The EQUALS4COVID19 project aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and the physical, mental, and social well-being of the immigrant population in Portugal, and among young people, adults, and the elderly with Brazilian and Cape Verdean nationality residing in the districts of Lisbon, Faro, Porto, and Setúbal in particular. Individuals who were/were in quarantine or isolation, by infection or suspicion, will be included and several factors, from anxiety, depression, and resilience, to factors related to reconciliation between work and family, perceived social support, the situation in the face of work and financial income and expectations for the future will be considered. Considering the population subgroups in terms of nationality, gender, age, and district under study, the study has the following specific objectives: 1. Identify modifiable factors of protection or weakening of mental health in a scenario context; 2. To characterize perceived access to health services and individual protection measures; 3. To draw up recommendations for the public policy of integration of immigrants and asylum seekers and good practices for the training of health professionals as privileged agents of the promotion of mental health and well-being with respect for individual and cultural diversity.

The research project aims to develop a national study on the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex peole and people with other non-cisgender and non-heterosexual identities (LGBTI+) and on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (OIEC).It includes three components: i) a review of national and international literature to understand the phenomenon of discrimination on the basis of SOGIESC; ii) an analysis of the situation of discrimination on the basis of SOGIESC and the needs of LGBTI+ people in Portuguese society today, based on interviews and focus groups with associations and structures representing and/or working with LGBTI+ people, as well as data provided by the services for LGBTI+ victims of domestic and gender-based violence; and iii) an analysis of the national legal framework on "hate crime" and "hate speech" in light of the recommendations of the Council of Europe, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The research project includes the formulation of the main conclusions and recommendations on the subjects covered, in order to support public policies directed at the LGBTI+ population.    

CONTEXT: The existing knowledge on the interplay among immigration, acculturation, and fertility is new and inconsistent, particularly regarding the sociocultural constraints to fertility. The FEMINA project emerges from three main socio-demographic factors: 1) declining fertility in Portugal, 2) the structural changes of the country over the last four decades, and 3) the significant role of immigration in increasing birth rates. Therefore, it was designed to address the complex factors of individual, social, cultural and economic order which influence the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) experiences and expectations among Cape Verdean and Portuguese Families. By combining the expertise of CIES-IUL and ISAMB-FMUL researchers in the areas of Migrations, Family, and Health Inequalities, FEMINA intends to establish a comprehensive intersectional approach to SRH as the right for all to a satisfying and safe sex life. AIMS: The overall research question (RQ) ("Does immigration and acculturation influence intersectional SRH inequalities in Portugal?") generated a number of subsidiary RQ: 1. What is the difference in the fertility gap of Portuguese native and Cape Verdean migrant women? 2. What socio-demographic factors (including migrant-specific indicators) are associated with SRH of Portuguese native and Cape Verdean migrant men and women? 3. What are the differences in the current cultural practices and future expectations related to SRH of Portuguese native and Cape Verdean migrant men and women? 4. What cultural believes and practices of Portuguese native and Cape Verdean migrant men and women support or harm positive SRH health and healthcare utilization? 5. What are the views and values of experts and stakeholders regarding tailoring SRH services to the receiving population? 6. How can SRH services be more integrative of cognitions and practices from immigrants’ cultures of origin? METHODS: To answer these RQ, a multimethod research was designed to explore both...