Background: Limited health literacy makes decision-making difficult and has implications for individual health, costs, and the organization of health systems in general, and therefore must be studied in different communities, allowing an adequate response to the specificities, particularities, and potentialities of each local situation. Methods: To evaluate the level of health literacy and relate it to sociodemographic variables (sex, age group, education, and employment situation), this study was carried out in a population of 3,927 individuals from a parish of Alto Minho with a random probabilistic sample of 351 individuals, stratified by age and sex, with a sampling error of 5%. This is a quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional study. Results: The majority of respondents were female (54.1%), with a mean age (±SD) of 44.94 ± 19.048 years, had higher education qualifications (74.0%), and were professionally active (61.0%). The health literacy of this community is limited (66.1%) in its different domains. In all of them, individuals assume easy and very easy activities that do not involve critical analysis and interpretation, and reveal greater difficulty in those that require this ability. Statistically significant relationships were found between the level of health literacy and schooling (χ² = 33.552 and p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: This study allowed us to recognize that the health literacy level of this Alto Minho community is limited. Also, the fact that it is related to certain sociodemographic variables sheds light on the health literacy level of the people of this community and on the challenges of promoting it.

The purpose of this study was to assess how knowledge and empowerment impact the quality of life (QoL) of a person with type 2 diabetes, leading to better communication and disease management. We conducted a descriptive and observational study of individuals with type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Empowerment Scale-Short Form (DES-SF), Diabetes Knowledge Test (DKT), and EQ-5D-5L were used, in addition to sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Evaluating the variability in the DES-SF and DKT in relation to the EQ-5D-5L and identifying possible sociodemographic and clinical determinants were conducted using univariate analyses followed by a multiple linear regression model to test whether the factors significantly predicted QoL. A total of 763 individuals were included in the final sample. Patients aged 65 years or older had lower QoL scores, as well as patients who lived alone, had less than 12 years of education, and experienced complications. The insulin-treated group showed higher scores in DKT than the non-insulin-treated group. It was also found that being male, being under 65 years of age, having no complications present, and having higher levels of knowledge and empowerment predicted higher QoL. Our results show that DKT and DES are still determinants of QoL, even after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Therefore, literacy and empowerment are important for the improvement of the QoL of people with diabetes, by enabling them to manage their health conditions. New clinical practices focused on education, increasing patients’ knowledge, and empowerment may contribute to better health outcomes.

Introdução: A incontinência urinária tem uma grande prevalência em utentes com AVC. O tratamento conservador é o mais recomendado, pois envolve menor custo financeiro e menos efeitos colaterais. Este estudo objetiva: Avaliar o efeito de um Programa de Reabilitação na Gestão da Incontinência Urinária na mulher após a ocorrência do AVC. Metodologia: Trata-se de um Estudo de Casos Múltiplos, de método quantitativo. A amostra foi constituída por (n=5) mulheres com idade entre 53 e 87 anos. Foi aplicado um programa de reabilitação desde a deteção da incontinência urinária, até ao momento da alta. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: Escala de Autoeficácia de Broome e Diário Miccional. Resultados: Este estudo permitiu concluir que as utentes que inicialmente apresentavam urgência e perdas de urina, deixaram de ter. Nos scores da escala de autoeficácia de Broome: na 1ª avaliação, na parte A e B todas apresentaram baixa autoeficácia, exceto o Caso 8 que na parte B obteve autoeficácia moderada. Na 2ª avaliação todas obtiveram elevada autoeficácia. Discussão: Quando se compara o pré e pós do programa, verifica-se que todas obtiveram resultados positivos em relação à urgência urinária, perdas de urina, assim como ao nível de confiança na realização das contrações dos músculos pélvicos, sem que ocorram perdas de urina. Conclusão: O programa de reabilitação para a gestão da incontinência urinária, teve um efeito positivo em todas as utentes do estudo.

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Although many instruments are used to assess the families of people with diabetes, their measurement properties have not been systematically reviewed. We aimed to identify and evaluate the psychometric properties of the instruments used to assess family functioning in adults with diabetes. Methods: A systematic literature review, according to the JBI systematic reviews of measurement properties, was conducted using different databases, including gray literature. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021239733. Two independent reviewers searched, screened, and assessed the risk of bias among the articles according to the COSMIN methodology. The quality of each included instrument was assessed using the updated criteria for good measurement properties. Results: Eighty-one studies were included, and thirty-one eligible instruments were identified. The psychometric properties frequently assessed were structural validity, internal consistency, and construct validity. Conclusions: Although 31 instruments were included, none of their psychometric properties were scored as “very good”. From the instruments scored as adequate on development and content validity, five stood out for their quality appraisal.. The development of new instruments is not recommended. More studies should be conducted on the existing instruments to assess the less commonly evaluated psychometric properties. Using valid instruments to develop and evaluate interventions is essential to promote health literacy and the effectiveness of diabetes management.