Spatio-temporal variation in prostate cancer testing in Stockholm: A population-based study.

Prostate cancer screening using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is controversial but remains prevalent in many countries. There is little information in Sweden or elsewhere on the spatial variation in PSA testing. This study aims to describe the spatio-temporal variation in PSA testing prior to a prostate cancer diagnosis in the Stockholm region at the municipality and small area levels.

School holidays and respiratory syncytial virus transmission in Sweden: An interrupted time series analysis.

Aim: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) represents a significant cause of morbidity for children worldwide, especially for newborns. As RSV vaccines are not routinely used for children yet, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) represent the main strategy for prevention. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between school holidays and RSV transmission.

Association of time spent on social media with youth cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use in the UK: a national longitudinal study.

Background: Social media may influence children and young people's health behaviour, including cigarette and e-cigarette use.

Methods: We analysed data from participants aged 10-25 years in the UK Household Longitudinal Study 2015-2021. The amount of social media use reported on a normal weekday was related to current cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use.

Associations of social media use with smoking and e-cigarettes: a national longitudinal study.

Background: Social media use is high among children and young people and might influence health behaviours. We examined social media use and use of tobacco and e-cigarettes in the UK.

Methods: We used data from participants aged 10-25 years from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (January 2015-January 2022).

Socio-economic inequalities in smoking and drinking in adolescence: Assessment of social network dynamics.

Aims: We investigated whether (1) adolescents selected friends with a similar socio-economic status (SES), (2) smoking and alcohol consumption spread in networks and (3) the exclusion of non-smokers or non-drinkers differed between SES groups.

Design: This was a longitudinal study using stochastic actor-oriented models to analyze complete social network data over three waves.

Setting: Eight Hungarian secondary schools with socio-economically diverse classes took part.

Patterns of cigarette and e-cigarette use among UK adolescents: a latent class analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study.

Background: Patterning of cigarette and e-cigarette use among young people remains poorly characterized. We aimed to describe these patterns in the UK Millennium Cohort Study at age 14 and 17 years.

Methods: Data on cigarette and e-cigarette use come from 9731 adolescents.

Cigarette taxation and neonatal and infant mortality: A longitudinal analysis of 159 countries.

Previous studies on the associations between cigarette taxes and infant survival have all been in high-income countries and did not examine the relative benefits of different taxation levels and structures. We evaluated longitudinal associations of cigarette taxes with neonatal and infant mortality globally. We applied country-level panel regressions using 2008-2018 annual mortality and biennial WHO tobacco taxation data.

Multistate transition modelling of e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking among youth in the UK.

Introduction: E-cigarette use remains a controversial topic, with questions over how people transition between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking. This paper examined transitions into and out of nicotine product use in a representative sample of UK youth.

Methods: We used Markov multistate transition probability models on data from 10 229 participants (10-25 years old) in the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2015-2021).

Effect of comprehensive smoke-free legislation on neonatal mortality and infant mortality across 106 middle-income countries: a synthetic control study.

Background: There are few quantitative studies into the effect of comprehensive smoke-free legislation on neonatal and infant mortality in middle-income countries. We aimed to estimate the effects of implementing comprehensive smoke-free legislation on neonatal mortality and infant mortality across all middle-income countries.

Methods: We applied the synthetic control method using 1990-2018 country-level panel data for 106 middle-income countries from the WHO, World Bank, and Penn World datasets.

Pediatric patients' views regarding smoke-free hospital grounds compared to those of adults: A survey study.

Introduction: Children are important stakeholders in discussions about regulation of smoking and protection from secondhand smoke, but are rarely acknowledged as such. We explored the opinion of pediatric patients and other key stakeholders regarding the planned smoke-free zone around the Erasmus MC, a large university hospital in the Netherlands.

Methods: In 2019, we conducted a survey among pediatric patients and their parents, Erasmus MC employees, visitors, and adult patients, before implementation of the outdoor smoke-free zone, to assess their opinions on smoking and the planned smoke-free policy.

Effect of smoke-free policies in outdoor areas and private places on children's tobacco smoke exposure and respiratory health: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Smoke-free policies in outdoor areas and semi-private and private places (eg, cars) might reduce the health harms caused by tobacco smoke exposure (TSE). We aimed to investigate the effect of smoke-free policies covering outdoor areas or semi-private and private places on TSE and respiratory health in children, to inform policy.

Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched 13 electronic databases from date of inception to Jan 29, 2021, for published studies that assessed the effects of smoke-free policies in outdoor areas or semi-private or private places on TSE, respiratory health outcomes, or both, in children.

Impact of an Inner-City Smoke-Free Zone on Outdoor Smoking Patterns: A Before-After Study.

Introduction: On September 2, 2019, Rotterdam's first inner-city outdoor smoke-free zone encompassing the Erasmus MC, a large university hospital in the Netherlands, the Erasmiaans high school, the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and the public road in between, was implemented.

Aims And Methods: We aimed to assess spatiotemporal patterning of smoking before and after implementation of this outdoor smoke-free zone. We performed a before-after observational field study.

Do educational reforms increase or decrease health inequalities: A matter of methods?

Evaluating whether social policies reduce health inequalities is complicated by the fact that these upstream determinants may also change the socioeconomic distribution. Failure to account for these compositional changes may severely bias the effect estimation procedure. In this article, we illustrate how a health inequality impact assessment of a policy that (also) changes the socioeconomic distribution may produce biased results.

Impact of expanding smoke-free policies beyond enclosed public places and workplaces on children's tobacco smoke exposure and respiratory health: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) has considerable adverse respiratory health impact among children. Smoke-free policies covering enclosed public places are known to reduce child TSE and benefit child health. An increasing number of jurisdictions are now expanding smoke-free policies to also cover outdoor areas and/or (semi)private spaces (indoor and/or outdoor).

Investigating the effects of comprehensive smoke-free legislation on neonatal and infant mortality in Thailand using the synthetic control method.

Background: Almost all of the evidence on the benefits of smoke-free legislation on child health comes from evaluations in high-income countries. We investigated the effects of Thailand's 2010 comprehensive smoke-free legislation on neonatal and infant mortality.

Methods: To overcome some of the methodological issues inherent to traditional quasi-experimental methods, we applied the novel synthetic control approach.

PERSonalised Incentives for Supporting Tobacco cessation (PERSIST) among healthcare employees: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

Background: Smoking is the primary preventable risk factor for disease and premature mortality. It is highly addictive and cessation attempts are often unsuccessful. Incentive-based programmes may be an effective method to reach sustained abstinence.