Bronchial asthma is a chronic pathology and a global public health problem. However, asthma can be controlled and treated for the most part by patients, so the Portuguese General Directorate of Health recommends shared medical appointments in primary health care (PHC). The present study aims to identify the role of PHC nurses in the control and treatment of asthma in adults. Using the MeSH platform, the following descriptors were validated: asthma, nurses, adults. An individual search was carried out in the following databases: CINAHL (ESBSCO host), MEDLINE (Pubmed host), Web of Science, and Scopus. Out of a total of 280 publications, 79 of which were duplicates and 185 publications which did not meet the inclusion criteria, 16 publications remained readable. Of the eligible articles, there were 13 specialist reports, one mixed study, one quasi-experimental study, and one randomized trial. Education was the intervention most identified in the scientific evidence analyzed, and patient assessment, application of an asthma control questionnaire, verification and training of inhalation technique, empowerment for self-management of the disease, support, promotion of seasonal influenza vaccination, and use of written action plans were also identified. The results reveal that, although the scientific evidence on the intervention of these professionals is poorly developed, nurses play a crucial role in the control and treatment of asthma. The scientific evidence analyzed allowed the identification of interventions that can help the organization of a nursing health appointment, providing nurses with a crucial role in the control and treatment of asthma in adults in the context of PHC.

The biopsychosocial development of individuals is influenced by body image and physical exercise. This study aimed to evaluate seven hypotheses regarding the impact of positive affect, negative affect, self-consciousness of appearance, and positive body image on the practice of physical exercise. The data were processed using the statistical package SmartPLS 4.0.9.5. Using an exploratory methodology based on structural equation modeling (SEM) of structural equations applied to small sample sizes, a tentative model has been generated to define the drivers of physical activity. The survey used the Body Mass Index, Body Appreciation Scale—Revised, and Derriford Appearance Scale—14 items. The study involved 129 men and 279 women (N = 408). The model demonstrated a distinct internal consistency in that, out of the seven hypotheses analyzed, only one was rejected. The findings of the multigroup analysis indicate that there are no statistically significant discrepancies between the constructed measures and the practice of physical activity. The conclusions of this study showed that, although positive and negative affect, and self-consciousness influence positive body image, there were no statistically significant differences between those who exercise and those who do not exercise. Various factors influence biopsychosocial development. Future studies should explore the influence of psychological and social variables on understanding body image and physical exercise.

Background/Objectives: Childbirth is a profoundly personal experience that often does not align with expectations. The World Health Organization has established guidelines for best practises; in this sense, it is crucial to understand the childbirth experiences of Portuguese women in comparison with these guidelines. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study was conducted to achieve this. In total, 615 women completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Labour and Childbirth Experience questionnaire, which comprised 39 statements based on the WHO’s recommendations. Additionally, the study utilized the Life Satisfaction Scale and gathered insights into participants’ overall perception of care during this phase. Results: The results were categorized as follows: (1) practises influencing the labour experience; (2) practises influencing the experience of vaginal birth; (3) practises affecting the experience of caesarean birth; and (4) emotional experience during labour and birth. Conclusions: Notably, the study found that practises discouraged by the WHO are still prevalent, potentially enabling obstetric violence. However, a robust and statistically significant correlation was observed between the childbirth experience and the overall perception of care.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by intermittent hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, daytime sleepiness, cognitive impairment, and brain cell damage due to brain blood flow reduction, with ischemic damage, increased microvascular reactivity, and brain tissue damage. OSAS is strongly linked to chronic, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line treatment for OSAS. Objective: This article aims to evaluate the effect of CPAP treatment on neurocognitive performance in OSAS patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia by reviewing the literature. Methods: We performed a comprehensive review of the Portuguese and English languages without a time limit using the following Mesh terms: dementia, mild cognitive impairment, obstructive sleep apnea, and CPAP. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses, and systematic reviews (SRs) where the impact of CPAP on neurocognitive performance was addressed. Results: Five SRs and three RCTs reported significant improvements in neurocognitive performance, especially in verbal, visuospatial, and working memory. Conclusion: CPAP treatment seems to improve cognitive defects associated with OSA.

Contexto: A avaliação da resiliência em contextos oncológicos é essencial, mas faltam instrumentos específicos para a população portuguesa. Objetivo: Traduzir e validar a versão reduzida da Escala de Resiliência Específica para o Cancro (ER-EC-10) para a população portuguesa. Métodos: A amostra foi constituída por 120 participantes, com idades compreendidas entre os 26 e 84 anos, de um hospital na Região Autónoma dos Açores. O protocolo incluiu a ER-EC-10, a versão reduzida da Escala de Afetos Positivos e Negativos (PANAS-VRP), a Escala de Ansiedade e Depressão Hospitalar (HADS) e a Escala de Satisfação Subjetiva com a Vida (SWLS). Resultados: A análise fatorial confirmatória mostrou consistência interna e fiabilidade moderada da ER-EC-10. Após ajustes nas covariâncias, o modelo demonstrou bom ajustamento nas duas dimensões. Foram observadas correlações positivas significativas com Afeto Positivo da PANAS-VRP e SWLS, e correlações negativas com o Afeto Negativo e a HADS. Conclusões: A ER-EC-10 mostrou ser um instrumento válido e confiável para medir a resiliência em pacientes com cancro em Portugal, oferecendo uma avaliação sensível e específica dos desafios enfrentados por indivíduos em diagnóstico e tratamento oncológico. Este estudo reforça a importância de ferramentas adaptadas culturalmente para a avaliação psicológica em contextos de saúde.