Victor Rodrigues

Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Portugal: The Coimbra Eye Study - Report 1

Purpose: To evaluate the age- and gender-specific prevalence of early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Portuguese population-based sample. Methods: All patients aged ≥55 years of a Portuguese primary health-care unit were recruited for a cross-sectional population-based study. Responders underwent complete ophthalmological examination and digital fundus imaging. Early and late AMD was defined according to the International Age-Related Macular Epidemiological Study Group Classification, and the adopted staging for AMD was the same as that used in the Rotterdam study. The age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of early and late forms of AMD was calculated. Results: Of the 4,370 eligible subjects, 3,000 underwent study procedures (68.6% response rate) and 2,975 were included in the analysis; they had a mean age of 68.9 ± 8.6 years. The overall prevalence of early and late AMD was 15.53% (95% CI 14.25-16.88) and 0.67% (95% CI 0.41-1.04), respectively. Neovascular AMD (NV-AMD) and geographic atrophy (GA) accounted for 0.44% (95% CI 0.23-0.75) and 0.27% (95% CI 0.12-0.53) of individuals, respectively. The highest prevalence of advanced AMD was among those aged ≥75 years (1.13% for NV-AMD; 0.63% for GA). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first AMD epidemiological study in a Portuguese population. The early forms of the disease had a similar prevalence to that of other large-scale population-based cohorts, but late AMD was less frequent than previously reported.

Age-related macular degeneration in Portugal: prevalence and risk factors in a coastal and an inland town. The Coimbra Eye Study - Report 2.

To determine the age‐ and sex‐specific prevalence of early and late age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) in two Portuguese population‐based samples and to identify its risk factors.

Organizational commitment, psychometric qualities and invariance of the Meyer and Allen Questionnaire for Portuguese Nurses

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the psychometric qualities of the Portuguese version of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire for the nursing context, through confirmatory analysis and invariance, aiming to evaluate the reliability, internal consistency, construct validity and external validity of the instrument. Method: confirmatory factor analysis of the Portuguese version of the questionnaire was carried out with a sample of 850 nurses, in hospital context. The analysis was complemented using specification search. Goodness of fit was evaluated through different indices. Reliability, internal consistency and construct validity were estimated. The invariance of the model was evaluated in two subsamples of the same sample, in order to confirm the external validity of the factorial solution. Results: the refined model demonstrated good overall fit (χ2/df=6.37; CFI=0.91; GFI=0.92; RMSEA=0.08; MECVI=0.62). The factorial structure was stable (λ:Δχ2(14)=18.31; p=0;193; Intercepts: Δχ2(14)=22.29; p=0.073; Covariance: Δχ2(3)=6.01; p=0.111; Residuals: Δχ2(15)=22.44; p=0.097). Conclusion: the simplified model of the questionnaire demonstrated adequate goodness of fit, representing a stable factorial solution. The instrument was fit to monitor and evaluate the organizational commitment of Portuguese nurses.

Practice environment scale of the nursing work index: Portuguese version and psychometric properties

AIM To assess the psychometric properties regarding the Portuguese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. BACKGROUND The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index is the most widely used measure for assessing the practice environment. A model with a higher number of factors appears to be more adequate to Portuguese settings. METHOD A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index using a sample of 850 Portuguese nurses. Three models were tested: the original model, a seven-factor model and a higher-order model. An analysis of invariance was performed in two subsets to confirm the stability of the solution. RESULTS The seven-factor model fit better to the data than the original model. After refinement, this solution showed suitability and a stable factor structure. Reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity were confirmed. A second-order factor solution also showed suitability. CONCLUSION The seven-factor structure of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index showed a better goodness-of-fit to Portuguese settings than the original structure. The second-order factor solution allows an overall assessment of practice environments. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT The Portuguese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index is a valuable tool for assessing Portuguese nursing practice environments. The seven-factor solution of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index showed high specificity.