Constança Paúl
Biographic Data
| ID | 3800780 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Constança Paúl |
| GIVEN NAMES | Constança |
| FAMILY NAME | Paúl |
| SIGNATURE | PAUL C |
| AFFILIATIONS | Universidade do Porto |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9214-7805 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 24 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 57 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 24 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2007 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Family transmission of crafts and folk art: A mixed-methods study on family relationships and cohesion among artisans in a Unesco Creative City
Family encouragement and family-transmitted businesses play a crucial role in sustaining crafts and folk art across generations, serving as a key driver in safeguarding this form of intangible cultural heritage. Research on family businesses has mostly focused on business aspects, with far less attention to the family relationships and dynamics associated with them. This mixed-methods study sought to investigate how family transmission of crafts …
“I feel good in this creative world”: A multi-methods study exploring older artisans’ attributions of mental health, quality of life, and well-being to their work in a Unesco Creative City of crafts a…
In the face of global demographic shifts, it is crucial to adopt sustainable solutions that support active and healthy aging. Engagement in creative activities, such as crafts, may positively affect the social determinants of health by promoting mental, physical, and social well-being. While the use of crafts as therapeutic interventions is well documented, research on crafts as a professional activity remains limited, especially among older adul…
From the drama of unoccupied time and isolation due to Covid-19’s pandemic to the need for person-centered care at residential care facilities in Portugal
During the pandemic, restrictive measures were implemented at Portuguese residential care facilities (PRCF), such as isolating residents and ceasing collective activities. It is important to understand how PRCF are implementing activities that allow residents to occupy their time and fight isolation. As such, we aim to analyze whether: 1. new activities were implemented for residents (identifying which were carried out); 2. occupation activities …
Exploring Dementia-Friendly Environments in Long-Term Care Facilities: Perspectives from Multiple Stakeholders in Portugal
Current evidence suggests the importance of dementia-friendly environments in enhancing the well-being and quality-of-life of people living with dementia, particularly when they need to move out, either permanently or temporarily, of their own homes (e.g., long-term care facilities or hospitals). As dementia-specific regulations are currently absent in Portugal, most long-term care facilities are not designed to meet the needs of persons living w…
Attitudes and preferences of digitally skilled dementia caregivers towards online psychoeducation: A cross-sectional study
Online interventions have been explored to support informal dementia caregivers. Despite favourable evidence on the effectiveness of such interventions, substantial non-use and dropout attrition are reported. This cross-sectional study characterises attitudes and preferences of digitally skilled dementia caregivers (N = 157) towards online psychoeducational interventions (OPIs) and explores associations of attitudes with sociodemographic, context…
Caring and Working during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Perspective of Portuguese Residential Care Facility Workers
Residential care facilities (RCF) for older people are facing high demands due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to explore the workers' perspectives on the changes in work and care dynamics amidst the first wave of the pandemic at Portuguese RCF. This is a descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional study. An online questionnaire about pandemic-induced changes in work and care dynamics was sent to 2325 RCF. These entities we…
BRAINCODE for Cognitive Impairment Diagnosis in Older Adults: Designing a Case–Control Pilot Study
An early, extensive, accurate, and cost-effective clinical diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders will have advantages for older people and their families, but also for the health and care systems sustainability and performance. BRAINCODE is a technology that assesses cognitive impairment in older people, differentiating normal from pathologic brain condition, based in an EEG biomarkers evaluation. This paper will address BRAINCODE's pilot design,…
A systematic review of sexual health and subjective well-being in older age groups
Objectives. This systematic review aimed at assessing the associations between sexual health and subjective well-being in older age groups (i.e. people aged between 40 and ≥90 years). Methods. A systematic search was conducted of the Web of Science, MEDLINE, EBSCO, Scopus, SciELO and LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature) databases for studies published until September 2021. Search strings included a combination of terms…
Factors Associated With Positive Self-Rated Health: Comparing Older Adults in Brazil and in Portugal
Introduction: Self-rated health is a multidimensional health indicator and a predictor of adverse events in old age. Answers to this assessment are influenced by social, cultural and personality factors. Aim: Exploring common and distinctive characteristics of Brazilian and Portuguese older adults aged 70 and over regarding positive self-rated health according to sociodemographic variables, to functional capacity, to independent performance of ba…
Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Risk Instrument for Screening in the Community (Risc) Among Older Patients in Primary Care in Northern Portugal
Background: Aging is associated with an increase in adverse health outcomes for older people. Short screening instruments that easily and quickly identify those at highest risk can enable decision-makers to anticipate future needs, allocate scarce resources and act to minimize risk. The Risk Instrument for Screening in the Community (RISC) is a brief (2–5 min) Likert scale that scores one-year risk of institutionalization, hospitalization and dea…
“Should WE Stand Together?”: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of the effectiveness of family‐based interventions for adults with chronic physical diseases
Family support has been identified as an important factor for the psychological adjustment of patients with chronic physical conditions. This study aimed to systematically review and conduct a meta‐analysis of studies comparing the effectiveness of family‐based versus patient‐oriented interventions for chronic physical conditions. The search was performed between April 12 and April 29, 2021, on Web of Science (all databases included), Scopus, Psy…
Predictors of Major Depressive Disorder in Older People
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mental disorders in older people. There are several biological, psychological, and social factors associated with this disorder. This study aimed to describe the depressive state to identify the associated factors and potential predictors of MDD in a population of community-dwelling older people with probable MDD. The sample consisted of 378 participants with probable dementia, with 47.3% …
The Modified Caregiver Strain Index: Portuguese version
The Modified Caregiver Strain Index is a widely used tool to screen for caregiver strain in family caregivers. This study presents the Portuguese version of the Modified Caregiver Strain Index and explores its psychometric properties in a sample of 347 informal caregivers of older dependent individuals. Factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure and indicated satisfactory internal consistency. Criterion-related validity was supported by posi…
Unmet needs of informal carers of the oldest old in Portugal
Oldest-old individuals are a growing segment of the population that faces several challenges in terms of care demands. Informal caregivers experience more or less challenges, namely depending on the support they can access. The present study explores the unmet needs of a sample of informal caregivers of community-dwelling older adults aged 80+ and analyses the association of such needs with sociodemographic information, care-giving context (e.g.,…
Assessing attitudes towards online psychoeducational interventions: Psychometric properties of a Brief Attitudes Scale
Participant attitudes are an explanatory factor for attrition in online health-related interventions. However, its assessment prior to interventions start is uncommon, partly because proper measures are missing. This study presents the psychometric properties of a new scale measuring attitudes towards online psychoeducational interventions (OPIs). Structural validity, reliability and screening performance of the Online Psychoeducational Intervent…
Participation in a randomised controlled trial for older adults with osteoarthritis in Portugal: Analysis of the acceptance factors
Fit & Strong! is an evidence-based program that combines exercise with health education for older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis. This paper explores the factors of acceptance to a randomised controlled trial that tested the Portuguese (Europe) version of Fit & Strong! and analysed the sociodemographic, lifestyle and health characteristics of people who agreed versus people who declined to participate. Patients were identified by Gene…
Effects of a community intervention program for dementia on mental health: The importance of secondary caregivers in promoting positive aspects and reducing strain
Typical Oversights when Managing an Intergenerational Program: A Reflection from Portugal
This article reflects on how a lack of systematic design in planning an intergenerational program (IP) could compromise the use of an appropriate methodological framework, participant selection criteria, and applicable methods of evaluation. Drawing upon an IP developed in a disadvantaged context in Portugal between a school and a day care center for older persons, we critically consider the motivations for implementing this type of program. It i…
The Role of Existential Beliefs Within the Relation of Centenarians’ Health and Well-Being
Measuring attachment to life in old age: The Portuguese version of the Positive Valuation of Life Scale (Positive VOL)
The concept of ‘ageing well’ in ten Latin American and European countries
A review of several studies examining the lay concept of successful ageing and related concepts leads to the conclusion that elders from different cultures appear to agree on most of the components identified in the literature. From the research emerges a multidimensional conceptualisation of ‘successful ageing’ that is described on the basis of physical, emotional, cognitive and social domains, and which coincides with most theoretical and empir…
Older male carers and the positive aspects of care
Older men are becoming more visible in care-giving research but there are still few studies that focus expressly on the extent to which care-giving has made positive contributions to their life and has been rewarding. Drawing on data from in-depth personal interviews, this Portuguese study analyses the positive statements in the personal descriptions of the care-giving experience of 53 elderly men who were caring for chronically-ill wives. It als…
Disability and Psychosocial Outcomes in Old Age
This does not fully confirm the disability paradox (high disability and high optimism and self-perception of quality of life). The dual-process coping model helps to understand the results of our study: First is an attempt to avoid losses; afterward, people lower goals and standards to meet constraints and foster adaptation
Real men, real husbands: Caregiving and masculinities in later life
Real men, real husbands: Caregiving and masculinities in later life
The concept of ‘ageing well’ in ten Latin American and European countries
A review of several studies examining the lay concept of successful ageing and related concepts leads to the conclusion that elders from different cultures appear to agree on most of the components identified in the literature. From the research emerges a multidimensional conceptualisation of ‘successful ageing’ that is described on the basis of physical, emotional, cognitive and social domains, and which coincides with most theoretical and empir…
Disability and Psychosocial Outcomes in Old Age
This does not fully confirm the disability paradox (high disability and high optimism and self-perception of quality of life). The dual-process coping model helps to understand the results of our study: First is an attempt to avoid losses; afterward, people lower goals and standards to meet constraints and foster adaptation
Older male carers and the positive aspects of care
Older men are becoming more visible in care-giving research but there are still few studies that focus expressly on the extent to which care-giving has made positive contributions to their life and has been rewarding. Drawing on data from in-depth personal interviews, this Portuguese study analyses the positive statements in the personal descriptions of the care-giving experience of 53 elderly men who were caring for chronically-ill wives. It als…
Unmet needs of informal carers of the oldest old in Portugal
Oldest-old individuals are a growing segment of the population that faces several challenges in terms of care demands. Informal caregivers experience more or less challenges, namely depending on the support they can access. The present study explores the unmet needs of a sample of informal caregivers of community-dwelling older adults aged 80+ and analyses the association of such needs with sociodemographic information, care-giving context (e.g.,…
Effects of a community intervention program for dementia on mental health: The importance of secondary caregivers in promoting positive aspects and reducing strain
Disability and Psychosocial Outcomes in Old Age
This does not fully confirm the disability paradox (high disability and high optimism and self-perception of quality of life). The dual-process coping model helps to understand the results of our study: First is an attempt to avoid losses; afterward, people lower goals and standards to meet constraints and foster adaptation
Real men, real husbands: Caregiving and masculinities in later life
Older male carers and the positive aspects of care
Older men are becoming more visible in care-giving research but there are still few studies that focus expressly on the extent to which care-giving has made positive contributions to their life and has been rewarding. Drawing on data from in-depth personal interviews, this Portuguese study analyses the positive statements in the personal descriptions of the care-giving experience of 53 elderly men who were caring for chronically-ill wives. It als…
The concept of ‘ageing well’ in ten Latin American and European countries
A review of several studies examining the lay concept of successful ageing and related concepts leads to the conclusion that elders from different cultures appear to agree on most of the components identified in the literature. From the research emerges a multidimensional conceptualisation of ‘successful ageing’ that is described on the basis of physical, emotional, cognitive and social domains, and which coincides with most theoretical and empir…
Measuring attachment to life in old age: The Portuguese version of the Positive Valuation of Life Scale (Positive VOL)
The Role of Existential Beliefs Within the Relation of Centenarians’ Health and Well-Being
Effects of a community intervention program for dementia on mental health: The importance of secondary caregivers in promoting positive aspects and reducing strain
Typical Oversights when Managing an Intergenerational Program: A Reflection from Portugal
This article reflects on how a lack of systematic design in planning an intergenerational program (IP) could compromise the use of an appropriate methodological framework, participant selection criteria, and applicable methods of evaluation. Drawing upon an IP developed in a disadvantaged context in Portugal between a school and a day care center for older persons, we critically consider the motivations for implementing this type of program. It i…
Unmet needs of informal carers of the oldest old in Portugal
Oldest-old individuals are a growing segment of the population that faces several challenges in terms of care demands. Informal caregivers experience more or less challenges, namely depending on the support they can access. The present study explores the unmet needs of a sample of informal caregivers of community-dwelling older adults aged 80+ and analyses the association of such needs with sociodemographic information, care-giving context (e.g.,…
Assessing attitudes towards online psychoeducational interventions: Psychometric properties of a Brief Attitudes Scale
Participant attitudes are an explanatory factor for attrition in online health-related interventions. However, its assessment prior to interventions start is uncommon, partly because proper measures are missing. This study presents the psychometric properties of a new scale measuring attitudes towards online psychoeducational interventions (OPIs). Structural validity, reliability and screening performance of the Online Psychoeducational Intervent…
Participation in a randomised controlled trial for older adults with osteoarthritis in Portugal: Analysis of the acceptance factors
Fit & Strong! is an evidence-based program that combines exercise with health education for older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis. This paper explores the factors of acceptance to a randomised controlled trial that tested the Portuguese (Europe) version of Fit & Strong! and analysed the sociodemographic, lifestyle and health characteristics of people who agreed versus people who declined to participate. Patients were identified by Gene…
Factors Associated With Positive Self-Rated Health: Comparing Older Adults in Brazil and in Portugal
Introduction: Self-rated health is a multidimensional health indicator and a predictor of adverse events in old age. Answers to this assessment are influenced by social, cultural and personality factors. Aim: Exploring common and distinctive characteristics of Brazilian and Portuguese older adults aged 70 and over regarding positive self-rated health according to sociodemographic variables, to functional capacity, to independent performance of ba…
Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Risk Instrument for Screening in the Community (Risc) Among Older Patients in Primary Care in Northern Portugal
Background: Aging is associated with an increase in adverse health outcomes for older people. Short screening instruments that easily and quickly identify those at highest risk can enable decision-makers to anticipate future needs, allocate scarce resources and act to minimize risk. The Risk Instrument for Screening in the Community (RISC) is a brief (2–5 min) Likert scale that scores one-year risk of institutionalization, hospitalization and dea…
“Should WE Stand Together?”: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of the effectiveness of family‐based interventions for adults with chronic physical diseases
Family support has been identified as an important factor for the psychological adjustment of patients with chronic physical conditions. This study aimed to systematically review and conduct a meta‐analysis of studies comparing the effectiveness of family‐based versus patient‐oriented interventions for chronic physical conditions. The search was performed between April 12 and April 29, 2021, on Web of Science (all databases included), Scopus, Psy…
Predictors of Major Depressive Disorder in Older People
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mental disorders in older people. There are several biological, psychological, and social factors associated with this disorder. This study aimed to describe the depressive state to identify the associated factors and potential predictors of MDD in a population of community-dwelling older people with probable MDD. The sample consisted of 378 participants with probable dementia, with 47.3% …
The Modified Caregiver Strain Index: Portuguese version
The Modified Caregiver Strain Index is a widely used tool to screen for caregiver strain in family caregivers. This study presents the Portuguese version of the Modified Caregiver Strain Index and explores its psychometric properties in a sample of 347 informal caregivers of older dependent individuals. Factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure and indicated satisfactory internal consistency. Criterion-related validity was supported by posi…
Caring and Working during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Perspective of Portuguese Residential Care Facility Workers
Residential care facilities (RCF) for older people are facing high demands due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to explore the workers' perspectives on the changes in work and care dynamics amidst the first wave of the pandemic at Portuguese RCF. This is a descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional study. An online questionnaire about pandemic-induced changes in work and care dynamics was sent to 2325 RCF. These entities we…
BRAINCODE for Cognitive Impairment Diagnosis in Older Adults: Designing a Case–Control Pilot Study
An early, extensive, accurate, and cost-effective clinical diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders will have advantages for older people and their families, but also for the health and care systems sustainability and performance. BRAINCODE is a technology that assesses cognitive impairment in older people, differentiating normal from pathologic brain condition, based in an EEG biomarkers evaluation. This paper will address BRAINCODE's pilot design,…
A systematic review of sexual health and subjective well-being in older age groups
Objectives. This systematic review aimed at assessing the associations between sexual health and subjective well-being in older age groups (i.e. people aged between 40 and ≥90 years). Methods. A systematic search was conducted of the Web of Science, MEDLINE, EBSCO, Scopus, SciELO and LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature) databases for studies published until September 2021. Search strings included a combination of terms…
Attitudes and preferences of digitally skilled dementia caregivers towards online psychoeducation: A cross-sectional study
Online interventions have been explored to support informal dementia caregivers. Despite favourable evidence on the effectiveness of such interventions, substantial non-use and dropout attrition are reported. This cross-sectional study characterises attitudes and preferences of digitally skilled dementia caregivers (N = 157) towards online psychoeducational interventions (OPIs) and explores associations of attitudes with sociodemographic, context…
From the drama of unoccupied time and isolation due to Covid-19’s pandemic to the need for person-centered care at residential care facilities in Portugal
During the pandemic, restrictive measures were implemented at Portuguese residential care facilities (PRCF), such as isolating residents and ceasing collective activities. It is important to understand how PRCF are implementing activities that allow residents to occupy their time and fight isolation. As such, we aim to analyze whether: 1. new activities were implemented for residents (identifying which were carried out); 2. occupation activities …
Exploring Dementia-Friendly Environments in Long-Term Care Facilities: Perspectives from Multiple Stakeholders in Portugal
Current evidence suggests the importance of dementia-friendly environments in enhancing the well-being and quality-of-life of people living with dementia, particularly when they need to move out, either permanently or temporarily, of their own homes (e.g., long-term care facilities or hospitals). As dementia-specific regulations are currently absent in Portugal, most long-term care facilities are not designed to meet the needs of persons living w…
“I feel good in this creative world”: A multi-methods study exploring older artisans’ attributions of mental health, quality of life, and well-being to their work in a Unesco Creative City of crafts a…
In the face of global demographic shifts, it is crucial to adopt sustainable solutions that support active and healthy aging. Engagement in creative activities, such as crafts, may positively affect the social determinants of health by promoting mental, physical, and social well-being. While the use of crafts as therapeutic interventions is well documented, research on crafts as a professional activity remains limited, especially among older adul…
Family transmission of crafts and folk art: A mixed-methods study on family relationships and cohesion among artisans in a Unesco Creative City
Family encouragement and family-transmitted businesses play a crucial role in sustaining crafts and folk art across generations, serving as a key driver in safeguarding this form of intangible cultural heritage. Research on family businesses has mostly focused on business aspects, with far less attention to the family relationships and dynamics associated with them. This mixed-methods study sought to investigate how family transmission of crafts …
Medicine (17 works) · Psychology (17 works) · Gerontology (13 works) · Psychiatry (9 works) · Clinical Psychology (8 works) · Portuguese (8 works) · Clinical Psychology (6 works) · Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research (6 works) · Disease (6 works) · Nursing (6 works)