Publications by authors named "Continente X"

Objective: To evaluate the "Transformem els patis" (Let's transform the schoolyards) program in Barcelona in terms of schoolyard use, social interaction, physical activity, and diverse forms of play with a gender perspective.

Method: A cross-sectional pilot evaluation study with mixed methodology involving eight primary schools (four in intervention group and four in control group). For the quantitative analysis, 16 systematic observations were performed in the schoolyards of both groups.

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Objective: To describe tobacco consumption and the compliance with the law on hospitality terraces in Barcelona.

Method: Cross-sectional study by observation in a sample of 120 hospitality terraces in Barcelona. 30-minute observations were made using a standardized record sheet.

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Passive cooling strategies were implemented in 11 school buildings in Barcelona within a pilot project to improve thermal conditions. The present study aimed to evaluate the intervention's impact on students' comfort and well-being at school. A quasi-experimental pre-post study based on mixed methods was conducted.

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Objective: To describe the prevalence of obesity and analyse possible differences in it according to sociodemographic characteristics, diet, physical activity, screen use and family perception of the weight and dietary habits of schoolchildren aged 3 to 4 years in Barcelona.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a representative sample of schools selected based on the socioeconomic status (SES) of the corresponding neighbourhood and school ownership. We selected 101 schools in Barcelona and recruited pupils aged 3 to 4 years during the 2016-17 academic year (n = 2936 children).

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Introduction: Children are vulnerable to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, especially those with lower socioeconomic status. This study assesses the changes in prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in SHS exposure in children younger than 12 years old in Spain between 2016 and 2019.

Methods: We conducted two cross-sectional studies among representative samples of households with children aged <12 years in Spain, in 2016 (n=2411) and 2019 (n=2412).

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Objectives: Loneliness is a public health issue among older adults. We designed an intervention offering 10 sessions with diverse artistic methods (ArtGran). This study assessed the effectiveness of ArtGran in reducing loneliness and its negative effects on health in community-dwelling older adults in 2022 in Barcelona.

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Under the framework of the Urban Innovative Actions program of the European Commission, in 2020, 11 primary schools in Barcelona were transformed into climate shelters by implementing green, blue, and grey measures. Schoolyards were also opened to the local community to be used during non-school periods. Here we present the study protocol of a mixed-method approach to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions in terms of improving environmental quality and health for users.

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Objective: Implementation fidelity is a key dimension in process evaluation but has been scarcely studied. Reptes is a selective alcohol and cannabis use prevention program performed in vulnerable young people (16-21 years) from different educational and leisure settings. The study aimed to describe the components of this program, its implementation fidelity, and satisfaction among participants and facilitators.

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Background: This study aimed to estimate airborne nicotine concentrations and nicotine, cotinine, and tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) in settled dust from private cars in Spain and the UK.

Methods: We measured vapor-phase nicotine concentrations in a convenience sample of 45 private cars from Spain (N = 30) and the UK (N = 15) in 2017-2018. We recruited non-smoking drivers (n = 20), smoking drivers who do not smoke inside the car (n = 15), and smoking drivers who smoke inside (n = 10).

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Objective: 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.

Methods: Cross-sectional study (March 2017-September 2018) based on measurements of air nicotine inside 162 homes with residents who smoke from nine European countries.

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Background: Social and demographic trends show a global increase of proportion of older people at risk of social isolation. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention conducted in low-income neighbourhoods to reduce social isolation and its negative effects on health in older persons.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a comparison group was performed.

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Introduction: Home is one of the main places for children's secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. The implementation of smoke-free rules at home might be influenced by caregivers' risk perception of SHS exposure. This study aimed to analyze factors related to caregivers' risk perception of SHS exposure in children.

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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.

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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). We compared the real time and time-integrated measurements of the aerosol generated by the e-cigarette types Just Fog and JUUL.

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Introduction: Secondhand smoke (SHS) causes morbidity and mortality among non-smokers.

Objectives: To investigate SHS presence in outdoor areas from 12 European countries and its association with country-level characteristics.

Methods: Cross-sectional study performed in 2017-2018 within the TackSHS project.

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Exposure to secondhand aerosol from electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) may pose harms to bystanders, but they are used in many indoor settings. Less evidence exists on e-cigarette use in outdoor settings. This study aims to assess the use of e-cigarettes in outdoor settings in Europe.

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Introduction: Tobacco presence in outdoor children's playgrounds is concerning not only because it leads to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, but also cigarette butt pollution and tobacco normalization.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess SHS exposure in children's playgrounds, according to area-level socioeconomic status (SES), smoke-free regulations, national smoking prevalence, and SHS exposure prevalence in playgrounds (2017-2018).

Methods: We monitored vapor-phase nicotine concentration and tobacco-related variables in 20 different playgrounds in 11 European countries (n = 220 measurements) from March 2017 to April 2018.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to examine alcohol and cannabis use patterns among vulnerable youths aged 16 to 21, focusing on associations with factors like impulsivity and social skills.
  • A survey of 365 young people, mostly from disadvantaged neighborhoods in Barcelona, revealed higher rates of binge drinking and problematic cannabis use among those in Social Guarantee Programs compared to others.
  • The findings indicated that individual risk factors, perceptions of substance use, and environmental influences significantly contribute to problematic consumption behaviors in these students.
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Introduction: Smoking-attributable mortality (SAM) is a valuable indicator that can be used to characterize the course and health burden of the smoking epidemic. The aim of this paper was to estimate SAM in Spain in 2016 in the population aged 35 and over, using the best available evidence.

Methods: A smoking prevalence-dependent analysis based on the estimation of population-attributable fractions was performed.

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Introduction: Although smoking restrictions at child-related settings are progressively being adopted, school outdoor entrances are neglected in most smoke-free policies across Europe.

Objectives: 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.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study we monitored vapor-phase nicotine concentrations at 220 school outdoor entrances in 11 European countries (March 2017-October 2018).

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Background: Population data on tobacco use and its determinants require continuous monitoring and careful inter-country comparison. We aimed to provide the most up-to-date estimates on tobacco smoking from a large cross-sectional survey, conducted in selected European countries.

Methods: Within the TackSHS Project, a face-to-face survey on smoking was conducted in 2017-2018 in 12 countries: Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Spain, representing around 80% of the 432 million European Union (EU) adult population.

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This study analyses participants' and coordinators' perceptions of the implementation process and perceived benefits of a community-based intervention to reduce social isolation among older adults. The 'School of Health for Older People' is a weekly community intervention that promotes resources among individuals and communities in order to enhance their ability to identify problems and activate solutions, encouraging participation in the community. A qualitative approach was employed, based on semi-structured interviews and focus groups (FGs).

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