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- Exploring the perspectives of professionals involved in refugee and asylum seekers’ reception and integration on access and utilization of healthcare: a qualitative studyPublication . Pinto de Oliveira, Ana; Loesch, Regina; Conceição, Cláudia; Fronteira, InêsBackground In recent years, the number of displaced persons due to conflict, persecution, and environmental crises has significantly increased, leading to a large influx of refugees and asylum seekers in European countries, including Portugal. While the Portuguese National Health Service guarantees universal access to healthcare, numerous barriers still hinder the effective access and use of health services by refugee populations, particularly for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of professionals involved in refugee reception and integration regarding barriers to accessing and utilizing healthcare, with a particular focus on non-communicable diseases. Methods A qualitative study informed by phenomenological principles was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individual participants from December 2022 to March 2023, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, informed by phenomenological principles. Results Thirteen professionals from healthcare, reception, and integration sectors participated. Participants described a high burden of non-communicable diseases, particularly mental health conditions, alongside common risk factors such as unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and psychosocial distress. Barriers to healthcare access included cultural and linguistic challenges, bureaucratic complexity, and socioeconomic constraints. Facilitators - though less mentioned - included the involvement of cultural mediators, flexible service delivery, and intersectoral collaboration. Both refugees and professionals were described as adopting informal strategies to navigate systemic barriers. Conclusion This study provides insight into how professionals perceive refugees and asylum seekers’ health needs and their access to healthcare in Portugal. Findings highlight the interplay of structural, linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic factors shaping healthcare utilisation, informing the development of more equitable and culturally responsive health strategies.
- Psychological adjustment of adolescents in residential care: a multi-informant analysis of youth and caregiver reportsPublication . Simão, Ana; Nunes, CristinaScientific evidence shows that perception of adolescents’ psychological adjustment in residential care varies depending on the informant. This study examined discrepancies between adolescents’ self-reports and caregiver reports of psychological adjustment in 46 residential care institutions across Portugal. Data were collected from a sample of 511 adolescents (aged 12–24) and their institutional caregivers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Socially Desirable Response Set-5. Descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-tests were conducted to compare mean scores between informants. Intraclass correlation coefficients and Cohen’s Kappa were calculated to assess agreement. Results revealed significant differences across all subscales and the total difficulties score, with adolescents consistently reporting more emotional, behavioral, and peer-related problems than caregivers, regardless of sex or age. Agreement ranged from poor to moderate, with the lowest concordance for internalizing symptoms. These discrepancies underscore the role of developmental factors in shaping self- and caregiver perceptions and highlight the importance of multi-informant, developmentally sensitive assessments in residential care. Practical implications include incorporating adolescents’ perspectives into evaluation and intervention, enhancing caregiver training to recognize internalizing issues, and implementing age- and gender-tailored mental health programs.