A cognitive-behavioral therapy-based intervention could be useful in reducing weight in a clinical population taking antipsychotics, with consequent benefit to physical and mental health.

This study aimed to describe and analyze the activities in elderly groups at basic health care units. Suffering from chronic-degenerative diseases, the elderly need continuous and more frequent health care. This can be facilitated by group actions, privileging educational activities. We found great diversity in methods, responsible teams and group composition. As to the patients, this activity allows for a better understanding and acceptance of the illness, as well as for the recovery of social roles and the occupation of leisure time. For services, the groups permit increased bonding. However, this requires training and permanent education for professionals, with a view to a significant dialogue. The increasing tendency of these actions in Campinas/SP is accompanying the guidelines of the Family Health PAIDEIA project. The group is a possible and privileged space to apply the PAIDEIA method.

Tendo por preocupação a melhor qualidade e resolutividade na atenção à saúde dos idosos e sabendo serem eles portadores de um quadro de múltipla morbidade de difícil controle e prevenção, buscou-se conhecer este problema sob a perspectiva dos próprios sujeitos: seu entendimento acerca do processo de adoecimento e dos cuidados necessários. Por meio de estudo qualitativo, constatou-se que a percepção do adoecer entre os idosos fundamenta-se em seu contexto de vida e na referência da capacidade para o trabalho. Foram demonstrados o acesso a serviços de saúde e o conhecimento técnico das enfermidades, descritas pela presença de sinais e sintomas, e fatores causais e associados. Entretanto, enquanto experiências pessoais que incorporam vivências de cuidado, as narrativas necessitam ser compartilhadas, analisando-se suas mediações o que permitiria aos profissionais de saúde uma aproximação ao contexto do adoecer e do envelhecer, e ao processo de aceitação e, assim, a um cuidado integral e fundado na busca de autonomia.

Background: The achievement of recovery is related to the notion of developing personal potential and restoring a legitimate social role, even against the backdrop of mental illness limitations. It is still difficult to fully understand this highly subjective and dynamic process. Therefore, in order to test the recovery process, specific tools, still only marginally used in our country, are needed. Aims: The Italian Study on Recovery is the first study aimed at confirming the validity of the Italian version of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), an instrument developed with the goal of detecting recovery among patients. Method: This multicentric research involved several Mental Health Services from various parts of Italy. The first phase of the study consisted in the administration of the Italian translation of RAS, previously used in a pilot study conducted in 2009. RAS was administered to 219 patients diagnosed with psychosis, whose mental disorder lasted for at least 5 years. Results: Findings supported the good psychometric properties of the Italian version of RAS, demonstrating its capability of identifying patients matching the "in recovery" operational criteria. Conclusions: In consideration of the results highlighting the good psychometric properties of RAS, the present study may contribute to the diffusion of instruments to be included in Mental Health Service planning in the Italian context, in order to start a recovery-oriented transformation.

Background:The characterization of risk factors for dementia and protective factors for the maintenance of healthy aging remains a relevant area for research. For this reason, the way people interact with the world around them and, therefore, some psychological and personality characteristics of individuals, seem to determine behavioral patterns that are associated with better health throughout life and, consequently, prevent the progression of early cognitive changes to dementia.