Needs assessment of youths in residential child care in Portugal / Evaluación de necesidades de jóvenes en acogimiento residencial en Portugal / Evaluación de necesidades de jóvenes en acogimiento residencial en Portugal

Residential child care in Portugal is the most common protection measure in cases of family separation, since family foster care is still very rare. However, little is known about the needs of these children and young people. The purpose of this study is to describe the profile of adolescents close to legal adulthood who are in residential care, comparing it with a Spanish sample. The sample is composed of 345 young people aged 16 to 17 on whom information has been collected regarding their history of protection, family background, schooling, mental health and offending behaviour. A Spanish sample was selected as a comparison group (N = 384). The results reveal the complexity and special seriousness of the profile of young people in residential care in Portugal compared to a Spanish sample, highlighting a high presence of mental health problems and especially suicidal behaviours. Given these results, efforts should be focused on developing specialized residential care programmes adapted to the specific needs of these young people.     

How is participation related to well-being of homeless people? An explorative qualitative study in a Dutch homeless shelter facility

The majority of homeless people is socially excluded which negatively affects their well-being. Therefore, participation-based programs are needed. The current research is conducted within a Dutch homeless shelter facility that offers educational, recreational, and labor activities to clients in an environment which is designed to feel safe (an enabling niche). The main aim of these activities is to facilitate social participation. We conducted two qualitative studies consisting of 16 semi-structured interviews, to explore clients’ experiences with participation in activities in relation to their well-being. The findings showed that clients experienced that participation had led to an improvement of physical, social, and mental well-being. In general, clients reported that due to participation in activities they have strengthened their social support network, improved their (mental and physical) health, self-esteem and personal growth. We concluded that in order to facilitate long-term positive outcomes of participation in practice, it is necessary to focus on group cohesion, and on the social worker’s behavior and attitude.     

Correlation between pelvic floor strength and physical activity level in healthy men

The male pelvic floor muscles comprise a pair of compound muscle layers referred to as the levator ani. Studies have shown that pelvic floor muscle strength is affected by physical activity. This study aimed to assess male pelvic floor muscle strength through manometry of the external anal sphincter and evaluation of its association with physical activity level, BMI, and rectal pressure in healthy men. To assess physical activity level over the previous week, we used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire 8 (IPAQ). Pelvic floor muscle strength was assessed via anorectal manometry. The results shows a negative correlation between resting pressure and MET, a positive correlation between rectal pressure and resting and maximum pressure. The novel finding of this study is a negative correlation between walking and pelvic floor strength. This study raises new questions about the understanding of the interaction among physical activity, intraabdominal pressure, and pelvic floor strength in the physiology of continence in men.     

Respect in intergenerational relationships: Young adult women’s motivations

Care and respect are two sides of the same coin, yet very little is known about respect shown by younger women in relation to people aged 60 and older. This study sets out to explore what motivates young adult women to respect older people. Twenty-five post-graduate women from a tertiary education institution in South Africa participated in the Mmogo-method®, a projective visual data-collection method, to produce textual and visual data. These were analysed using sequential and visual analysis. Findings reported combinations of motivational types for respect of older people, on a continuum from extrinsic (socialised normative values) to intrinsic (personal choice and empathy), and from conditional to unconditional, namely: extrinsic/conditional; extrinsic/unconditional; self-motivated/conditional and self-motivated/unconditional. Respect as an impact on relational interactions between people is either constructive and encouraging or damaging and disparaging. Interpersonal risks are associated with motivation and this could affect future interactions and manifestations of intergenerational respect.     

Perception of health,well-being,and quality of life in female caregivers: Comparative study of a sample of adult and older women in Spain

In a study on informal or unpaid care, it is difficult to identify the consequences and effects of care provision on the caregiver’s daily life. Thus, it is important to analyze the perceptions of the individual caregiver. This study describes the perceptions of health, well-being, support networks, and quality of life of 13 women aged between 45 and 70 years after completing an intervention program. The data indicate that caregivers’ health and quality of life worsen with the intervention, and their well-being and social relations (through new technologies) improve.     

Bonding in neonatal intensive care units: Experiences of extremely preterm infants’ mothers

Background

The birth of an extremely preterm infant can disrupt normal mother–infant physical contact and the care provided by the mother. This situation has an impact on the process of bonding between the mother and the child.

The impact of delayed maternity on foetal growth in Spain: An assessment by population attributable fraction

Background

Delayed childbearing is considered a risk factor for maternal–foetal health. As in other higher-income countries, in Spain age at maternity has steadily increased during the last two decades.

The start up as a phase of architectural design process

Alterations made in the architectural design can be considered as a continuous process, from its conception to the moment a built environment is already in use. This article focuses on the "moving phase", which is the initial moment of the environment occupation and the start-up of services. It aims to show that the continuity of ergonomics interventions during the "moving phase" or start up may reveal the built environment inadequacies; clearly showing needs not met by the design and allowing making instant decisions to solve non-foreseen problems. The results have revealed some lessons experienced by users during a critical stage not usually included in the design process.     

Aesthetic taste versus utility: the emotional and rational of the individual

This article explores the development of an aesthetics framework that aims to provide designers with parameters to understand emotion, taste, and aesthetic judgment under their own cultural influence. This framework will equip designers with tangible criteria for judging cultural influences that have an impact on industrial design while preventing designers from adopting subjective options or being "followers of the current trend." To address the complexity of the topic, a systemic approach is taken so as to be able to capture its several elements. Therefore, the aesthetics framework adopts a systemic approach, which enables its constituents to be compared and the interplay or "links" between these different elements to be identified.