Ana Raquel Matos

HOW MULTIPROBLEM FAMILIES TRY TO FIND SUPPORT IN SOCIAL SERVICES

This article aims to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between multiproblem families and social agencies, and in particular of how families try to find support in larger systems. Usually, multiproblem families are also multi‐assisted, since the several problems they live with attract intervention from a wide range of social protection services. This research used a qualitative approach; data were collected from 56 multiproblem households, using a semi‐structured interview. Findings suggest seven categories of families: ‘outsider’ families (who reject the existence of problems, so never try to find support); ‘resigned’ families (who give up looking for formal support after a first refusal, and continue coping on their own); ‘persistent’ families (who insist in getting support from several social agencies); ‘over‐needy’ families (any minimal difficulty justifies the search for formal support); ‘balanced’ families (who apply for formal support only when they experience difficulties in dealing with problems); ‘imprudent’ families (these ask social agencies for support only when problems reach an unsustainable level); and ‘ignored’ families (who do not try to get support, and no formal help reaches them).

The challenge of citizens' participation in health systems in Southern Europe: a literature review

The current article analyzes existing mechanisms for public participation in health systems in the countries of Southern Europe. Results are presented from a literature review focusing on public participation in health systems, highlighting the potentialities and challenges emerging from the principal national experiences in the respective countries: Spain, Greece, Italy, and Portugal. The article begins by characterizing the health systems, then presents the methodology followed by the results of the analysis in each country, emphasizing the different forms of participation, both institutionalized and non-institutionalized. The studys principal conclusion is that a legislative discourse has prevailed, which in most cases has not materialized in actual participatory practices; meanwhile, non-institutionalized forms of participation have emerged with a special leading role in the health area, featuring protests, largely spurred by the current economic crisis.

The controversy over the restructuring of perinatal emergency services in Portugal and the importance of citizen participation in health care decision-making processes

This article explores the controversial decision made by the Ministry of Health to restructure the perinatal emergency services in Portugal in 2006. Particular emphasis is given to the protests held across the country against, the actors involved, and the arguments put forward for and against the measure, in an attempt to understand the forms of knowledge and experiences brought to the discussion about the issues raised by the decision, and how different forms of knowledge are reconciled under a democratic process. In addition, this article explores the importance of citizen participation, including that which emerges from conflicting relations, in the formulation of health policies.

A emergência do sujeito participativo: interseções entre ciência, política e ontologia

Nas ultimas decadas, os dispositivos de participacao publica tem registado um crescimento exponencial. Estes procedimentos podem assumir uma diversidade de configuracoes, gerando um numero de questoes teoricas e praticas. A partir da analise de dois estudos de caso – grupos de discussao sobre nanotecnologias em Coimbra, Portugal, e Conselhos de Saude em Belo Horizonte, Brasil – este artigo oferece uma reflexao sobre as questoes politicas e metodologicas relacionadas com a concecao e implementacao de procedimentos participativos. A analise explora a emergencia do cidadao participativo, associado a capacidades e formas de conhecimento que permitem a intervencao em espacos deliberativos. Argumenta-se que os dispositivos participativos e os processos de subjetivacao estao interligados, dialogando-se com as reflexoes de Foucault sobre subjetividade e com abordagens pos-humanistas no âmbito dos Estudos Sociais de Ciencia e Tecnologia. Os dois estudos de caso ilustram como os procedimentos participativos geram novas capacidades epistemicas, retoricas e normativas associadas a habilitacao e subjetivacao dos participantes. Dessa forma, o artigo explora os aspetos politicos das praticas, metodologias e processos que suportam o envolvimento de cidadaos em ciencia, tecnologia e saude, contribuindo para a desnaturalizacao do sujeito participativo e para o reconhecimento da dimensao performativa das ciencias sociais.

First detection and molecular characterization of hepatitis E virus in water from wastewater treatment plants in Portugal

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 is widespread in industrialized countries and widely recognized as a serious public health issue. HEV genotype 3 is excreted in both human and animal stools, having the potential to be introduced in aquatic environments through wastewater discharge. For this reason, waterborne transmission of the HEV genotype 3 is drawing increasing attention from the scientific community. Although studies in Portugal have shown that HEV circulates in both humans and swine, no study has yet focused on the presence of HEV in wastewater. Hence, a total of 60 water samples (influent and effluent) from 15 Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) of different regions of Portugal were tested for the presence of HEV using a broad spectrum real-time RT-PCR with amplification within the ORF2 region of HEV genome. Positive samples were retested by nested RT-PCR with amplification within the ORF1 region, sequenced followed by phylogenetic analysis. HEV sequences were retrieved from two influent samples collected in December 2013 from WWTPs of North and Central of Portugal and classified in subgenotype 3i and 3f. This is the first study showing the presence of HEV in aquatic environments of Portugal.