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This article presents the results of the first survey-based study in Portugal about the level of involvement of social workers in social policies, aiming to determine if policy practice is embedded in Portuguese social workers' professional practice and which factors may enhance or constraint such practice. Combining the Civic Voluntarism Model by Verba and colleagues and the Policy Practice Engagement Model by Gal and Weiss-Gal, which were considered as the main predictors of social workers' engagement in policy practice, this study followed a quantitative approach, based on 265 valid answers to an online survey obtained through snowball sampling. The findings showed a low level of engagement in policy practice activities among the social workers, especially those requiring a greater public exposure and acting with the media, policymakers, or public officers to share opinions, make a proposition, or report a problem. Considering the main factors of the socio-political context, the professional context, the organisational context, and individual factors, the findings showed that individual factors explained most of the differences in the social workers' involvement in policy practice, especially when considering interest and efficacy. This study pointed out the need for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This chapter proposes to revisit the T.H. Marshall theory of citizenship stressing its present relevance. Departing from the author's concept of social citizenship, an analysis of the relevance of defining a decent standard of living for social policy is developed. Particularly, it is argued that the adoption of a minimum protection policy or a normative and civilizational reference safeguarding fundamental rights of citizenship in Portugal is required. We intend to highlight the consistency between Marshall's conception of social citizenship, anchored in the right to a modicum standard of economic welfare and security, and the theories of human needs. In addition, we discuss the consistency between his vision of right to civilizational inheritance attained in one's own community and consensual approaches, which favours a historical and cultural context of patterns of need satisfaction, transparency, democratic and public discussion and social construction of thresholds of human dignity safeguards. Based at theoretical, methodological and empirical levels, on the research project Minimum Income Standard in Portugal, undertaken since January 2012 by researchers from Lisbon University and Catholic University of Portugal, this chapter consists of an exploratory analysis of the citizen's rationalities when discussing what one should have to attain an adequate standard of living in Portugal. Data was collected qualitatively by means of nine focus groups, corresponding to the initial stage of the field work of the research project (orientation groups). Findings point to the existence of sensitive contact points, summed up as the reference to the five giants of social policy; the concern with safety and security, and the reference to prevailing standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) was created in Portugal by a centre‐left Socialist Party government in 1996, as the most important constitutive part of a 'new generation of active social policies,' which completed the existence in Portugal of a universal system of guaranteed income. Its transformation into a Social Integration Income (SII) in 2003 and its retrenchment in the period of the Great Recession and troika austerity (2011–2015) has reduced the scope of this policy measure as a universal safety net policy. This article examines the context and the major drivers for the creation and for the policy changes that occurred in the GMI/SII. Looking at the political debates and the changes in this policy measure along this period, we argue that the major reforms introduced since its creation reflect ideological cleavages within the political arena. Considering the very low share in total government current expenditure of GMI/SII, this can explain the social policy selective retreat associated to the changes introduced in this policy measure by the centre‐right coalition in government, in the latest period of cost containment of social policy in Portugal, leading to a great decrease in the number of beneficiaries and to an increase of its inadequacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication in patients with cancer and causes considerable morbidity and mortality. The risk of VTE is higher in patients with pancreatic cancer and is often associated with treatment delays or interruptions. Recently, the ONKOTEV score was proposed as a VTE risk predictor model for patients with cancer, but its validation is still ongoing. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to determine the incidence of VTE and to evaluate the ONKOTEV score as a VTE predictive tool in a population of patients with pancreatic cancer. Results: Between February 2012 and May 2017, 165 patients were included in the study. The median age was 73 years, 45.5% of patients were female, and 55.8% had stage IV disease. Fifty‐one patients had a VTE (30.9%); 23.5% had pulmonary embolism, 25.5% had deep venous thrombosis, and 51.0% had visceral VTE (VsT). At a median follow‐up time of 6.3 months, cumulative incidence of VTE was less than 10% for ONKOTEV scores 0 or 1 and approximately 40% and 70% for scores 2 and ≥3, respectively. Conclusion: The high VTE incidence observed in this study is consistent with prior reports. Patients at high risk for VTE with no increase in hemorrhagic risk should be considered for primary thromboprophylaxis. The ONKOTEV score may stratify VTE risk in patients with pancreatic cancer, with ONKOTEV score ≥2 being associated with a higher VTE occurrence. Implications for Practice: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication of patients with pancreatic cancer and causes considerable morbidity, treatment delays or interruptions, and mortality. Thromboprophylaxis is not used routinely in ambulatory patients. Tools to stratify the risk of VTE are important to help select patients who may benefit from thromboprophylaxis. Recently, the ONKOTEV score was proposed as a VTE risk predictor model for patients with cancer, but its validation is still ongoing. In this patient series, ONKOTEV score ≥2 was associated with high VTE occurrence and may stratify VTE risk in patients with pancreatic cancer, suggesting that ONKOTEV can be considered to select patients with pancreatic cancer for primary thromboprophylaxis. Venous thromboembolism is a common complication of pancreatic cancer. This retrospective study was conducted to determine the incidence of VTE and to evaluate the ONKOTEV score as a VTE predictive tool in a pancreatic cancer population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the general framework of social work education in Portugal covering its beginnings and more recent milestones. It focuses on the dynamics of break and continuity between its pivotal socio-political periods and international influences. The social work education itinerary in Portugal during the period between the Republican Regime foundation (1910), the constitution of Estado Novo (1933-1945), the succession of Salazar (1968), the revolutionary crises associated with the Carnation Revolution of 1974, and the academicisation period (1989 to the present) will be revisited, paying special attention to the underpinnings of theory and knowledge, social and political issues, and the impact on social work practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the reconstitution of the social professions' itinerary in Portugal during the i and ii Republic, during the period that unfolds between its foundation (1910), the constitution of Estado Novo (1933-1945) and the succession of Salazar (1968), exploring, in particular, the visitadoras (visitors) as one of the central and paradigmatic characters of the constitution of social professions. The paper carries out an historiographical reconstitution based on secondary sources, exploring, especially, the influential figures and movements in the establishment of these emerging professions, the dynamics of rupture and continuity between its pivotal periods, international influences, as well as its gender dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The institution of public policy schemes and the bureaucratization of social policy systems provided the historical structural context for the consolidation of social work as a profession. Rapidly, the profession became mainly public and its scope as policy administrator has deeply enlarged. Many have argued that in this process social work have gradually been drained from its core foundations and turned into an administrative and managerial practice. The trend in contemporary societies is for the reinforcement of an instrumental rationality focused on competitiveness, efficiency, efficacy and result-oriented practice; this rationale is not alien for social work, which more and more is influenced by this kind of inspiration. The consequences have been diverse and topics like the de-professionalization thesis, managerialism and evidence- based practice are definitely in social work agenda. In this sense, new influences in social policy have a strong implication in social work and, otherwise, the ways in which social workers face the mission of the profession strongly condition the horizons to which social policy can aim at. The new directions in social policy towards activation, individualisation, contractualization and so forth are key elements for the comprehension of today's social work practice. This paper will discuss how active social policy gave birth to an "active social work" and what kind of issues does it raise to the profession, taking into account the acknowledged IFSW definition of social work. One of the most relevant discussions in this realm concerns the notion of empowerment and its extent from individual to community levels. The analysis will rely under data collected from empirical studies on social work and social policy in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]