Raquel Costa

Tenured Associate Professor at Lusofona University with teaching experience since 2009, and Executive Director of the HEI-Lab. I am Auxiliary Researcher recently awarded (2023) with an individual FCT contract (CEEC) to study brain synchrony and biobehavioral pathways of caregiver-child co-regulation associated with early developmental and mental health problems. As a PhD in Clinical psychology, I have been highly motivated and actively engaged for nearly 15 years in the study of the interaction between environmental and psychophysiological mechanisms, and identification of modifiable risk factors of early psychopathology. I became aware of the significant gaps in epidemiological and public mental health data, and I have addressed them during a 6-year post doctorate work at Institute of Public Health of University of Porto (ISPUP; individual FCT grant 2017–2023). I have collaborated in several international research projects involving academic and non-academic organizations and have coordinated research teams as PI or Co-PI. Most of these are international consortia in the field of: (1) prevalence and determinants of perinatal mental health problems through the project RISEUP-PPD-COST ACTION (financed by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology), and the project INTERSECT (financed by the Miriam de Senarclens Fondation - 2022 Award for outstanding research in psychosomatic obstetrics and gynecology - and City, University of London, UK). New knowledge included evidence on gaps in perinatal mental healthcare in 12 countries for women with clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety (doi: 10.1111/acps.13664), and particularities of symptoms presentation in crisis contexts (10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.06.007), relevant for effectiveness in clinicians practice. One of the scientific publications was awarded the 2022 Journal of Human Lactation Best Research Article with a Practice Focus Award (10.1177/0890334421991051). (2) maternal and newborn health care (including mental healthcare) provided at the time of childbirth in accordance with the standards of the World Health Organization through the project IMAgiNE-EURO (financed by the Ministry of Health, Rome – Italy). I have contributed to providing new ideas and tools based on WHO standards to assess respect for human rights in healthcare facilities, particularly newborn and women’s rights, and inequities in healthcare, especially regarding vulnerable populations such as migrants (doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100268; 10.1002/ijgo.14472). (3) obstetric violence, considered a type of gender violence, through the project conducted in 27 member states “Obstetric and gynaecological violence in the EU – Prevalence, legal frameworks and educational guidelines for prevention and elimination” (financed by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs, at the request of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality). New knowledge includes the identification of national frameworks for reproductive violence to be included in a report for the European Parliament. (4) determinants of developmental disorders and provision of health care through the TREASURE COST Action CA22114 (financed by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology) and the SHIPS project, (financed by the H2020). Within the scope of the later I have screened and reported unmet needs in healthcare for children with motor difficulties and cerebral palsy, including negative impact on quality of life (e.g. 10.1111/dmcn.15202; 10.1038/s41390-022-02437-6; 10.1111/dmcn.15632). This new knowledge had a huge impact on civil society, given that the dissemination actions were important to raise public awareness on this relevant problem and to provide evidence-based data for policy makers and clinicians.