466 research outputs found

    Abordando la exposición a las emisiones del tabaco y de los cigarrillos electrónicos: protocolo del proyecto TackSHS

    No full text
    Objective The TackSHS project aims to comprehensively elucidate the impact that exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) from cigarettes and second-hand aerosols (SHA) from electronic cigarettes have on the respiratory health of the European population according to socioeconomic characteristics and other determinants. Method The TackSHS project involves a series of coordinated studies carried out by 11 academic and public health organisations from six European countries. The project will investigate: a) the determinants of SHS and SHA exposure assessed at the individual level (surveys on representative general population samples) and in common environments (environmental sampling in specific settings); b) the overall disease burden, mortality and morbidity attributable to such exposure; and c) its economic impact in terms of direct health care costs. The project will also examine specific acute respiratory health changes in healthy individuals and patients with respiratory diseases exposed to SHS and SHA. In addition, the project will examine the effectiveness of a novel intervention to reduce SHS exposure in households where smoking is permitted. All these studies are inter-related and involve collaborative coordination among the participant organisations. Conclusion The comprehensive, integrated approach of the TackSHS project will enable a significant step forward from the current status quo in the understanding of the impact of SHS and SHA exposure on health and provide the basis for health policy recommendations to help European countries to further reduce the harm caused by SHS and SHA exposure.Additional co-authors: Montse Ballbè, Beladenta Amalia, Olena Tigova, Xavier Continente, Teresa Arechávala, Elisabet Henderson, Alessandra Lugo, Xiaoqiu Liu, Cristina Bosetti, Enrico Davoli, Paolo Colombo, Sheila Keogan, Shashsa Li, Elizabeth Breslin, Hannah Byrne, Anna Tzortzi, Constantine Vardavas, Vergina Konstantina Vyzikidou, Stephanie Teloniatis, Gerasimos Bakelas, George Mattiampa, Roberto Boffi, Cinzia De Marco, Alessandro Borgini, Chiara Veronese, Martina Bertoldi, Andrea Tittarelli, Giulia Carreras, Barbara Cortini, Simona Verdi, Alessio Lachi, Elisabetta Chellini, Marta Trapero-Bertran, Daniel Celdrán Guerrero, Dominick Nguyen, Polina Starchenko, Julio Ancochea, Tamara Alonso, María Teresa Pastor, Marta Erro, Ana Roca, Patricia Pére

    How widespread is electronic cigarette use in outdoor settings? A field check from the TackSHS project in 11 European countries

    No full text
    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. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the entrances of primary schools (N = 200), children's playgrounds (N = 200), and outdoor hospitality venues (N = 220) during 2017-2018 in major cities of 11 European countries. We performed 30-min observations and recorded e-cigarette use at three-time points: at 0 min, 15 min, and 30 min. We described the number and proportion of settings with e-cigarette use observed at any of the three-time points according to country and other contextual variables. Results showed that there were 22 (11.0%) school entrances, eight (4.0%) playgrounds, and 47 (21.3%) outdoor hospitality venues where e-cigarette use was observed at any time point. School entrances and outdoor hospitality venues with observed e-cigarette use were more frequently found in countries with a higher prevalence (≥1.4%) of e-cigarette use (school entrances: 18.0% vs. 4.0%; p = 0.002, outdoor hospitality venues: 26.7% vs. 15.0%, p = 0.036). In conclusion, the outdoor setting with the highest visibility of e-cigarette use was outdoor areas of hospitality venues. Although still limited, e-cigarettes were also used in outdoor settings frequented by children. Governments should consider measures to restrict e-cigarette use outdoors to protect the health of bystanders, particularly in areas where children may be present

    Prevalence and determinants of smoke-free homes in 12 European countries: the TackSHS Survey

    No full text
    Background Homes are one of the primary locations where people are exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) in Europe. We describe the prevalence and identify the main determinants of having home-smoking restrictions in 12 European countries. Methods Cross-sectional survey in 12 European countries conducted in 2017–2018 (TackSHS Project). Approximately 1000 participants representing the general population aged ≥15 years of each country were interviewed face-to-face. Individual and country-level characteristics were explored through adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) obtained from multilevel Poisson models with random effects. Results Among 11 734 participants, 70.2% (95%CI: 69.4–71.0%) had smoke-free homes and 17.5% (95%CI: 16.8–18.2%) had partial home-smoking restrictions in place. Prevalence of smoke-free homes ranged from 44.4% in Greece to 84.5% in England. Having a smoke-free home was significantly inversely associated with current (PR=0.60) or former (PR=0.95) smoking and living in a household with one (PR=0.70) and two or more (PR=0.58) people who smoke. It was also significantly associated with being ≥65 years old (PR=1.05), being female (PR=1.07), having a high educational level (PR=1.09), and living with children (PR=1.09). Having a smoke-free home was associated with living in Northern Europe, while partial home-smoking restrictions were more likely among respondents from Eastern Europe and countries with lower per capita gross domestic product. Conclusions The prevalence of smoke-free homes in Europe is relatively high, but with large variability across countries. European countries with a lower prevalence of smoke-free homes should implement tailored interventions targeting identified determinants and incorporate the success of other countries

    Non-smokers' and smokers' support for smoke-free legislation in 14 indoor and outdoor settings across 12 European countries

    No full text
    Background European countries differ considerably in the scope and the extent of their policies to protect people from the harms of secondhand smoke exposure. Public opinion may have a substantial influence on several stages of policy development, implementation, and compliance. For this reason, we aimed to evaluate the population level of support for smoke-free policies and its correlates. Methods We used data from the TackSHS Survey (2017–2018), a cross-sectional study with representative samples of the general population aged ≥15 years from 12 European countries. We described the proportion of non-smokers’ and smokers’ support for the implementation of smoke-free legislation in 14 indoor and outdoor settings and the country-level characteristics associated with it. Results In the total sample (n = 11,902), support for smoke-free legislation were the lowest for restaurants/bar patios (non-smokers = 53.0%; smokers = 29.2%) and the highest for workplaces (non-smokers = 78.5%; smokers = 66.5%). In the country-level analysis, the highest support among non-smokers was for workplaces in Bulgaria (93.1%) and the lowest for restaurants/bars patios in Greece (39.4%). Among smokers, the corresponding estimates were for children's playgrounds in Latvia (88.9%) and for cars in Portugal (21%). For most settings, support for smoke-free legislation was directly related with the countries' prevalence of secondhand smoke presence and reported smoking in each setting. Discussion Our results show that the majority of European adults (including a large proportion of smokers) are supportive of implementing smoke-free legislation in indoor settings and extending it to selected outdoor settings. Such expressive support can be seen as an opportunity to advance legislation and protect the European population from secondhand smoke exposure

    Electronic cigarette use in 12 European countries. Results from the TackSHS survey.

    No full text
    BACKGROUND Limited data on electronic cigarette prevalence, patterns and settings of use are available from several European countries. METHODS Within the TackSHS project, a face-to-face survey was conducted in 2017-2018 in 12 European countries (Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain). Overall, 11,876 participants, representative of the population aged ≥15 years in each country, provided information on electronic cigarette. RESULTS 2.4% (95% confidence interval, CI: 2.2-2.7) of the subjects (2.5% among men and 2.4% among women; 0.4% among never, 4.4% among current- and 6.5% among ex-smokers) reported current use of electronic cigarette, ranging from 0.6% in Spain to 7.2% in England. Of the 272 electronic cigarette users, 52.6% were dual users (i.e., users of both electronic and conventional cigarettes) and 58.8% used liquids with nicotine. In all, 65.1% reported using electronic cigarette in at least one indoor setting where smoking is forbidden, in particular in workplaces (34.9%), and bars and restaurants (41.5%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that electronic cigarette use was lower among older individuals (p for trend <0.001) and higher among individuals with high level of education (p for trend 0.040). Participants from countries with higher tobacco cigarette prices more frequently reported electronic cigarette use (odds ratio 3.62; 95% CI: 1.80-7.30). CONCLUSIONS Considering the whole adult population of these 12 European countries, more than 8.3 million people use electronic cigarettes. The majority of users also smoked conventional cigarettes, used electronic cigarettes with nicotine and consumed electronic cigarettes in smoke-free indoor areas

    Who Smokes in Europe? Data From Twelve European Countries in the TackSHS Survey (2017-2018)

    No full text
    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. In each country, a representative sample of around 1,000 subjects aged 15 years and older was interviewed, for a total of 11,902 participants. Results: Overall, 25.9% of participants were current smokers (31.0% of men and 21.2% of women, P \u3c 0.001), while 16.5% were former smokers. Smoking prevalence ranged from 18.9% in Italy to 37.0% in Bulgaria. It decreased with increasing age (compared to Conclusions: These smoking prevalence estimates represent the most up-to-date evidence in Europe. From them, it can be derived that there are more than 112 million current smokers in the EU-28. Lower socio-economic status is a major determinant of smoking habit in both sexes

    Exposure to secondhand aerosol from electronic cigarettes at homes: A real-life study in four European countries

    No full text
    Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use emits potentially hazardous compounds and deteriorates indoor air quality. Home is a place where e-cigarettes may frequently be used amid its increasing prohibition in public places. This study assessed the real-life scenario of bystanders&apos; exposure to secondhand e-cigarette aerosol (SHA) at home. A one-week observational study was conducted within the TackSHS project in four countries (Greece, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) in 2019 including: 1) homes of e-cigarette users living together with a non-user/non-smoker; and 2) control homes with no smokers nor e-cigarette users. Indoor airborne nicotine, PM2.5, and PM1.0 concentrations were measured as environmental markers of SHA. Biomarkers, including nicotine and its metabolites, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, propanediol, glycerol, and metals were measured in participants&apos; saliva and urine samples. E-cigarette use characteristics, such as e-cigarette refill liquid&apos;s nicotine concentration, e-cigarette type, place of e-cigarette use at home, and frequency of ventilation, were also collected. A total of 29 e-cigarette users&apos; homes and 21 control homes were included. The results showed that the concentrations of seven-day airborne nicotine were quantifiable in 21 (72.4 %) out of 29 e-cigarette users&apos; homes; overall, they were quite low (geometric mean: 0.01 μg/m3; 95 % CI: 0.01-0.02 μg/m3) and were all below the limit of quantification in control homes. Concentrations of seven-day PM2.5 and PM1.0 in e-cigarette and control homes were similar. Airborne nicotine and PM concentrations did not differ according to different e-cigarette use characteristics. Non-users residing with e-cigarette users had low but significantly higher levels of cotinine, 3&apos;-OH-cotinine and 1,2-propanediol in saliva, and cobalt in urine than non-users living in control homes. In conclusion, e-cigarette use at home created bystanders&apos; exposure to SHA regardless of the e-cigarette use characteristics. Further studies are warranted to assess the implications of SHA exposure for smoke-free policy.This project has received funding from the European Union&apos;s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 681040. BA received the support of a fellowship from “La Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434; Fellowship code: LCF/BQ/IN17/11620013). The Tobacco Control Research Group at ICO-IDIBELL (BA, EF, MF, OT, MB, YC) is partly supported by the Ministry of Universities and Research, Government of Catalonia (2017SGR319) and thanks CERCA Programme Generalitat de Catalunya for the institutional support to IDIBELL. The work of SG is partially supported by an Investigation Grant from the Foundation AIRC for the Research on Cancer (AIRC IG 2021, ID 25987). The Laboratory of Toxicology University of Granada (FG, PO) is funded by the Spanish National Research Agency and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER; Project UNGR15-CE-3380). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

    Valdosta Project Change, Scrapbook, February 1998

    No full text
    Valdosta Project Change. “Valdosta Project Change Scrapbook, February, 1998.” Lowndes County Historical Society. Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections, MS-181: Valdosta Project Change Scrapbook Collection, 1997-2003. 1 PDF document and scans, 16 pages. 74.9 MB (78,610,514 bytes)2/10- City schools confronted with failure rates- E. Rankin Scott; 2/11- Failing grade probed- E. Rankin Scott; 2/12- Levi Strauss program honored by president- Dean Poling; 2/14- School holds workshop for parents- E. Rankin Scott; 2/15- Moody general appreciates sacrifices made by fellow African-American airmen- Shelby G. Spires; 2/16- Fire Department seeks more minority applicants- Jodi M. Scott; 2/17- Investigators send fire samples to crime lab- Dean Poling; 2/22- Weed and Seed update planned for March 2- no author; 2/25- Weed and Seed- no author; February 1998- Local Levi’s plant spared: Lowndes facility not among 11 to be closed by clothing manufacturer- Staff reports; February 1998- ‘Granny’s Place’ for kids part of Weed and Seed- Jodi M. Scott

    Who smokes in Europe? data from 12 European countries in the TackSHS survey (2017-2018).

    No full text
    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. In each country, a representative sample of around 1,000 subjects aged 15 years and older was interviewed, for a total of 11,902 participants. RESULTS: Overall 25.9% of participants were current smokers (31.0% among men and 21.2% among women, p<0.001), while 16.5% were former smokers. Smoking prevalence ranged from 18.9% in Italy to 37.0% in Bulgaria. It decreased with increasing age (compared to <45, multivariable odds ratio, OR, for ≥65 years was 0.31; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.27-0.36), level of education (OR for low vs. high was 1.32; 95% CI: 1.17-1.48) and self-rated household economic level (OR for low vs. high was 2.05; 95% CI: 1.74-2.42). The same patterns were found in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: These smoking prevalence estimates represent the most up-to-date evidence in Europe. From them it can be derived that there are more than 112 million current smokers in the EU-28. Lower socio-economic status is a major determinant of smoking habit in both sexes
    corecore