Energy poverty and health inequalities in Barcelona: A cross-sectional trends study in the context of COVID-19, energy crisis and climate change, 2016-2021.

The aim of this study was to analyse the time trends in Barcelona before and during the adverse context of COVID-19, energy crisis, and climate change in 1) the energy poverty (EP) prevalence; 2) the association between EP and health and 3) the impact of EP on health, according to the axes of inequality (sex, age, social class, and country of birth). We conducted a cross-sectional trends study using data from the 2016 and 2021 Barcelona Health Survey. This study clearly recognizes that EP continues to be an important public health problem in the context of Barcelona.

Forecast skill assessment of an operational continental heat-cold-health forecasting system: New avenues for health early warning systems.

More than 110,000 Europeans died as a result of the record-breaking temperatures of 2022 and 2023. A new generation of impact-based early warning systems, using epidemiological models to transform weather forecasts into health forecasts for targeted population subgroups, is an essential adaptation strategy to increase resilience against climate change. Here, we assessed the skill of an operational continental heat-cold-health forecasting system.

Short-Term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Antimicrobial Use for Acute Respiratory Symptoms.

Importance: Ambient air pollution and antimicrobial resistance pose significant global public health challenges. It is not known whether ambient air pollution is associated with increased consumption of antimicrobials.

Objective: To assess whether a short-term association exists between ambient air pollution levels and antimicrobial consumption among the general population seeking primary care consultations for acute respiratory symptoms.

Evaluating the effect of passive cooling strategies in school buildings on children's well-being in Barcelona: A quasi-experimental, mixed methods study.

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.

Spatial Bayesian distributed lag non-linear models (SB-DLNM) for small-area exposure-lag-response epidemiological modelling.

Background: Distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) are the reference framework for modelling lagged non-linear associations. They are usually used in large-scale multi-location studies. Attempts to study these associations in small areas either did not include the lagged non-linear effects, did not allow for geographically-varying risks or downscaled risks from larger spatial units through socioeconomic and physical meta-predictors when the estimation of the risks was not feasible due to low statistical power.