Geographical and Temporal Variations in Female Breast Cancer Mortality in the Municipalities of Andalusia (Southern Spain).

The last published figures have shown geographical variations in mortality with respect to female breast cancer in European countries. However, national health policies need a dynamic image of the geographical variations within the country. The aim of this paper was to describe the spatial distribution of age-specific mortality rates from female breast cancer in the municipalities of Andalusia (southern Spain) and to analyze its evolution over time from 1981 to 2012.

[Chronic diseases as a priority for the public health surveillance system in Spain].

At present, epidemiological surveillance in Spain remains focused on the communicable diseases included in the list of notifiable diseases. However, there has been a change in epidemiological pattern that predominated until the last few decades of the twentieth century. Infectious diseases, which used to be the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, have given way to a predominance of chronic diseases.

[Outbreaks of Measles in Andalusia, Spain, during the Period 2010-2015].

The Andalusian Surveillance Epidemiological System (SVEA) controls and investigates any notification of measles or any other communicable disease. The aim of this article is to describe the epidemiological characteristics of measles outbreaks occurred in Andalusia in the last five years (2010-2015) and their control measures. In this period three outbreaks were reported: the first one started in Granada in 2010 in a community of objectors to vaccination.

Age, Period, and Cohort Effects on Mortality From Ischemic Heart Disease in Southern Spain.

Introduction And Objectives: Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death and one of the top 4 causes of burden of disease worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate age-period-cohort effects on mortality from ischemic heart disease in Andalusia (southern Spain) and in each of its 8 provinces during the period 1981-2008.

Methods: A population-based ecological study was conducted.

Age-period-cohort effects on mortality from cerebrovascular disease in southern Spain.

Background: The aim of this article is to evaluate the age-period-cohort effects on mortality from cerebrovascular disease in Andalusia (southern Spain) as a whole and in each of its 8 provinces during the period 1981-2008.

Methods: A population-based ecologic study was conducted. In all, 145,867 deaths were analyzed for individuals between the ages of 15 and 84 years who died in Andalusia in the period of study.

Age-period-cohort effect on female breast cancer mortality in Southern Spain.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. The analysis of breast cancer mortality is needed to plan healthcare systems. This study aims to evaluate the age-period-cohort effects on breast cancer mortality in Andalusia (Southern Spain) as a whole and in each of its eight provinces during the period 1981-2008.

[Clinical and epidemiological features of pertussis among hospitalized infants in Seville during 2007-2011].

Introduction: Despite routine pertussis immunization, pertussis burden remains high, especially among infants. The aim of this study was to describe epidemiologic, clinical and outcome features in pediatric patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in Andalusia (Southern Spain) with confirmed Bordetella pertussis infection.

Methods: Retrospective descriptive study based on a review of medical records for all pediatric patients admitted to Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío (Sevilla) between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2011.

[Infection by the pandemic virus (H1N1) 2009 in Andalusia].

In April 2009, in response to the WHO's alert due to the existence of human infection cases with a new AH1N1 influenza virus, known as swine flu, Andalusian Health Authorities trigger an specific action plan. The surveillance actions developped provided us with appropriate clinical, epidemiological and virological characteristics of the disease. During the first few days, contingency plans were set up based on epidemiological surveillance and outbreak control measures were adopted through early alert and rapid response systems.

[Measles outbreak in Campo de Gibraltar, Cádiz, Spain, during the Period February-July 2008].

Background: On the 4th of February 2008, 2 cases of measles, epidemiologically linked (2 members of the crew of the Fast-Ferry Jaime I from the company Balearia, which performs the route Algeciras-Tangier), were notified to the Epidemiological Surveillance Network in Andalusia (SVEA). The aim of this paper is to epidemiologically characterize this population level outbreak detected in the area of Campo de Gibraltar, the vaccine effectiveness and the control measures implemented.

Methods: Descriptive observational study of reported cases.

Spatio-temporal trends of mortality in small areas of Southern Spain.

Background: Most mortality atlases show static maps from count data aggregated over time. This procedure has several methodological problems and serious limitations for decision making in Public Health. The evaluation of health outcomes, including mortality, should be approached from a dynamic time perspective that is specific for each gender and age group.

[Influenza a (H1N1) virus infection in humans: review to 30th October 2009].

Since human infection by a novel influenza virus A H1N1 of swine origin was reported in April 2009, the virus has spread worldwide causing a pandemic. In the Southern Hemisphere, the first pandemic wave has taken place, coinciding with Austral Winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, transmission has been sustained under the basal level of epidemic until the first weeks of October, when incidence rates have risen up to the pidemic level in some countries, including Spain.

Uncontrolled migrations as a cause of inequality in health and mortality in small-area studies.

Mortality is one of the most widely used indicators in small-area ecologic studies. Both accessibility to mortality data and advances in the development of new disease mapping techniques have contributed to an abundance of mortality maps and atlases over the last decade. Results may be biased in this kind of study if there has been unmeasured geographic mobility of the population.

[Interactive mortality atlas in Andalusia, Spain (AIMA)].

Until now, mortality atlases have been static. Most of them describe the geographical distribution of mortality using count data aggregated over time and standardized mortality rates. However, this methodology has several limitations.