Manuela Ferreira

Oral and Gastric Helicobacter Pylori: Effects and Associations

Introduction This study consisted in the comparison of the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) present in the stomach and in saliva of a sample of Portuguese adolescents and the assessment of the association between H. pylori infection with socio-demographic variables and prevalence of dental caries. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was designed including a sample of 447 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years old, attending a public school in Sátão, Portugal. A questionnaire about socio-demographic variables and oral health behaviors was applied. Gastric H. pylori infection was determined using the urease breath test (UBT). Saliva collection was obtained and DNA was extracted by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in order to detect the presence of oral H. pylori. Results The prevalence of gastric H. pylori detected by UBT was 35.9%. Within the adolescents with a gastric UBT positive, only 1.9% were positive for oral H. pylori. The presence of gastric H. pylori was found to be associated with age (>15years, Odds ratio (OR)=1.64,95%CI=1.08-2.52), residence area (urban,OR=1.48,95%CI=1.03-2.29) and parents´ professional situation (unemployed,OR=1.22,95%CI=1.02-1.23). Among those with detected dental caries during the intra-oral observation, 37.4% were positive for gastric H. pylori and 40.2% negative for the same bacterial strain (p=0.3). Conclusions The oral cavity cannot be considered a reservoir for infection of H. pylori. Gastric H. pylori infection was found to be associated with socio-demographic variables such as age, residence area and socioeconomic status.

Family culture and adolescent sexuality.

BACKGROUND Adolescence is characterized by an increase in autonomy and the transformation of family relationships. Their experience has different meanings in future quality of life. OBJECTIVES To analyze the relationship between the sociodemographic variables, of Sexual context and attitudes adopted by teenagers facing sexuality with the organizational culture of the family. METHODS Observational descriptive and correlational, transversal study. The non-probabilistic convenience sample consists of 1216 adolescents attending the 9th year of study in Portuguese Public Schools and is part of the project PTDC/CPE-CED/103313/2008, the questionnaire applied was family organizational culture of Nave (2007) and attitudes towards sexuality of Nelas et al (2010). RESULTS The majority lives in a village (47.5% of boys and 50.0% girls) .12.9%of boys do not use condoms in all relationships, and the same applies to 17.8% of girls. They belong mostly (55.8% boys and 49.5% girls) to a family with poor interpersonal relationships culture. The majority (51.8%) males and (58.9%) females have a family with moderate heuristic culture. Boys and girls (33.6% and 36.9%) both demonstrate a predominantly moderate hierarchy family culture and a moderate social goals family culture as well. Adolescents who have a bad attitude towards sexuality, mostly (43.2%) present a weak interpersonal relationships family culture with statistical significance (χ(2)=32,092, p=0.000) and have moderate hierarchy family culture and also moderate social goals family culture, without statistical significance. CONCLUSION The family that loves, welcomes and cares is the same that educates and informs about sexuality, promoting youth empowerment making them safer, healthier and happier.

Perceptions towards a healthy diet among a sample of university people in Portugal

A healthy diet has been recognized as one of the most important factors associated with maintaining human health and helping in preventing the development of some chronic diseases. Therefore, this paper aims to study the perceptions of a sample of university people regarding a healthy diet.,It was undertaken a descriptive cross-sectional study on a non-probabilistic sample of 382 participants. The data were collected among a sample of Portuguese university people and measured whether people’s perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet.,The results revealed that the participants’ perceptions were, in general, compliant with a healthy diet (scores between 0.5 and 1.5, on a scale from −2 to +2). However, significant differences were found between age groups (p = 0.004), with a higher average score for young adults, and also between groups with different levels of education (p = 0.025), with a higher score for university degree. The variable chronic diseases also showed significant differences (p = 0.017), so that people who did not have any chronic diseases obtained a higher score.,This study is considered important because it provides evidences about the relation between nutrition knowledge and the perceptions towards a healthy diet. The study allowed concluding that the participants were aware about some nutritional aspects of their diets and, therefore, their perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet. This finding is very relevant because it could be a support for health policy initiatives directed at promoting healthy eating behaviours.

EPA-1439 - Determinants of depression among portuguese adolescents

Background The incidence of depressive symptoms among adolescents has been increasing in the last years and several risk factors have been associated with depression which has become a major public health issue. Objectives Assess the prevalence and determinants of depression in a Portuguese sample of adolescents. Methods A cross-sectional study was designed with a sample of 447 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years old, attending a public school in S tao, Portugal. A self-administered questionnaire with questions about socio-economic status, risk behaviours and sleep disorders was answered by adolescents. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Portuguese validated version of the Beck Depression Inventory, and the cut-off point for depression was 13 points. We considered the following global scores: 0-13:minimal depression; 14-19:mild depression; 20-28:moderate depression; and 29-63:severe depression. Prevalence was expressed in proportions and compared by the Chi-square test. Results The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 13.2%. According to the severity of depressive symptomatology, the prevalence of minimum, slight and moderate depressive symptoms was 57.4%, 5.4% and 2.3%, respectively. Depression was associated with insomnia (yes, OR=7.9 95%CI=3.1-19.9), residence area (urban, OR=1.4 95%CI=1.1-2.1), father’s educational level ( Conclusions Adolescents who develop depression are also likely to develop insomnia. Depressive symptoms are associated with sociodemographic variables and addictive habits. Mental health promotion should be considered in school programmes in order to decrease the risk of depression and associated diseases.

PP.31 Relationship Between Birth Weight and Nutritional Status in Preschool Children

Background The intrauterine period has been considered as a very sensitive period in which nutritional and/or hormones changes appear to play an essential role in the subsequent control of body weight. Objectives Classify the nutritional status of children, analysing its relationship with birth weight. Methods Cross-sectional and observational study comprising 792 preschool children, average age 4.39 years old (SD = 0.911), residents in a centre region of Portugal. Children’s anthropometric measurement was obtained and the classification was based on the NCHS reference (CDC, 2000) and the birth weight classification on the WHO (2001). Results Globally 66% had normal weight, 31.3% were overweight (including 12.4% obesity) and 2.7% low-weight but the differences shown to be independent from age and gender of children. 91.9% of girls and 87.1% of boys was born with appropriate weight for gestational age while 6.5% and 3.9% were born respectively lightweight and large for gestational age. The association between birth weight and overweight revealed that 7.4% of children with overweight were born large. The relationship was statistically significant (χ2 = 21.130, p = 0.002), implying that a higher birth weight was associated with increased risk of overweight in childhood with a probability greater than 8 times (OR = 8.486, 95% CI = 2.443 to 29.483) (χ2 = 13.636, p = 0.000). Conclusion The results suggest significant effect of birth weight on the development of later overweight. So, children born with high weight require further monitoring and promotion of an adequate dietary pattern, in order to control early its nutritional status.

PL.93 Caring For the Parturient: Valorisation of Care Received During Labour, Delivery and Postpartum

Background Childbirth is a remarkable experience in the life of women and her family, so health professionals (obstetric doctor and nurse), should adopt a set of practises that promote healthy labour and birth, including respect for the physiological process and dynamic of each birth. Objective To analyse the relationship between sociodemographic and obstetric variables with the valorisation of care received during labour and postpartum. Method A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study, consisted of 386 women interned in the obstetrics service of the Portuguese public hospitals who received a questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic variables, care provided, action before pain, social and familial support, attention to wellbeing and attention to postpartum/discharge. Results The puerperal women were aged between 19 and 37 years, mostly married (79.5%). 34.5% have secondary education, 70.2% perform a work activity and 50% are primiparous. Parity, surveillance of pregnancy, preparation for childbirth and parenting time and hours in labour (this inversely), influence the importance of the care received in relation to the action before the pain and attention to the wellbeing. Conclusion The orientation of obstetric care according to the woman allows for active participation in her birth plan, a sense of control, improves her self esteem and their level of satisfaction with the care received.