a total of 852 postpartum women, of whom 370 were experiencing domestic violence according to the criteria adopted through the modified scale of prevalence, applied between February–June 2012 in two Portuguese public health institutions. Authorisation was given by the Ethics Committees/Administration Councils of both institutions involved and the National Committee of Data Protection.Results: The prevalence of DV during pregnancy was 43·4% (physical violence – 21·9%; psychological violence – 43·2%; and sexual violence – 19·6%). These women had the following profile: immigrant (OR = 5·70; IC95% 3·32–9·78), non‐Caucasian (OR = 6·27; IC95% 3·76–10·46), single/divorced/widowed (OR = 2·28; IC95% 1·70–3·05), academic qualifications up to year 9 (OR = 4·94; IC95% 3·31–7·37); between 10–12 years of schooling (OR = 2·36; IC95% 1·70–3·29); unemployed (OR = 2·01; IC95% 1·50–2·69); and with a monthly income <1000 euros (OR = 1·90; IC95% 1·44–2·50). Through logistic regression, the following protective factors have been identified: nationality (Portuguese), race (Caucasian) and place of residence (city).Conclusions: Almost half of the sample had experienced some form of domestic violence. This is associated with certain sociodemographic factors identified in the study. Psychological violence was the most prevalent during pregnancy.Relevance to clinical practice: Knowledge of the prevalence and characteristics of pregnant women who experience domestic violence is of paramount importance in planning appropriate strategies for their needs during pregnancy. Results indicate the need for nurses to intervene when warning signs of domestic violence against pregnant women are detected.

Higher education has influenced students’ concepts of sleeping time leading to a deficit of sleep quality. Sleep disorders constitute one of the most pertinent health problems in western society. Identify the factors that influence the sleep quality in nursing students; Identify which social demographic and academic variants interfere with sleep quality; Analyze the influence of variables of psychological context and investigate the relationship between the daytime somnolence with the sleep quality in nursing students. Analytic, descriptive and correlational study in a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 403 nursing students. We applied a Sociodemographic and Academic characterization survey, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Eysenck Personality Inventory, Anxiety scale, Stress and depression and Pittsburgh h Sleep Quality Index. The students’ average age is 23.61 years. Women (86.0%) attending the fourth year (27.4%) reveal less sleep quality (63.2%) and more daytime somnolence (24.3%). First year students aged ≤ 20 years residing alone in rural areas present higher levels of anxiety, are less extroverted and more neurotic, reveal less sleep quality. Sleep disorders constitute a public health problem that requires intervention and adopting educational measures and promoting health awareness raising in educational institutions in order to improve student action in building up of their own sleep quality.

Key words: Schizophrenia; quality of life; social support; demographic data

Introduction. Infection by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is transmissible and is considered a public health issue which affects people of all ages. The objective of this study was to identify factors (lifestyles, dietary factors, and hygiene conditions) related to the prevalence of H. pylori infection. Methods. We carried out an observational cross-sectional study with a community sample of adults from the municipalities of Viseu and Sátão, Portugal. The final sample resulted in 166 adults. The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire with questions regarding sociodemographic aspects and lifestyles. H. pylori infection was identified using the 13C-urea breath test. Results. No association was found between the prevalence of H. pylori infection and the use of tobacco, alcohol, or coffee or dietary factors. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was higher in adults who reported higher consumption of fried food and lower consumption of vegetables and fruit. H. pylori infection was significant for the variables of lower frequency of handwashing before going to the bathroom (p=0.02) and well water consumption (p=0.05). Conclusion. A significant association was found for H. pylori infection with the lower frequency of handwashing before going to the bathroom and the consumption of well water.

Objective: To identify risk factors for urinary incontinence (UI) and assess the quality of life (QoL) of affected women.Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted of all women with UI who attended the urology and gynecology services of four hospitals in central Portugal between March and December 2012. Information was obtained from participants using questionnaires assessing sociodemographic, obstetric, gynecologic, and lifestyle variables.Results: Among 505 participants, 351 (69.5%) had urgency UI, 107 (21.2%) stress UI, and 47 (9.3%) mixed UI. Stress UI was associated with smoking, alcohol consumption, constipation, gravidity, parity, and vaginal infections (P ≤ 0.02 for all). Urgency UI was associated with age above 50 years, employment, smoking, and sitting for 2 hours or less per day (P ≤ 0.02 for all). Mixed UI was associated with age 50 years or younger, smoking, sitting for 2 hours or less per day, and frequently carrying more than 3 kg in weight (P < 0.001 for all). A negative impact on QoL was reported by 501 (99.2%) women. Compared with younger participants, women older than 50 years presented with more sleep/energy disturbances and performance limitations (P ≤ 0.04 for both).Conclusion: UI is associated with several risk factors and has a negative impact on QoL. Appropriate investigation regarding the factors associated with the types of UI should be performed to diminish its impact on QoL.

To characterise sleep-wake patterns and their influence on academic performance for a sample of Portuguese adolescents. Cross-sectional, analytical-explanatory, correlational epidemiological research. The protocol includes the composite morningness questionnaire (Barton et al, 1985 adapted by Silva et al, 1985), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (Murray, 1991), chronic fatigue scale (Smith et al, 1995), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Buysse, 1988), Educational Achievement (Fermin, 2005), personal and academic data. 2094 students (55.3% girls; 16-23 years old; M=16.82±1.25) attending secondary school in central Portugal. Living in urban areas, living with their parents and about 57.1% are in a family with reasonable economic resources. Adolescents' sleep patterns reveal that they sleep on average between 8-9 hours a night, do not use medication to sleep, with sleep latency within the normal range, with good sleep efficiency, without daytime dysfunction and with undisturbed sleep, predominantly intermediate chronotype. Minor drowsiness, increased sleep efficiency, improved subjective sleep satisfaction, less sleep disturbance, less daytime dysfunction, not consuming hypnotic medications, associated with better academic performance. Morningness/eveningness, sleep efficiency, daytime dysfunction and sleep latency emerge as predictors of academic performance. The chronotype interacts to predict the quality of sleep enhancing it as a mediator of school performance. Sleep and associated individual characteristics should be considered in the diagnosis and intervention process in secondary education.