Impact of the Elos 2.0 Program on Bullying in Elementary Schools: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Bullying is a significant issue in schools, leading to various negative outcomes. The Elos 2.0 Program, a Brazilian adaptation of the Good Behavior Game, aims to reduce such behaviors through structured activities among elementary school students.

Spatiotemporal analysis of mosquito-borne infections and mosquito vectors in mainland Portugal.

Background: The incidence of mosquito-borne infections has increased worldwide. Mainland Portugal's characteristics might favour the (re)emergence of mosquito-borne diseases. This study aimed to characterize the spatial distribution of vectors and notification rates of imported cases of mosquito-borne infections in mainland Portugal and demarcate the areas where these geographies overlap.

Behavioral self-regulation in pediatric bipolar disorder and healthy offspring of bipolar patients.

Objectives: This study investigated behavioral self-regulation problems using the Children's Hostility Inventory (CHI) in pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD), healthy offspring of bipolar disorder patients (HOBD), and healthy controls (HC) without previous history of psychiatric disorders.

Methods: The CHI was administered to 41 consecutive children and adolescents diagnosed with PBD, to 16 HOBD, and to 22 HC. The inventory assessed irritability, expression, hostility, and aggression and was completed by the children with the help of their mothers.

Quality of life and clinical outcomes in bipolar disorder: An 8-year longitudinal study.

Objectives: This longitudinal study examined the relationship of Quality of Life (QOL) throughout an 8-year follow-up period with baseline and longitudinal clinical variables indicative of outcome in patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD).

Methods: 36 participants, ages 18-70, were recruited from the Bipolar Disorder Research Program (PROMAN) outpatient clinic. Participants completed the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire in 2009 (baseline), 2015 (6-years) and 2017 (8-years), with high scores being associated with better quality of life.

The epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in the entre Douro e Vouga region of northern Portugal: a multisource population-based study.

Background: The prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has been increasing worldwide and the north-south gradient of prevalence may be disappearing in the Northern hemisphere. The few previous prevalence studies performed in Portugal have reported a lower prevalence than the average for Western Europe. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of MS in the Entre Douro e Vouga region, in Northern Portugal.

Brucellosis: A rapid risk assessment by a regional outbreak team and its coordinated response with the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary, North region of Portugal, 2019.

We report a Brucella outbreak with seven cases in the Northern Region of Portugal in 2018-2019, associated with the consumption of fresh cheese. This outbreak has implications for risk assessment in Portuguese migrants related to this area, and it is an example of cooperation between public institutions, in a One Health based approach.

Mapping Geographical Patterns and High Rate Areas for Sexually Transmitted Infections in Portugal: A Retrospective Study Based on the National Epidemiological Surveillance System.

Objective: Monitoring disease variation using finer scales to identify high-rate communities is a critical aspect for precision public health and for efficient resource allocation. This study aimed to map the spatial patterns of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis; identify high-rate areas across Portuguese municipalities; and determine the association of these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with socioeconomic deprivation, urbanicity level, and population density.

Methods: The STI notifications at municipality level for the period 2015 to 2017 were obtained from Portugal's Epidemiologic Surveillance System (Sistema Nacional de Vigilância Epidemiológica).

Cognitive behavioral rehabilitation for bipolar disorder patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: Bipolar disorder is frequently associated with cognitive impairment even during euthymia. Previous studies have reported significant impairments in functional and quality of life outcomes and a possible relationship between these variables and cognitive performance. Cognitive rehabilitation interventions have been proposed to address these outcomes but positive results are still scarce.

Cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation vs. treatment as usual for bipolar patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is commonly associated with cognitive and functional impairments even during remission periods, and although a growing number of studies have demonstrated the benefits of psychotherapy as an add-on to pharmacological treatment, its effectiveness appears to be less compelling in severe presentations of the disorder. New interventions have attempted to improve cognitive functioning in BD patients, but results have been mixed.

Methods: The study consists of a clinical trial comparing a new structured group intervention, called "Cognitive-Behavioral Rehabilitation," with treatment as usual (TAU) for bipolar patients.

Quality of life in youth with bipolar disorder and unaffected offspring of parents with bipolar disorder.

Background: There have been few studies investigating quality of life (QoL) in pediatric bipolar disorder (BD) patients and none comparing it with that observed in unaffected offspring of parents with BD and healthy controls.

Methods: The self-report Youth Quality of Life Instrument-Research version (YQoL-R) was administered in 26 pediatric BD patients, 17 unaffected offspring of parents with BD, and 24 individuals with no history of DSM-IV Axis I psychiatric disorders. All diagnoses were determined through interviews based on the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version.

Body Mass Index assessment of health care professionals in a primary care setting in Portugal: a cross sectional study.

Introduction: Obesity is an important public health problem because it is a risk factor for numerous diseases and is associated with a higher death risk. Evidence concerning the prevalence of excess weight in health professionals is scarce and this group is often overlooked in weight interventions programs. This paper aims to estimate the prevalence of obesity and overweight among Portuguese primary health care professionals and to describe differences between occupational groups.

Dysfunctional family environment in affected versus unaffected offspring of parents with bipolar disorder.

Objective: Children of parents with bipolar disorder (BD) are at heightened risk for developing mood and other psychiatric disorders. We proposed to evaluate the environment of families with at least one parent with BD type I (BDF) with affected offspring (aBDF) and unaffected offspring (uBDF) compared with control families without a history of DSM-IV Axis I disorder (CF).

Method: We used the Family Environment Scale (FES) to evaluate 47 BDF (aBDF + uBDF) and 30 CF.

Negative expressed emotion best discriminates families with bipolar disorder children.

Background: Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD) live in family environments with high levels of expressed emotion (EE), conflict, and tension; as well as low maternal warmth and cohesion. These family characteristics have been evaluated in research settings using different scales. Nonetheless, empirically supported assessment instruments are not always feasible to be used in clinical settings.