Browsing by Author "Mendes, Sandra"
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- Growing in the shadows of suicidePublication . Costa, Ana Vera; Mendes, Sandra; Pires, Ana Sofia; Melo, Sara; Borges, Sandra; Jorge, Joana; Mendes, GraçaIntroduction: Children/adolescents mourning the death of a primary caregiver face several challenges, including bond breaking and family restructuring due to loss. The negative connotation associated with suicide loss is enhanced by stigma, increasing acceptance difficulties and feelings of isolation, abandonment, shame, and guilt in face of what happened. Objective: The aim of this study was to retrieve data on childhood bereavement due to primary caregiver suicide and explore psychopathological and psycho-affective developmental consequences of this type of grief. Methods: Literature review of articles published on PubMed database about the subject. Results and Discussion: Bereavement of a suicidal parent is associated with multiple psychopathological conditions: mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, self-injurious behavior, suicidal behavior. Suicide and depressive disorder risk is higher when parental death occurred early in life course, with maternal suicide having greater impact. Antidepressants are more commonly used in cases of early parental death from suicide and are associated with increased hospitalizations for Major Depression and Bipolar Affective Disorder in adulthood. Consequences of parental death by suicide may be explained by several factors, as genetics, biological reactions, psychological factors originated from loss of an attachment figure, or social and environmental changes. Conclusions: Parental suicide can be impactful for children’s developmental trajectory and later functioning level. The authors alert to the need for prevention and early intervention strategies associated with this process.
- Profiling Persistent Asthma Phenotypes in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Diagnostic Evaluation from the INSPIRERS StudiesPublication . Amaral, Rita; Jácome, Cristina; Almeida, Rute; Pereira, Ana Margarida; Alves-Correia, Magna; Mendes, Sandra; Rodrigues, José Carlos Cidrais; Carvalho, Joana; Araújo, Luís; Costa, Alberto; Silva, Armandina; Teixeira, Fernanda; Ferreira-Magalhães, Manuel; Alves, Rodrigo Rodrigues; Moreira, Ana Sofia; Fernandes, Ricardo M.; Ferreira, Rosário; Pinto, Paula Leiria; Neuparth, Nuno; Bordalo, Diana; Bom, Ana Todo; Cálix, Maria José; Ferreira, Tânia; Gomes, Joana; Vidal, Carmen; Mendes, Ana; Vasconcelos, Maria João; Silva, Pedro Morais; Ferraz, José; Morête, Ana; Pinto, Claúdia Sofia; Santos, Natacha; Loureiro, Claúdia Chaves; Arrobas, Ana; Marques, Maria Luís; Lozoya, Carlos; Lopes, Cristina; Cardia, Francisca; Loureiro, Carla Chaves; Câmara, Raquel; Vieira, Inês; Silva, Sofia da; Silva, Eurico; Rodrigues, Natalina; Fonseca, João A.We aimed to identify persistent asthma phenotypes among adolescents and to evaluate longitudinally asthma-related outcomes across phenotypes. Adolescents (13-17 years) from the prospective, observational, and multicenter INSPIRERS studies, conducted in Portugal and Spain, were included (n = 162). Latent class analysis was applied to demographic, environmental, and clinical variables, collected at a baseline medical visit. Longitudinal differences in clinical variables were assessed at a 4-month follow-up telephone contact (n = 128). Three classes/phenotypes of persistent asthma were identified. Adolescents in class 1 (n = 87) were highly symptomatic at baseline and presented the highest number of unscheduled healthcare visits per month and exacerbations per month, both at baseline and follow-up. Class 2 (n = 32) was characterized by female predominance, more frequent obesity, and uncontrolled upper/lower airways symptoms at baseline. At follow-up, there was a significant increase in the proportion of controlled lower airway symptoms (p < 0.001). Class 3 (n = 43) included mostly males with controlled lower airways symptoms; at follow-up, while keeping symptom control, there was a significant increase in exacerbations/month (p = 0.015). We have identified distinct phenotypes of persistent asthma in adolescents with different patterns in longitudinal asthma-related outcomes, supporting the importance of profiling asthma phenotypes in predicting disease outcomes that might inform targeted interventions and reduce future risk.