The overall aim of research group Supportive Environments for Public Health and Health Promotion is to study the interactions between the physical/social environment and health at family/community levels and, on this basis, to develop new preventive approaches throughout life.
Environmental and other determinants of health, as well as the distribution of disease, with a focus on topics such as healthy and active aging, climate change, and family health in the context of primary care, including health information technologies, and vulnerable groups. In this context, it is structured around three major areas of research:
a) Healthy and active aging and adequacy of care systems
b) Family health in the context of primary health care.
c) Healthy environments, where people lives and where people work as workplaces
The approach of these areas is supported in promoting health literacy focused the use of health technology tools to empower people in health management and disease control and the use of health and health care information to health monitoring and support health policies.
Recent publications:
Costa A, Henriques J, Alarcão V, Madeira T, Virgolino A, Henriques A, Feteira-Santos R, Polley M, Arriaga M, Nogueira P. Social prescribing for older adults in mainland Portugal: Perceptions and future prospects. Prev Med Rep. 2024 Feb 11;39:102652. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102652
Alarcão V, Candeias P, Stefanovska-Petkovska M, Neves J, Pintassilgo S, Machado FL, Santos O, Virgolino A, Santos RR, Heitor MJ, Costa A. Insights from the EQUALS4COVID19 study on migrant mental health in Portugal: a cross-sectional mixed-methods approach. BMC Public Health. 2024 Jul 29;24(1):2023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19563-x
Costa A, Henriques J, Alarcão V, Henriques A, Madeira T, Virgolino A, Sousa J, Feteira-Santos R, Arriaga M, Rocha J, Nogueira P. Active aging awareness and well-being among older adults in Portugal. Front Public Health. 2023 Apr 12;11:1149731. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1149731
Feteira-Santos R, Camarinha C, de Araújo Nobre M, Elias C, Bacelar-Nicolau L, Silva Costa A, Furtado C, Nogueira PJ. Improving morbidity information in Portugal: Evidence from data linkage of COVID-19 cases surveillance and mortality systems. Int J Med Inform. 2022 Jul;163:104763. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104763
Sul S, Ferreira L, Maia AC, Coelho A, Costa A. Sexually Transmitted Infections and Health Literacy: A Community-Based Preventive Program. J Prim Care Community Health. 2023 Jan-Dec;14:21501319231159973. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319231159973
Head:
Andreia Costa