Browsing by Author "Reis, Bruno"
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- Determinants of the Use of Health and Fitness Mobile Apps by Patients With Asthma: Secondary Analysis of Observational StudiesPublication . Neves, Ana Luisa; Jácome, Cristina; Taveira-Gomes, Tiago; Pereira, Ana Margarida; Almeida, Rute; Amaral, Rita; Alves-Correia, Magna; Mendes, Sandra; Chaves-Loureiro, Cláudia; Valério, Margarida; Lopes, Cristina; Carvalho, Joana; Mendes, Ana; Ribeiro, Carmelita; Prates, Sara; Ferreira, José Alberto; Teixeira, Maria Fernanda; Branco, Joana; Santalha, Marta; Vasconcelos, Maria João; Lozoya, Carlos; Santos, Natacha; Cardia, Francisca; Moreira, Ana Sofia; Taborda-Barata, Luís; Pinto, Cláudia Sofia; Ferreira, Rosário; Morais Silva, Pedro; Monteiro Ferreira, Tania; Câmara, Raquel; Lobo, Rui; Bordalo, Diana; Guimarães, Cristina; Espírito Santo, Maria; Ferraz de Oliveira, José; Cálix Augusto, Maria José; Gomes, Ricardo; Vieira, Inês; da Silva, Sofia; Marques, Maria; Cardoso, João; Morete, Ana; Aroso, Margarida; Cruz, Ana Margarida; Nunes, Carlos; Câmara, Rita; Rodrigues, Natalina; Abreu, Carmo; Albuquerque, Ana Luísa; Vieira, Claúdia; Santos, Carlos; Páscoa, Rosália; Chaves-Loureiro, Carla; Alves, Adelaide; Neves, Ângela; Varanda Marques, José; Reis, Bruno; Ferreira-Magalhães, Manuel; Almeida Fonseca, JoãoBackground: Health and fitness apps have potential benefits to improve self-management and disease control among patients with asthma. However, inconsistent use rates have been reported across studies, regions, and health systems. A better understanding of the characteristics of users and nonusers is critical to design solutions that are effectively integrated in patients’ daily lives, and to ensure that these equitably reach out to different groups of patients, thus improving rather than entrenching health inequities. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the use of general health and fitness apps by patients with asthma and to identify determinants of usage. Methods: A secondary analysis of the INSPIRERS observational studies was conducted using data from face-to-face visits. Patients with a diagnosis of asthma were included between November 2017 and August 2020. Individual-level data were collected, including age, gender, marital status, educational level, health status, presence of anxiety and depression, postcode, socioeconomic level, digital literacy, use of health services, and use of health and fitness apps. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the probability of being a health and fitness app user. Statistical analysis was performed in R. Results: A total of 526 patients attended a face-to-face visit in the 49 recruiting centers and 514 had complete data. Most participants were ≤40 years old (66.4%), had at least 10 years of education (57.4%), and were in the 3 higher quintiles of the socioeconomic deprivation index (70.1%). The majority reported an overall good health status (visual analogue scale [VAS] score>70 in 93.1%) and the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 34.3% and 11.9%, respectively. The proportion of participants who reported using health and fitness mobile apps was 41.1% (n=211). Multivariate models revealed that single individuals and those with more than 10 years of education are more likely to use health and fitness mobile apps (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.22, 95%CI 1.05-4.75 and aOR 1.95, 95%CI 1.12-3.45, respectively). Higher digital literacy scores were also associated with higher odds of being a user of health and fitness apps, with participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles reporting aORs of 6.74 (95%CI 2.90-17.40), 10.30 (95%CI 4.28-27.56), and 11.52 (95%CI 4.78-30.87), respectively. Participants with depression symptoms had lower odds of using health and fitness apps (aOR 0.32, 95%CI 0.12-0.83). Conclusions: A better understanding of the barriers and enhancers of app use among patients with lower education, lower digital literacy, or depressive symptoms is key to design tailored interventions to ensure a sustained and equitable use of these technologies. Future studies should also assess users’ general health-seeking behavior and their interest and concerns specifically about digital tools. These factors may impact both initial engagement and sustained use.
- Military Training Mission in Iraq: An Exploratory Case Study ResearchPublication . Reis, João; Reis, Bruno; Nowakowska, Marta; Kazanecka, AnetaThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how military training is being conducted by NATO coalition forces in Iraq. Thus, the intent of this paper is to discuss the implications of existing misalignments between the military forces that are providing the training and those receiving it. To that end, we have used an exploratory case study research, which included multiple sources of data collection for corroboration and triangulation purposes. The results that emerged from the content analysis showed two types of outcomes that may be relevant to improve the military training in Iraq. The first outcome is identified as the intangible actions, which were mainly focused on social relations, with the intent of narrowing the cultural gap between the international coalition and Iraqi forces. Without surprising, a second outcome is identified as tangible actions, which were associated with training programs and the establishment of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) relevant to small and medium military units. Future research should focus on programs of “training the trainers” in order to develop long-term teaching and move forward with sustainable Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).
- Quadro Permanente de Praças no Exército - Importância para as Tropas EspeciaisPublication . Reis, BrunoO presente Trabalho de Investigação Aplicada tem por tema “Quadro Permanente de Praças no Exército – Importância para as Tropas Especiais”. Como objetivo geral pretende-se analisar a viabilidade de criação de um Quadro Permanente de Praças no Exército Português, nomeadamente no que concerne às Tropas Especiais. No que refere ao método foi utilizado o hipotético-dedutivo. Após definida a questão central, foram formuladas as questões derivadas e, para lhes dar resposta, as hipóteses. Deste modo, o trabalho assenta em pesquisa bibliográfica, pesquisa documental, entrevistas e inquéritos. Relativamente à amostra para as entrevistas, esta é constituída por seis militares com funções de comando aos mais altos escalões. Já no que refere aos inquéritos, a amostra é constituída por 161 militares, praças, oriundos das diferentes unidades de Tropas Especiais do Exército. Com a realização deste trabalho conclui-se que é viável a criação do QPPE, através da elaboração dos diplomas legais que a enquadrem e existindo vontade em que o mesmo seja criado. No entanto, esta é “uma solução”, mas não é “a solução”. Outra possibilidade passa pela implementação de contratos de longa duração. Ainda assim, qualquer que seja o modelo que se pretenda implementar, este deverá sempre ser alvo de reflexão profunda, de modo a evitar erros que já aconteceram no passado, permitindo assim a satisfação das necessidades do Exército, e indo de encontro às expectativas dos militares em ter uma carreira que lhes proporcione maior estabilidade profissional e segurança.