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Resumen: Objetivo: Analizar los patrones de consumo de alcohol y cannabis, y sus factores asociados, en jóvenes de 16-21 años en contexto de vulnerabilidad. Método: Estudio transversal a partir del cuestionario pretest de un estudio de evaluación, administrado a una muestra de conveniencia de 365 jóvenes provenientes de Programas de Formación e Inserción (PFI) o que asistieran a actividades de entidades comunitarias de barrios desfavorecidos de Barcelona. Las variables dependientes fueron el consumo de alcohol y cannabis experimental, regular y problemático. Las variables independientes fueron la impulsividad, la búsqueda de sensaciones, las expectativas y las creencias en relación con el consumo de drogas, las habilidades sociales y variables contextuales. Las asociaciones se establecieron mediante modelos de regresión logística multivariados. Resultados: La prevalencia de consumo intensivo de alcohol (24,2% para binge drinking y 33,3% para borracheras) y de consumo de cannabis experimental (51,1%) y problemático (12,9%) fue mayor en estudiantes de PFI que en jóvenes de entidades. Asimismo, presentaban mayores puntuaciones en las escalas de impulsividad, búsqueda de sensaciones, expectativas y creencias favorables al consumo de alcohol. En general, la prevalencia de consumo de alcohol experimental fue superior en las chicas que en los chicos. El binge drinking regular se asoció con la búsqueda de sensaciones intensas (odds ratio ajustada [ORa]: 1,06; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%]: 1,01-1,12), mientras que asistir a PFI se asoció con un consumo problemático de cannabis (ORa: 2,73; IC95%: 1,26-5,89). Las expectativas favorables al consumo de alcohol y cannabis se asociaron con un consumo problemático respectivo. Conclusión: El riesgo individual, vinculado a las trayectorias de mayor riesgo de los estudiantes de PFI, se asocia con un mayor consumo problemático de alcohol y de cannabis que en los/las jóvenes de entidades comunitarias expuestos/as a un riesgo ambiental de alta frecuencia de consumo. Abstract: Objective: To analyze the patterns of alcohol and cannabis consumption, and their associated factors, in young people aged 16 and 21 in a context of vulnerability. Method: Cross-sectional study based on a pre-test questionnaire from an evaluation study, administered to a convenience sample of 365 young people from Social Guarantee Programs (SGP), or who attended activities of community entities from disadvantaged neighborhoods in Barcelona. Dependent variables were experimental, regular, and problematic alcohol and cannabis consumption, while independent variables were impulsivity, sensation seeking, expectations, and beliefs regarding drug use, social skills, and contextual variables. Associations were established using multivariate logistic regression models. Results: The prevalence of intensive alcohol consumption (24.2% for binge drinking and 33.3% for binge drinking) and experimental (51.1%) and problematic cannabis use (12.9%) was higher in SGP students than entity youth. Likewise, they presented higher scores on the impulsivity scales, sensation seeking, expectations and beliefs favorable to alcohol consumption. In general, the prevalence of experimental alcohol consumption was higher in girls than in boys. Regular binge drinking was associated with intense sensations seeking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.06; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 1.01-1.12), while attending SGP was associated with problematic cannabis use (aOR: 2.73; 95%CI: 1.26-5.89). Positive expectations to alcohol and cannabis use were associated with problematic substance use. Conclusion: Individual risk, linked to the higher risk trajectories of SGP students, is associated with a higher problematic consumption of alcohol and cannabis than in young people from community entities exposed to an environmental risk of high frequency of consumption. more...

Resumen Introduccion La mortalidad atribuible (MA) al consumo de tabaco es un indicador valioso que permite caracterizar la evolucion y el impacto en la salud poblacional de la epidemia tabaquica. El objetivo de este trabajo es estimar la MA al consumo de tabaco en Espana en 2016 en poblacion ≥ 35 anos utilizando la mejor evidencia disponible. Metodos Se aplico un metodo dependiente de las prevalencias de consumo de tabaco basado en el calculo de fracciones atribuidas poblacionales. Las prevalencias de consumo (fumadores-exfumadores-nunca fumadores) proceden de la estimacion combinada de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud-2016 y la Europea-2014; el exceso de riesgo de morir en fumadores y exfumadores del seguimiento de diferentes cohortes; y la mortalidad observada del Instituto Nacional de Estadistica. Se presenta la estimacion global de MA y en funcion del sexo, grupos de edad y grandes grupos de enfermedades (cancer, cardiometabolicas y respiratorias), acompanadas de las fracciones atribuidas poblacionales. Resultados En 2016 se atribuyeron 56.124 muertes al consumo de tabaco, el 84% sucedieron en hombres (47.000) y el 50% en mayores de 74 anos (27.795). El 50% de la MA fue por tumores (28.281), de los cuales el 65% fueron de pulmon. Una de cada cuatro muertes (13.849) ocurrio antes de los 65 anos. Conclusiones Una de cada siete muertes que ocurrieron en Espana en 2016 se atribuyen al consumo de tabaco. Esta estimacion permite objetivar el gran impacto que el consumo de tabaco tiene en la mortalidad, especialmente por cancer de pulmon y enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva cronica. more...

Smoke-free policies are effective in preventing secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, but their adoption at home remains largely voluntary. This study aimed to quantify SHS exposure in homes with residents who smoke in Europe according to households’ characteristics, tobacco consumption habits, and national contextual factors. Cross-sectional study (March 2017–September 2018) based on measurements of air nicotine inside 162 homes with residents who smoke from nine European countries. We installed passive samplers for seven consecutive days to monitor nicotine concentrations. Through self-administered questionnaires, we collected sociodemographic information and the number of individuals who smoke, smoking rules, frequency, location, and quantity of tobacco use in households. Country-level factors included the overall score in the Tobacco Control Scale 2016, the smoking prevalence, and self-reported SHS exposure prevalence. Nicotine concentrations were analyzed as continuous and dichotomous variables, categorized based on the limit of quantification of 0.02 μg/m3. Overall, median nicotine concentration was 0.85 μg/m3 (interquartile range (IQR):0.15–4.42), and there was nicotine presence in 93% of homes. Participants reported that smoking was not permitted in approximately 20% of households, 40% had two or more residents who smoked, and in 79% residents had smoked inside during the week of sampling. We found higher nicotine concentrations in homes: with smell of tobacco smoke inside (1.45 μg/m3 IQR: 0.32–6.34), where smoking was allowed (1.60 μg/m3 IQR: 0.68–7.63), with two or more residents who smoked (2.42 μg/m3 IQR: 0.58–11.0), with more than 40 cigarettes smoked (2.92 μg/m3 IQR: 0.97–10.61), and where two or more residents smoked inside (4.02 μg/m3 IQR: 1.58–11.74). Household nicotine concentrations were significantly higher in countries with higher national smoking prevalence and self-reported SHS exposure prevalence (p < 0.05). SHS concentrations in homes with individuals who smoke were approximately twenty times higher in homes that allowed smoking compared to those reporting smoke-free household rules. Evidence-based interventions promoting smoke-free homes should be implemented in combination with strengthening other MPOWER measures. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 681040. The work of SG was partially supported by the Italian League Against Cancer (LILT, Milan). EF is partly supported by Ministry of Universities and Research, Government of Catalonia (2017SGR319) and by the Instituto Carlos III and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (INT16/00211 and INT17/00103), Government of Spain. more...

This study aimed to estimate the number of incident cases and hospital admissions attributable to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at home for asthma, otitis media (OM), and lower respiratory infections (LRI) in children in Spain. The burden of respiratory disease caused by SHS exposure was estimated in terms of incident cases and hospitalized cases for asthma, OM, and LRI. Estimates were calculated using the population attributable fraction. The age-specific (0-1 year, 0-4 years, 5-11 years, and 0-11 years) prevalence of SHS exposure in children was estimated through a telephone survey performed in a representative sample of Spanish households with children in 2016. The risk estimates for all diseases were selected from international meta-analyses. The number of hospitalized cases was obtained for each disease from the Hospital Minimum Data Set provided by the Ministry of Health of Spain. Incident cases were obtained from the Global Health Data Exchange. In 2015, SHS exposure caused an estimated total of 136,403 incident cases of the following respiratory diseases: 9058 (8.5%) cases of asthma, 120,248 (8.5%) of OM, and 7097 (13.5%) of LRI in children aged 0–14 years old in Spain. Likewise, SHS exposure caused a total of 3028 hospitalized cases, with 379 (8.5%) for asthma and 167 (8.5%) for OM in children 0–11 years old, and 2482 (11.6%) for LRI in children more...

Objective Due to partial or poorly enforced restrictions secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) is still present in outdoor hospitality venues in many European countries. This study aimed to assess SHS concentrations in outdoor hospitality venues across Europe and identify contextual exposure determinants. Methods Cross-sectional study. We measured airborne nicotine and evidence of tobacco use in terraces of bars, cafeterias, and pubs from 11 European countries in 2017–2018. Sites were selected considering area-level socioeconomic indicators and half were visited during nighttime. We noted the smell of smoke, presence of smokers, cigarette butts, ashtrays, and number of physical covers. Contextual determinants included national smoke-free policies for the hospitality sector, the Tobacco Control Scale score (2016), and the national smoking prevalence (2017–2018). We computed medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) of nicotine concentrations and used multivariate analyses to characterize the exposure determinants. Results Nicotine was present in 93.6% of the 220 sites explored. Overall concentrations were 0.85 (IQR:0.30–3.74) μg/m3 and increased during nighttime (1.45 IQR:0.65–4.79 μg/m3), in enclosed venues (2.97 IQR:0.80–5.80 μg/m3), in venues with more than two smokers (2.79 IQR:1.03–6.30 μg/m3), in venues in countries with total indoor smoking bans (1.20 IQR:0.47–4.85 μg/m3), and in venues in countries with higher smoking prevalence (1.32 IQR:0.49–5.34 μg/m3). In multivariate analyses, nicotine concentrations were also positively associated with the observed number of cigarette butts. In venues with more than two smokers, SHS levels did not significantly vary with the venues’ degree of enclosure. Conclusions Our results suggest that current restrictions in outdoor hospitality venues across Europe have a limited protective effect and justify the adoption of total smoking bans in outdoor areas of hospitality venues., Highlights • 94% of the outdoor premises had nicotine and in 92% there were people smoking. • All outdoor hospitality terraces where smoking was not allowed had smokers. • When >2 smokers were present, SHS levels did not vary with the venue's enclosure. • SHS exposure increased at night and in countries with higher smoking prevalence. • Our data indicate the need for total smoking bans in outdoor hospitality venues. more...

The design of e-cigarettes (e-cigs) is constantly evolving and the latest models can aerosolize using high-power sub-ohm resistance and hence may produce specific particle concentrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the aerosol characteristics generated by two different types of electronic cigarette in real-world conditions, such as a sitting room or a small office, in number of particles (particles/cm more...

Smoke-free legislation reduced second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in public places, and indirectly promoted private smoke-free settings. Nevertheless, a large proportion of adults is still exposed to SHS at home. The aim of this paper is to quantify the burden of disease due to home SHS exposure among adults in the 28-European Union (EU) countries for year 2017. The burdens by gender from lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), breast cancer, ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, asthma, and diabetes were estimated in an original research analysis using the comparative risk assessment method. Relative risks of death/diseases by gender for adults exposed to SHS at home compared to not exposed ones were estimated updating existing meta-analyses. Prevalence of home SHS exposure by gender was estimated using a multiple imputation procedure based on Eurobarometer surveys. Data on mortality and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors Study. In 2017, 526,000 DALYs (0.36% of total DALYs) and 24,000 deaths (0.46% of total deaths) were attributable to home SHS exposure in the 28-EU countries, mainly from COPD and IHD. South-Eastern EU countries showed the highest burden, with proportion of DALYs/deaths attributable to SHS exposure on total higher than 0.50%/0.70%, whereas northern EU-countries showed the lowest burden, with proportions of DALYs/deaths lower than 0.25%/0.34%. The burden from SHS exposure is still significant in EU countries. More could be done to raise awareness of the health risks associated with SHS exposure at home. more...

Although smoking restrictions at child-related settings are progressively being adopted, school outdoor entrances are neglected in most smoke-free policies across Europe.To describe secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and tobacco-related signs in outdoor entrances of primary schools in Europe according to area-level socioeconomic status (SES), smoke-free policy, national smoking prevalence, and geographical region.In this cross-sectional study we monitored vapor-phase nicotine concentrations at 220 school outdoor entrances in 11 European countries (March 2017-October 2018). To account for nicotine presence, we used the laboratory's limit of quantification of 0.06 μg/mThere were detectable levels of nicotine in 45.9% of the outdoor entrances, in 29.1% smell of smoke, in 43.2% people smoking, in 75.0% discarded butts, and in 14.6% ashtrays. Median nicotine concentration was below the laboratory's limit of quantification0.06 μg/mSmoking at school outdoor entrances is a source of SHS exposure in Europe. These findings support the extension of smoking bans with a clear perimeter to the outdoor entrances of schools. more...

The current study examined symptoms of irritation reported by non-smokers passively exposed to e-cigarette aerosols and their timing and association with the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced.40 healthy non-smoking adults were exposed to e-cigarette aerosols for 30 min in a 35 m20 males and 20 females, with a mean age of 24.6 years (SD = 4.3) and exhaled CO 7 ppm participated. PM concentrations in both experimental sessions were higher than the Control (p 0.001). The most commonly reported symptoms were burning, dryness, sore throat, cough, breathlessness and headache. During both experimental sessions, ocular, nasal, throat-respiratory symptoms and general complaints increased significantly (p 0.05). Ocular and nasal symptoms returned to baseline by tA 30-min exposure to SHA provoked symptoms of sensory irritation and general complaints that lasted up to 30 min after the exposure and were positively associated with the concentrations of the VOC mixture emitted. more...

Resumen En el ámbito de la salud, las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) pueden generar un espacio que, sin depender del lugar o del tiempo, permite compartir y difundir información rápidamente. A los retos habituales de la evaluación de intervenciones en salud pública, en la evaluación de intervenciones con TIC se añaden otras dificultades, como la falta de estándares previos, el desconocimiento sobre la exposición individual o la falta de información sobre las características de las personas expuestas. El objetivo de esta nota es describir algunas herramientas e indicadores que pueden contribuir a evaluar el alcance, la utilización y algunos parámetros relacionados con el posicionamiento de las páginas web, así como de las redes sociales vinculadas. more...

Entre las funciones de los epidemiologos se encuentra la de estudiar la asociacion entre ciertos factores y la calidad de vida de determinadas poblaciones. Ademas, sabemos bien que muchos factores muestran una relacion sinergica, de manera que cuando se presentan dos o mas factores, el efecto conjunto es mayor que el de cada uno de ellos de forma independiente. Este editorial pretende describir cual es el potencial efecto (?sinergico?) de que se den estos dos factores: ser joven y dedicarse –o quiza deberiamos decir «intentar dedicarse»– a la epidemiologia. Es obligado, y a la vez complicado, empezar por definir que es ser joven. Seguramente John Last estuvo muy acertado (y tambien muy diplomatico) en su Diccionario de salud publica al afirmar que la definicion de joven varia segun el lugar y las circunstancias1. En este editorial, cuando hablemos de jovenes nos referiremos basicamente a personas que no superan la treintena. Asi, la Sociedad Espanola de Epidemiologia (SEE)2, por ejemplo, considera investigadores jovenes a aquellos menores de 35 anos, mientras el Grupo Espanol de Jovenes Epidemiologos y Salubristas (Grupo EJE)3 establece el limite de edad en menores de 36 anos. more...