Urban environment and health: a cross-sectional multiregional project based on population health surveys in Spain (DAS-EP project) - study protocol.

Introduction: The European Environment Agency estimates that 75% of the European population lives in cities. Despite the many advantages of city life, the risks and challenges to health arising from urbanisation need to be addressed in order to tackle the growing burden of disease and health inequalities in cities. This study, (DAS-EP project), aims to investigate the complex association between the urban environmental exposures (UrbEEs) and health.

Health literacy: association with socioeconomic determinants and the use of health services in Spain.

Background: Health literacy (HL) is the set of social and cognitive skills that determine person's level of motivation and the ability to access, understand and use information to promote and maintain good health. The aim of this study is to assess the level of health literacy, and to analyze its relationship with sociodemographic variables, state of health, and use of health services in the population aged 15 and over in the Valencian Community (Spain).

Methods: Cross-sectional study based on a sample of 5,485 subjects participating in the Health Survey of the Valencia Community.

Construction of an individual socioeconomic status index for analysing inequalities in colorectal cancer screening.

Objective: To construct an individual socioeconomic status index (ISESI) with information available in the Population Information System of the Region of Valencia, Spain, and use it to analyse inequalities in a colorectal cancer screening programme (CRCSP).

Methods: Cross-sectional study of men and women aged between 50 and 75 at the time of the study (2020) that were selected from the target population of the Region of Valencia CRCSP. (study sample 1,150,684).

[Health literacy: psychometric behaviour of the HLS-EU-Q16 questionnaire].

Objective: To describe the psychometric properties and the level of understanding of the health literacy questionnaire HLS-EU-Q16 in Spanish, implemented in the Health Survey of the Valencian Region (Spain) of 2016.

Method: Descriptive cross-sectional study to describe understanding, reliability, structure and internal consistency of the questionnaire on a sample of 5485 subjects, aged 15 or over, who participated in the survey.

Results: The percentages of understanding without much difficulty were high.

Contribution of the Economic Crisis to the Risk Increase of Poor Mental Health in a Region of Spain.

Previous research suggests that the economic crisis can affect mental health. The purpose of this study was to analyse the association of risk of poor mental health with various socioeconomic, demographic, health, quality of life, and social support variables; and to evaluate the contribution of socioeconomic variables most affected by the beginning of the economic crisis (employment situation and income) on the changes in the prevalence of the risk of poor mental health between 2005 and 2010. A study of prevalence evolution in adult population residents of the Valencian Community in the Spanish Mediterranean was conducted.

Linking databases on perinatal health: a review of the literature and current practices in Europe.

Background: International comparisons of perinatal health indicators are complicated by the heterogeneity of data sources on pregnancy, maternal and neonatal outcomes. Record linkage can extend the range of data items available and thus can improve the validity and quality of routine data. We sought to assess the extent to which data are linked routinely for perinatal health research and reporting.

Self-rated health and hospital services use in the Spanish National Health System: a longitudinal study.

Background: Self-rated health is a subjective measure that has been related to indicators such as mortality, morbidity, functional capacity, and the use of health services. In Spain, there are few longitudinal studies associating self-rated health with hospital services use. The purpose of this study is to analyze the association between self-rated health and socioeconomic, demographic, and health variables, and the use of hospital services among the general population in the Region of Valencia, Spain.

Exposure to elevated temperatures and risk of preterm birth in Valencia, Spain.

Background: Prematurity is the second-leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 worldwide. It is predicted that the future climate will have more intense, longer lasting and frequent extreme heat episodes, and so the temperature effect on the risk of preterm birth is generating considerable interest in the public health field. Our aim was to explore the potential short-term effects of elevated temperatures on the risk of preterm birth in Valencia (Spain).

Uneven chances of breastfeeding in Spain.

Background: No large scale studies on breastfeeding onset patterns have been carried out in Spain. This work aims to explore the prevalence and the risk factors for not initiating breastfeeding in hospitals from Catalonia (CAT) and Valencia (V), two regions accounting approximately for 30% of the annual births in Spain.

Methods: The prevalence of not initiating breastfeeding was calculated by maternal/neonatal characteristics and type of hospital, and logistic regression models were used to estimate crude and adjusted risks of not breastfeeding in each region.

Melatonin promotes angiogenesis during repair of bone defects: a radiological and histomorphometric study in rabbit tibiae.

Objectives: The pineal gland hormone, melatonin, is an immunomodulator and neuroendocrine hormone; it also stimulates monocyte, cytokine and fibroblast proliferations, which influence angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin on angiogenesis during bone defect repair by means of radiological and histomorphometric evaluations of bone response to melatonin implants.

Materials And Methods: Twenty New Zealand rabbits weighing 3,900-4,500 g were used.

Differences in preterm and low birth weight deliveries between spanish and immigrant women: influence of the prenatal care received.

Objectives: To compare the risk of preterm and low birth weight among newborns from native and immigrant women and to assess the role of prenatal care in the association between the ethnic origin of the women and their reproductive outcomes.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 21,708 women giving birth between 1997 and 2008 in a region of Spain. Multinomial logistic regression models were adjusted to evaluate associations between mother's area of origin and adverse reproductive outcomes and to assess the role of prenatal care in the occurrence of adverse reproductive results.

Breastfeeding initiation in immigrant and non-immigrant women in Spain.

Research about inequities between native and immigrant women regarding the quality of health care is still scarce. Initiation of breastfeeding in hospital is considered a quality care indicator. In this study, we explore the association between the geographical origin of the women and the establishment of breastfeeding in Spanish hospitals.

Caesarean section rates in immigrant and native women in Spain: the importance of geographical origin and type of hospital for delivery.

Background: Spain has become a principal destination for immigrants and delivery is the major reason for hospitalization in this population. However, research about inequities between native and immigrant women regarding the quality of the care received during pregnancy and delivery is still scarce. One of the indicators used to evaluate the quality of the obstetric care is the rate of caesarean sections (CSs).

[Quality of data used to calculate reproductive and perinatal health indicators in native and migrant populations].

Objective: To assess the quality of data on births in the Natural Population Movement (NPM) and congenital metabolic disorders registers with regard to calculation of reproductive and perinatal health indicators.

Methods: The following comparisons between registers were made: (1) the total number of births to mothers living in Catalonia and Valencia from 2005 to 2006, (2) the percentage of missing data on the mother's geographical origin, (3) the percentage of missing data on the mother's age and the infant's birthweight and gestational age according to maternal origin.

Results: The congenital metabolic disorders registers exhaustively collected the total number of births gathered in the NPM.

[Reproductive and perinatal health indicators in immigrant and Spanish-born women in Catalonia and Valencia (2005-2006)].

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of teenage maternity, preterm birth and low birth weight in Spanish and immigrant mothers from Latin America, eastern Europe, Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa resident in Catalonia and Valencia from 2005 and 2006.

Methods: Using data from congenital metabolic disorders registers in both regions, proportions and 95% confidence intervals were obtained for the following: 1) mothers aged less than 20 years; 2) preterm (<37 weeks) and very preterm (<32 weeks) births; and 3) low birth weight (<2500g) and very low birth weight (<1500g) neonates. The calculations were performed for mothers from each of the geographical areas of origin (Spain, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Maghreb and Sub-Sahara).

Mask-like metastasis: report of 2 cases of 4 eyelid metastases and review of the literature.

Bilateral periorbital edema and swelling are frequent in clinical practice and are commonly attributed to orbital contact dermatitis due to different drugs and cosmetic products. However, when there is a background of a solid cancer, the possibility of eyelid metastasis should be also considered. Metastases to the eyelids are rare, and in most cases, these lesions are unilateral.

Recurrence rate of superficial basal cell carcinoma following treatment with imiquimod 5% cream: conclusion of a 5-year long-term follow-up study in Europe.

Imiquimod 5% cream is an immune response modifier approved for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC) once daily, 5 x per week for 6 weeks. This report reveals the final results of a 5-year follow-up study to evaluate the recurrence rate of sBCCs treated with imiquimod. As previously reported, 182 patients were enrolled in the study and 163 (89.

Recurrence rate of superficial basal cell carcinoma following successful treatment with imiquimod 5% cream: interim 2-year results from an ongoing 5-year follow-up study in Europe.

Imiquimod is an immune response modifier that acts through Toll-like receptor 7 to induce innate and cell-mediated immune responses. This ongoing phase III, open-label study conducted in Europe is evaluating the long-term (5 year) clinical efficacy and safety of imiquimod 5% cream applied once daily 5 times per week (5 x/week) for 6 weeks for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC). A total of 182 subjects were enrolled.

[The association between iron deficiency and learning disorders in preschoolers].

With the aim preventing future problems of underachievement at school, we studied the possible relationship between learning difficulties and iron deficiency in nursery-school children. To do this, we determined the prevalence of iron deficiency and the prevalence or learning difficulties in the different areas of mental development in a sample of 136 nursery school children coming from the Alaquàs public school (Valencia), aged between four and five years. Their nutritional state and ferric state, socioeconomic and cultural level, and psychomotor development were evaluated.