Despite the increased knowledge about the prevalence and consequences of eating disorders (ED), they continue to be underdiagnosed and undertreated. Being more common in women of childbearing age, the perinatal period may play a decisive role in the incidence and course of these pathologies. The Screen for Disordered Eating (SDE) was developed for the screen of ED in primary care.

Our aim was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Portuguese Version of SDE in women during the perinatal period.

Participants were 346 women with a mean age of 31.68 of years old (± 4.061; range: 18-42). 160 were pregnant (second or third trimester) and 186 were in the post-partum (mean baby´s age=4.37 months (± 2.87; range: 1-12). They answered an online survey including the Portuguese version of the SDE and of the Eating Disorder Examination – Questionnaire (EDE-Q-7).

Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that the unidimensional model presented good fit indexes in pregnancy (), post-partum () and considering both – perinatal period (χ2/df=2.0335; RMSEA=.0547, p<.001; CFI=0.9976 TLI=0.9939, GFI=0.9906). The Cronbach’s alfa were ≥ 0.65. All the items contributed to the internal consistency and presented high internal validity. Pearson correlations between SDE and EDE-Q-7 total scores were significant (p<.001) positive and high in pregnancy (.639), postpartum (.583) and the perinatal period (.617).

The Portuguese version of SDE has shown good validity (construct and concurrent) and internal consistency. As such, SDE might be a useful tool to screen ED in women during the perinatal period.

None Declared

Craniofacial malformations have long been associated with a heightened risk of psychiatric disorders. Understanding this link is crucial, as it can inform early intervention and support for affected individuals, enhancing their overall well-being. Research in this area aims to shed light on the prevalence and nature of these disorders within the craniofacial population, ultimately improving healthcare and quality of life for affected individuals.

This study aims to establish a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between craniofacial malformations and psychiatric disorders. Specifically, our objectives include: assessing prevalence, identifying risk factors, evaluating impact and informing clinical practice. This research aims to improve the holistic care and mental well-being of individuals with craniofacial malformations, contributing to a more comprehensive approach in the field of psychiatry.

This cross-sectional study was conducted at a prominent referral hospital named Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre during the month of August 2023.

Participant Selection: Patients with craniofacial malformations of all ages and both genders.

Data Collection: We conducted structured interviews with participants to gather demographic information, medical history, and details of their craniofacial conditions.

Medical Records Review: Medical records were reviewed to corroborate craniofacial diagnoses and identify any comorbid conditions.

Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques to assess the association between craniofacial malformations and psychiatric disorders.

Ethical Considerations: The study adhered to all ethical guidelines, with informed consent obtained from participants or their legal guardians. Ethical approval was obtained from the hospital’s Institutional Review Board.

Data Handling: Confidentiality and data security were ensured throughout the study, with all data anonymized to protect participant privacy.

In our study, we assessed 132 different patients, comprising 62 females and 70 males. The youngest patient was 2 months old, while the oldest was 56 years old. The mean age of the patients was 16.22 years, with a median of 9 years, a harmonic mean of 18 years, and a standard deviation of 15.23 years.

Among the patients, 24 exhibited psychiatric disorders, evenly split between 12 males and 12 females. Their average age was 16.21 years, with a median of 10 years, a harmonic mean of 6.13, and a standard deviation of 14.57. The youngest patient with evidence of a psychiatric disorder was 2 years old.

Image:

Image 2:

Our study underscores the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among craniofacial patients, which seems to be greater than the general population, emphasizing the need for integrated care that considers both medical and psychological aspects, thus enhancing the overall well-being of these individuals.

None Declared

The EDE-Q-7 Portuguese version presented good reliability and validity in Portuguese women fro the general population (Pereira et al. 2022).

The aim of our study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the EDE-Q-7 in a sample of Portuguese women during the perinatal period.

Participants were 346 women with a mean age of 31.68 of years old (± 4.061; range: 18-42). 160 were pregnant (second or third trimester) and 186 were in the post-partum (mean baby´s age=4.37 months (± 2.87; range: 1-12). They answered an online survey including the Portuguese version of the EDE-Q-7 and of the Screen for Disordered Eating/SDE.

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) presented adequate fit, in pregnancy (χ2/df=; RMSEA=, p<.001; CFI=; TLI=; GFI=), postpartum (χ2/df=; RMSEA=, p<.001; CFI=; TLI=; GFI=) and considering both – perinatal period (χ2/df=2.7998; RMSEA=.0722, p<.001; CFI=.9709; TLI=.9444; GFI=.9761). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were >0.90 for the total and approximately .70 for the three factors - Dietary restraint, Shape/weight overvaluation and Body dissatisfaction. All the items contributed to the internal consistency and presented high internal consistency. Pearson correlations between factors and total scores were significant, positive and high, as well as between the EDE-Q-7 measures and SDE (>.60 with the total; >.40 with the factors), in pregnancy, postpartum and considering both periods.

Presented sound psychometric properties across the perinatal period, the EDE-Q-7 and can be very useful to evaluate the presence and severity of eating disorders symptoms in women in pregnancy and post-partum.

None Declared

The perinatal period may intensify weight and body image concerns. Due to its specifics, the traditional body image scales are inaccurate in the perinatal period (Fuller-Tyszkiewicz et al. 2013). The Body Image Concerns During Pregnancy (Uçar et al. 2018) was developed to measures this cognitive-emotional variable in pregnancy.

To analyze the psychometric properties of the Portuguese adapted (both for pregnancy and postpartum) version of the Body Image Concerns during the Perinatal Period (BICPP), namely its construct validity and the internal consistency.

A sample of 346 women recruited through social media and Family Health Units, assessed in the second trimester of pregnancy (mean gestational age=28.11±7.67 weeks) and after delivery (baby’s age 4.37±2.87 months), completed a survey including the Portuguese BICPP.

The total sample was randomly divided into two sub-samples: sample A (n=173) was used to perform an exploratory factor analysis/EFA; sample B (n=173) to perform a confirmatory factor analysis/CFA.

EFA resulted in four components. CFA revealed that the second-order model with four factors presented good fit indexes (X2/df=2.4141; CFI=.9195; GFI=.948; TLI=.9028; GFI=.8181; RMSEA=.0807). BICPP Cronbach alphas was α=.936; for F1 Concern about future weight and image, F2 Concern with the new body image, F3 Social avoidance and concern and F4 Concern with appearance were .922, .930, .809, .807, respectively.

This psychometric study provides evidence for the validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of BIC-Perinatal Period, which will be used in an ongoing research project on the relationship between eating, depressive and anxiety disorders in the perinatal period.

None Declared

Craniofacial surgery is a specialized field that addresses congenital and acquired deformities of the head and face. While the physical outcomes of craniofacial surgery are well-documented, less attention has been given to the psychological well-being of adult patients. This abstract aims to explore self-esteem issues among adult patients treated at the Craniofacial Surgery Sector of HCPA (Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre), where a substantial proportion of adult patients have reported self-esteem problems.

1. 1. To assess the prevalence of self-esteem issues among adult patients (≥18 years old) attending the HCPA Craniofacial Surgery Sector.

2. 2. To examine potential contributing factors to self-esteem problems in this specific patient population.

3. 3. To evaluate the impact of self-esteem on the mental health and psychosocial functioning of adult craniofacial surgery patients.

4. 4. To propose recommendations for psychosocial support and intervention strategies tailored to the needs of adult patients in this context.

This cross-sectional study involved 132 adult patients who had undergone or were scheduled for craniofacial surgery at HCPA. Participants reported self-esteem issues in their talk with the hospital’s physicians, and their medical records were reviewed to collect demographic and clinical data. Additionally, participants provided information about their mental health status and psychosocial functioning.

Among the 39 adult patients included in the study, 37 (94.9%) reported experiencing self-esteem issues, such as lack of confidence or feeling unattractive. The most commonly reported contributing factors were visible facial differences, social interactions, and prior surgical experiences. Patients with lower self-esteem had a higher likelihood of reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety and reported lower overall psychosocial functioning compared to those with higher self-esteem.

This reveals a strikingly high prevalence of self-esteem issues among adult patients attending the Craniofacial Surgery Sector at HCPA. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing the psychological well-being of adult craniofacial surgery patients. Comprehensive psychosocial support, including counseling, peer support, and interventions to enhance self-esteem, should be integrated into the care of these patients. By addressing self-esteem concerns, healthcare providers can improve the mental health and overall quality of life of adult craniofacial surgery patients.

None Declared

The Pierre-Robin sequence (PRS), characterized by micrognathia, glossoptosis, and cleft palate, has long been a subject of clinical interest. Recent research suggests a potential association between PRS and cognitive or psychiatric disorders. This study explores this intriguing connection, shedding light on the complex interplay between craniofacial anomalies and mental health.

This study aims to establish a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between Pierre-Robin Sequence and psychiatric disorders. Specifically, our objectives include: assessing prevalence, evaluating impact and informing clinical practice. This research aims to improve the holistic care and mental well-being of individuals with craniofacial malformations, contributing to a more comprehensive approach in the field of psychiatry.

This cross-sectional study was conducted at a prominent referral hospital named Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, an international reference in Pierre-Robin Sequence, during the month of August 2023.

Participant Selection: Patients with PRS. Inclusion criteria encompassed individuals of all ages and both genders.

Data Collection: Trained medical personnel conducted structured interviews with participants to gather demographic information, medical history, and details of their craniofacial conditions.

Medical Records Review: Medical records were reviewed to corroborate craniofacial diagnoses and identify any comorbid conditions.

Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques to assess the association between PRS and psychiatric disorders.

Ethical Considerations: The study adhered to all ethical guidelines, with informed consent obtained from participants or their legal guardians. Ethical approval was obtained from the hospital’s Institutional Review Board.

Data Handling: Confidentiality and data security were ensured throughout the study, with all data anonymized to protect participant privacy.

In our study, we assessed 28 different patients with Pierre-Robin Sequence, comprising 13 females and 15 males. The youngest patient was 2 months old, while the oldest was 22 years old. The mean age of the patients was 4.75 years, with a median of 3 years and a standard deviation of 5.36 years.

Among the patients, 6 exhibited psychiatric disorders, split between 4 males and 2 females. Their average age was 10 years, with a median of 9 years and a standard deviation of 4.2. The youngest patient with evidence of a psychiatric disorder was 5 years old.

This study underscores a concerning reality within the Pierre-Robin population, pointing to a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders. These findings highlight the urgent need for integrated care, emphasizing the importance of early psychiatric assessment and tailored interventions to enhance the overall well-being of individuals facing the challenges of PRS.

None Declared

Dementia is associated with a high burden of disease, impacting patients, families and society. Nevertheless, related epidemiological data is becoming outdated, given the difficulties of implementing costly and laborious fieldwork surveys. Data is also difficult to retrieve from health and social services’ information systems. Overall, we must improve the feasibility and validity of case definition regarding dementia and the assessment of caregivers’ consequences. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group diagnostic algorithm is a cross-culturally valid method(1). A ‘short 10/66’ was also validated(2), but not in Portugal. We intend to assess its feasibility and validity in Portuguese samples, using REDcap (a browser-based, metadata-driven software) in mobile devices. Additionally, we aim to assess dementia family caregivers’ subjective burden and psychological distress, contrasting primary care and hospital outpatient settings.

A multicentre mixed-methods study will be conducted on fifty dyads of older people with dementia and their caregivers, plus 150 dyads of ‘controls’ and their close family members, as informants. The ‘short 10/66’ will be administered. Dementia caregivers’ assessments include the Zarit Burden Interview and Self-report Questionnaire. Quantitative analyses will estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the ‘short 10/66’ dementia case definition. Semi-structured qualitative interviews will be conducted with participants and research assistants, exploring their experiences with the assessment process; thematic analysis will then be used.

We expect this study to facilitate the diagnosis of dementia and data collection in health/social services on a routine basis, which will potentially improve the feasibility and decrease the costs of epidemiological surveys and allow for prevalence monitoring in Portugal.

Sleep disorders (e.g., insomnia) are extremely prevalent in our population and are intimately associated with distress and productivity impairment. It is estimated that between 40 to 60% of people suffering from a sleep disorder have an underlying psychiatric diagnosis.

Mindfulness, which is described as the quality or state of being self-conscious or aware of something, has shown to be a potential helpful therapy in insomnia.

Therefore, and due to the lack of new and effective treatment approaches, we did a non-systematic review of the positive impact of mindfulness in quality of sleep.

Bibliographic research through PubMed, Web of Science and Springer Link.

The mindfulness tools that may be linked to its therapeutic effects include the awareness state and conscious posture to respond when perceiving insomnia symptoms, as well as the modulation of sleep-related arousal courses. These can be primary when directly related to the inability to sleep, or secondary if considering the relationship with thoughts about sleep (such as the tendency to create bias in the attention and perception of sleep related thoughts).

Formerly, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MTPC) was designed for the treatment of chronic depression and has shown to be efficacious. It was hypothesized that interoceptive dysfunction in the insula, commonly observed in anxiety and depression, may respond to MTPC by the gained interoceptive awareness, which provides advantage to adapt to life challenges and ongoing adjustments.

Based on the currently available literature, mindfulness-based strategies may be a valuable treatment option in sleep disorders, especially for patients with concomitant mental illness. Therefore, it is necessary further research to standardize in terms of type of approach, duration, and outcome measures since it seems promising as an intervention for insomnia.

None Declared

Suicide in older people is a critical public and mental health issue which requires attention, given that the ageing population is increasing.

Multiple factors, including biological, psychological, and social stressors increase suicidal susceptibility. Unfortunately, elderly are more susceptible to these, such as psychiatric disturbances, physical comorbidities, prior suicide-related behaviours, lack of social support, grief, and increased difficulty in problem-solving

In order to review the risk and protective factors, assessment and prevention of suicide in older adults.

Bibliographic research through PubMed and Web of Science.

Older people can be subdivided into three age groups (from “young old” at 65 years old to “oldest old” after 85 years of age), with suicide being more prevalent in the oldest-old, and overall in men above 75 years old.

Previous psychiatric background, suicidal attempts, substance abuse, poor physical health or disability, family psychiatric history, low social support or isolation, and finantial stress most frequently predispose to suicidal ideation, suicide attempts or death by suicide in this community.

Besides this, ageing relates to a tendency to cognitive impairment, which affects coping mechanisms, leading to deficits in reasoning and decision-making under stressful circumstances during depressive episodes. This can mediate suicidal ideation and associates to greater lethality methods. Geriatric suicidal attempters have been shown to have greater degrees of cortical and subcortical cerebral areas, including the frontal, parietal and temporal regions, as well as significant loss of volume in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, insula, midbrain, cerebellum, lentiform nucleus and putamen. Abnormalities in these regions can impair executive and cognitive function, attention, problem solving and ultimately be responsible for suicidal behaviour.

On the other hand, there are suicide protective elements such as physical and cognitive fitness, quality of life and life satisfaction, marital status, religiousness and social support. A prompt identification of modifiable risk factors and strengthening the protective ones by health professionals can reduce this prospect.

Suicidal ideation in older people is a multifactorial public health concern given the very high frequency of completed suicides in this population. Therefore, it is urgent to review and further research to build more effective suicide prevention strategies.

None Declared

Postpartum depression, refers to depressive symptoms within a 12-month period after the birth of an infant in a new father or mother. It’s have been a growing mental health concern, as it is one of the leading causes of poor familial and infant health outcomes. Despite the growing attention being given to fathers’ depression, including in Portugal, prevalence data and its possible correlates are still scarce compared to depression in mothers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To explore and compare levels of depressive symptomatology and to analyze potential correlates for postpartum depression in Portuguese new mothers and fathers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

153 men and 187 women (mean age: 36.61± 4.99 vs. 32.98 ±5.00 years, respectively) were recruited in the perinatal period (7.29±3.22 vs 8.58± 0.97 months post-partum) and answered to an online survey that included questions related to sociodemographic and psychosocial variables and validated questionnaires: Perinatal Depression Screening Scale (PDSS), Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (for Repetitive Negative Thinking/RNT) and Dysfunctional Beliefs Towards Motherhood/Fatherhood Scale (DBTM/F). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 26 for Mac).

New-mothers had significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms than new-fathers (41.89±16.94 VS. 33.95±14.99, p<.001). Based on the PDSS’ cutoff point the prevalence of clinically relevant depressive symptoms in male and female progenitors was 21.6% and 39.6%, respectively (p<.001).

DBTF were significantly higher compared to DBTM (p<.05). Male and female progenitors did not differ regarding levels of RNT.

DBT-M/F (r».40) and RNT (r>.55) significantly and positively correlated with PDSS scores.

In both genders, DBT-M/F and RNT significantly (p<.01) predicted PDSS scores explaining 33.8% (Beta: DBT=.136, p=.050; RNT=.538, p<.01) of its variance in fathers and 50.4% in mothers (Beta: DBT=.218, p=.001; RNT=.565, p<.01).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Portuguese recent mothers had higher levels of depressive symptoms when compared to recent fathers. However, in both new mothers and fathers, depressive symptoms’ prevalence and severity were higher than the figures found in samples of new parents outside of the pandemic period and of samples from the general population. Addressing DBT-M/F, as well as RNT, in recent parents, could be relevant in preventing/improving their depressive symptoms.

None Declared

The Portuguese version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S; Cabaços et al. 2021), composed of seven items, presented good validity and reliability to be used in general population. To be used within perinatal context, specifically in the postpartum period, we have added an item related to the baby (item 8 – “I’m afraid my baby will be infected with coronavirus-19”).

To analyze the psychometric properties of Portuguese adapted version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale for the postpartum period (FCV-19SP), namely construct validity, internal consistency, and convergent validity.

207 women (mean age= 33.51 ± 5.23 years) recruited in the postpartum period (9,06 ± 8,52 months after delivery) fill in a set of self-reported validated questionnaires: Perinatal Depression Screening Scale (PDSS), Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) and Coronavirus-19 Fear Scale for the postpartum period (FCV-19SP).

CFA revealed that the unifactorial model composed of eight items presented good fit indexes (X2/df=1.508; CFI=.991; GFI=.974; TLI=.983; p[RMSEA≤.01] = .049), better than those of the seven items version (X2/df=3.963; CFI=.957; GFI=.909; TLI=.905; p[RMSEA≤.01] =.219). Cronbach alpha for the FCV-19SPP was α=.880. The total score significantly (p<.01) and moderately correlated with PDSS (r=.262) and PASS (r=.371).

The FCV-19SP is a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess fear of COVID-19 in women in the postpartum period.

No significant relationships.

Minority and older adult patients remain underrepresented in cancer clinical trials (CCTs). The current study sought to examine sociodemographic inequities in CCT interest, eligibility, enrollment, decline motivation, and attrition across two psychosocial CCTs for gynecologic, gastrointestinal, and thoracic cancers.

Patients were approached for recruitment to one of two interventions: (1) a randomized control trial (RCT) examining effects of a cognitive-behavioral intervention targeting sleep, pain, mood, cytokines, and cortisol following surgery, or (2) a yoga intervention to determine its feasibility, acceptability, and effects on mitigating distress. Prospective RCT participants were queried about interest and screened for eligibility. All eligible patients across trials were offered enrollment. Patients who declined yoga intervention enrollment provided reasons for decline. Sociodemographic predictors of enrollment decisions and attrition were explored.

No sociodemographic differences in RCT interest were observed, and older patients were more likely to be ineligible. Eligible Hispanic patients across trials were significantly more likely to enroll than non-Hispanic patients. Sociodemographic factors predicted differences in decline motivation. In one trial, individuals originating from more urban areas were more likely to prematurely discontinue participation.

These results corroborate evidence of no significant differences in CCT interest across minority groups, with older adults less likely to fulfill eligibility criteria. While absolute Hispanic enrollment was modest, Hispanic patients were more likely to enroll relative to non-Hispanic patients. Additional sociodemographic trends were noted in decline motivation and geographical prediction of attrition. Further investigation is necessary to better understand inequities, barriers, and best recruitment practices for representative CCTs.