The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly increasing, reshaping both society and organizational landscapes. This transformative trend has inevitably reached strategic communication professionals, leading to various perceptions about its application in this field. This study explores these perceptions of uses and gratifications, perspectives on the influence of AI, as well as the practices of professionals operating in Portugal in the mentioned areas regarding the integration of AI into the exercise of their professions. The study employed a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews to collect data from communication professionals. The results from 21 interviews indicate a greater awareness of AI integration, especially after the launch of ChatGPT, and automated content generation as one of the biggest uses of AI. Although most respondents expressed favorable inclinations towards AI integration, some reservations persist related to replacing human expertise and creating dependency. The recommendations underline the imperative to train professionals to mitigate AI-related drawbacks, maintain a symbiotic relationship between AI and humans, and uphold ethical standards.

Online educommunication and empowerment are crucial dimensions in awareness, literacy and change processes, and their articulation may bring benefits to cardiovascular health, given that cardiovascular diseases are the deadliest in the world, including in Portugal. This paper aims to explore the relationship between online educommunication and empowerment in cardiovascular health, using Lisbon citizens as a case. The theoretical framework is composed by the interactivity and empowerment model, the health belief model and the uses and gratifications theory. The questionnaire survey was applied to a gender and age quota sample (N=400). The questionnaire includes thematic dimensions, such as online informative practices on cardiovascular health, the eHEALS scale, and the importance and effectiveness of the educommunicative message on cardiovascular health features. Results show that the educommunicative message has characteristics at the level of purpose, content, type, format, emotions, and logic, which enhance it the most. This indicates that exposure to messages with these characteristics may instigate empowerment and behavior change. Respondents self-rated with the most positive levels on the eHEALS scale, showing empowerment at the eHealth level, with age rather than gender differences. There is evidence that eHealth skills and having cardiovascular disease influence information seeking and empowerment. The main contribution lies in identifying characteristics of the cardiovascular health educommunication message that can optimize recipient’s empowerment.

Purpose: This research aims to explore perceptions of subjective well-being (SWB) in public relations (PR) practitioners, focusing on dimensions of job satisfaction, networking, relationships and work–life balance, while addressing the under-researched area of gender and age – related to stages of life – disparities in SWB within the PR industry. Design/methodology/approach: Employing a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, this study utilised a survey, followed by semi-structured interviews to investigate SWB among PR professionals in Portugal, considering gender and stages of life differences. Findings: Using a gendered and stages of life lens, this study found nuanced perceptions of SWB among Portuguese PR professionals. Older women showed higher emotional well-being but lower work evaluations than men, while young professionals exhibited less gender disparities in SWB. Men reported greater job satisfaction, emphasising passion, while women faced challenges like work overload and valued recognition. Gender differences were seen in networking, with men favouring teamwork and women valuing friendships for career advancement. Work–life balance issues, especially among older women, related to mental health. Originality/value: This study contributes to filling the research gap regarding SWB in the PR industry, particularly in Portugal, offering insights into gender and stages of life dynamics that influence SWB perceptions, thereby informing strategies for enhancing well-being and productivity in PR workplaces.

This chapter focuses on the contribution of communication competences, used by healthcare professionals in the clinical relationship with patients, to improve therapeutic adherence through a better understanding of health instructions and, hence, higher competences in health literacy. It is a main and specific goal to construct a model of communication competences that includes the interdependent use of assertiveness, clear language, and positivity by the healthcare professional, validated by a focus group of specialists. The participants of focus group validate the model and most punctuate, in assertiveness, active behavior, ability to listen, and ability to openly speak; in clarity, the simple language, utilization of verbs; and in positivity, orientation to a positive behavior of the patient. The results confirm that the assertiveness, clear language, and positivity are pivotal and strategic elements to the optimization of health literacy and clinical practices, recognized in the literature and by the participants in the focus group.

Inadequate health literacy is pervasive in all segments of society. Communication improves the mission of health professional and open the door for better health outcomes