Publication
Medicina Preventiva: a sua prática vista pelos alunos finalistas de mestrado integrado em medicina em Portugal
| Summary: | Introduction: Preventive medicine (PM) can be effective if based on the most up-to-date evidence, conducted through "check-ups" or "preventive consultations," and should be studied even at the undergraduate level.Objectives: To assess the knowledge of final-year students of the Integrated Master's in Medicine (IMM) in the year 2024-2025 in Portugal regarding the practice of PM and its risks.Methods: After ethical approval, a cross-sectional observational study was conducted via an online questionnaire across all Medical Schools, presenting a clinical case for preventive intervention, specifically exams to request, recommendations to give, and the recommended frequency, for a healthy 53-year-old woman. Possible consequences of PM were inquired. The recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force and the Directorate-General for Health were followed.Results: In a sample of 119 students, 68.9% female and 2.5% with no declared gender, each student selected, on average, 70% of the suggested preventive exams. Highlighted, with annual frequency, were the lipid profile (60.5%), fasting blood glucose (61.4%), and complete blood count (61.4%). An average of 92% of preventive recommendations were proposed, with a particularly high rate of oncological screenings (breast: 97.5%; cervical: 92.4%; colorectal: 91.6%). For 66.7% of the students, routine check-ups should be annual. Consequences related to overdiagnosis (51.3%), overtreatment (37.8%), and the performance of more exams (37%) were less considered compared to "Improvement in risk factor control" (80.7%), "Feeling of security in their well-being" (73.9%), and "Greater control of their health status" (71.4%), which were the most selected.Discussion: The preventive guidelines questioned and the usefulness of routine consultations in pre-graduation were well known, while quaternary prevention was less valued.Conclusion: The appropriate frequency for exams and routine check-ups and the understanding of their risks are aspects to improve, in an environment of good knowledge regarding the conduct of a PM consultation. |
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| Main Authors: | Matias, Filipa Araújo |
| Subject: | Preventive Medicine Medical Students Preventive Care Women/Female Gender Medicina Preventiva Alunos de Medicina Cuidados Preventivos Mulher/Sexo Feminino |
| Year: | 2026 |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Document type: | master thesis |
| Access type: | open access |
| Associated institution: | Universidade de Coimbra |
| Language: | Portuguese |
| Origin: | Estudo Geral - Universidade de Coimbra |
| Summary: | Introduction: Preventive medicine (PM) can be effective if based on the most up-to-date evidence, conducted through "check-ups" or "preventive consultations," and should be studied even at the undergraduate level.Objectives: To assess the knowledge of final-year students of the Integrated Master's in Medicine (IMM) in the year 2024-2025 in Portugal regarding the practice of PM and its risks.Methods: After ethical approval, a cross-sectional observational study was conducted via an online questionnaire across all Medical Schools, presenting a clinical case for preventive intervention, specifically exams to request, recommendations to give, and the recommended frequency, for a healthy 53-year-old woman. Possible consequences of PM were inquired. The recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force and the Directorate-General for Health were followed.Results: In a sample of 119 students, 68.9% female and 2.5% with no declared gender, each student selected, on average, 70% of the suggested preventive exams. Highlighted, with annual frequency, were the lipid profile (60.5%), fasting blood glucose (61.4%), and complete blood count (61.4%). An average of 92% of preventive recommendations were proposed, with a particularly high rate of oncological screenings (breast: 97.5%; cervical: 92.4%; colorectal: 91.6%). For 66.7% of the students, routine check-ups should be annual. Consequences related to overdiagnosis (51.3%), overtreatment (37.8%), and the performance of more exams (37%) were less considered compared to "Improvement in risk factor control" (80.7%), "Feeling of security in their well-being" (73.9%), and "Greater control of their health status" (71.4%), which were the most selected.Discussion: The preventive guidelines questioned and the usefulness of routine consultations in pre-graduation were well known, while quaternary prevention was less valued.Conclusion: The appropriate frequency for exams and routine check-ups and the understanding of their risks are aspects to improve, in an environment of good knowledge regarding the conduct of a PM consultation. |
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