A directive signed on April 29 aims to launch a reading promotion program within the health units of Portugal’s National Health Service (SNS). This initiative is designed to enhance emotional well-being, humanize care, reduce anxiety, and promote the well-being and literacy of patients during their hospitalization.
The program intends to initiate a pilot project in its initial phase across five Local Health Units (ULS) located in different regions: Tâmega e Sousa, Coimbra, Cova da Beira, Castelo Branco, and Alto Alentejo.
The ministries involved emphasize that promoting reading in institutional settings has shown significant impacts on individuals’ quality of life, contributing to the humanization of public services and acknowledging the cultural role in mental health.
This initiative will leverage the extensive experience of the General Directorate of Books, Archives, and Libraries in promoting reading among diverse audiences, including in challenging environments beyond traditional book access routes.
The program plans to make reading a regular practice in hospitals by organizing reading activities, creating bibliographic collections, and involving authors, cultural mediators, associations, volunteer groups, and municipalities.
The promotion of reading during hospital stays is described as a potentially significant component of social well-being in the health recovery process. The directive outlines that this measure should be seen as a public health and individual health promotion intervention, enhancing psychological well-being, cognitive stimulation, and anxiety reduction, directly impacting clinical recovery.
There is also a provision for integrating the public library network into the project, involving participating municipalities or the National Association of Municipalities.
