Biomedical subjects

Enrique Regidor

Publications and source records attributed to Enrique Regidor.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

[The obesity epidemic and related factors: the case of Spain].

The obesity epidemic is a global phenomenon that does not respect geographic or socio-demographic boundaries. Thus, research on factors related to the obesity epidemic has focused on social and economic characteristics of modern societies. This article discusses obesity in Spain and trends in several associated factors. Together with the increase in the prevalence of obesity, important changes in the population's dietary pattern have been observed, although total energy and fat intake appear to be stable. According to several indirect indicators, sedentary behavior predominates, although the percentage of the population reporting some leisure exercise is increasing. An increase in the amount of leisure time in modern societies is suggested as an explanation for this paradox. Factors related to energy expenditure could be as important as dietary factors in the genesis of the obesity epidemic.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

[Socioeconomic circumstances and premature mortality from chronic diseases].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate the association between socioeconomic factors in childhood or adolescence and adulthood and premature mortality from various causes of death. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Men and women aged 25-74 years residing on May 1, 1996, in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. For the next 19 months, information on individuals who died and the cause of death were obtained from the Mortality Register. We estimated the mortality from 5 types of cancer and from 4 chronic diseases by the educational level--as an indicator of the socioeconomic circumstances in childhood or adolescence--and by income--as an indicator of the socioeconomic circumstances in adulthood. RESULTS: When both variables were included in the analysis simultaneously, the relative mortality ratio for men with second grade first phase and lower educational level versus those with second grade, second phase and higher educational level and the relative mortality ratio for men belonging to income quartiles 3 and 4 (lowest) versus those belonging to quartiles 1 and 2 were, respectively: 1.15 (95% confidence interval 1.01-1.31) and 1.22 (1.09-1.36) for lung cancer; 1.46 (1.19-1,93) and 1.13 (0.90-1.41) for gastric cancer; 1.80 (1.32-2.44) and 1.46 (1.18-1.80) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and 1.18 (0.77-1.81) and 0.68 (0.47-0.98) for diabetes mellitus. For women the relative mortality ratios were, respectively: 0.63 (0.43-0.92) and 0.72 (0.52-0.99) for lung cancer; 1.68 (0.99-2.83) and 1.17 (0.86-1.60) for gastric cancer; 0.76 (0.61-0.94) and 0.98 (0.82-1.16) for breast cancer; 1.36 (0.95-1.95) and 1.20 (0.97-1.48) for ischemic heart disease; 1.72 (1.19-2.50) and 0.93 (0.75-1.16) for stroke; and 2.23 (0.94-5.27) and 1.51 (1.02-2.25) for diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS: Premature mortality in adulthood is associated with several socioeconomic factors acting across the whole course of life. The contribution of these socioeconomic circumstances to mortality varies regarding the cause of death and gender.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Trends in the association between average income, poverty and income inequality and life expectancy in Spain.

In this paper, we study the relation between life expectancy and both average income and measures of income inequality in 1980 and 1990, using the 17 Spanish regions as units of analysis. Average income was measured as average total income per household. The indicators of income inequality used were three measures of relative poverty-the percentage of households with total income less than 25%, 40% and 50% of the average total household income-the Gini index and the Atkinson indices with parameters alpha=1, 1.5 and 2. Pearson and partial correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the association between average income and measures of income inequality and life expectancy. None of the correlation coefficients for the association between life expectancy and average household income was significant for men. The association between life expectancy and average household income in women, adjusted for any of the measures of income inequality, was significant in 1980, although this association decreased or disappeared in 1990 after adjusting for measures of poverty. In both men and women, the partial correlation coefficients between life expectancy and the measures of relative income adjusted for average income were positive in 1980 and negative in 1990, although none of them was significant. The results with regard to women confirm the hypothesis that life expectancy in the developed countries has become more dissociated from average income level and more associated with income inequality. The absence of a relation in men in 1990 may be due to the large impact of premature mortality from AIDS in regions with the highest average total income per household and/or smallest income inequality.

Female↗

PubMed2003

The size of educational differences in mortality from specific causes of death in men and women.

This study examines the association between education and mortality from specific causes of death based on mortality records for 1996 and 1997, and 1996 population census data from the Region of Madrid (Spain). Poisson regression models were used to estimate the percentage increase in mortality associated with 1 year less education. The percentage increases in mortality from stomach cancer, lung, bladder and liver cancers, for aids, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis were higher in men than in women, whereas the percentage increases in mortality from colon cancer, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease and nephritis, nephrosis and nephrotic syndrome were higher in women. The results found for some causes of death--lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease--reflect the variations by educational level in the prevalence of lifestyle-related risk factors in men and women. Various hypotheses have been suggested for other causes of death, but it is not known why the magnitude of the association between education and mortality from some causes of death differs between men and women. Future studies of this subject may provide some clues as to the underlying mechanisms of this association.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Higher birth weight and lower prevalence of low birth weight in children of agricultural workers than in those of workers in other occupations.

Agricultural occupation has been associated with different reproductive outcomes. This study examined the relation between mean birth weight (MBW) and the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) and paternal occupation in 1995-1998. Births and late fetal deaths were analyzed (n = 1,097,817). Paternal occupation was grouped into four categories: professionals and managerial; clerical, sales and service; manual; and agricultural workers. We estimated the difference between the MBW and the prevalence ratio of LBW in each occupational group as compared to the group of professionals and managerial workers. The adjusted difference in the MBW of the children of each occupational category was -8.9 g, -17.2 g, and 16.9 g, respectively. The adjusted prevalence ratio for LBW was 1.04, 1.08, and 0.91. Our results suggest a higher birth weight and lower prevalence of LBW in children of fathers who are agricultural workers.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

[Mortality pattern in Spain, 1998].

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to study the mortality from the 12 leading causes of death in Spain in 1998. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Proportional mortality and death rates according to causes of death in 1998 were estimated. We also calculated death rate trends since 1998. RESULTS: Leading causes of death were cancer heart diseases and cerebrovascular disease. Alzheimer's disease was the 11th leading cause of death. CONCLUSIONS: While mortality from Alzheimer's disease in 1998 was 21 times higher than in 1980, cancer-related mortality decreased over the last years.

Cause of Death↗

PubMed2002

Comparing social inequalities in health in Spain: 1987 and 1995/97.

To evaluate the trend in social inequalities in health in Spain between 1987 and 1995/97, we carried out a secondary analysis of the Spanish National Interview Surveys from 1987, 1995 and 1997. We studied less-than-good perceived general health and four chronic conditions--heart disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic bronchitis/asthma and allergies--by social class and educational level in men and women aged 25-74 years. Among men, the age-adjusted prevalence rate ratio of less-than-good perceived general health by social class decreased from 1.32 to 1.23 between 1987 and 1995,97: however, the prevalence rate ratio by educational level increased from 1.47 to 1.57. Among women, the prevalence rate ratio of less-than-good perceived general health increased between the first and second period as much by social class from 1.18 to 1.26, as by educational level--from 1.59 to 1.66. For heart disease the age-adjusted prevalence rate ratio by social class among men was 1.12 in 1987 and 0.72 in 1995/97, while the prevalence rate ratio by educational level was around I in both periods, among women, the prevalence rate ratio for heart disease by social class was the same in 1987 and in 1995/97, but the prevalence rate ratio by educational level increased between the first and second period. For diabetes mellitus and chronic bronchitis/asthma, the prevalence rate ratio increased by social class and educational level between the first and second period in both men and women. Finally, the prevalence rate ratio for allergies was always < 1, although its magnitude increased between 1987 and 1995/97. In general, health inequalities were larger by educational level than by social class and were larger in women than in men. Inequalities in perceived general health, diabetes mellitus and chronic bronchitis/asthma increased in Spain between 1987 and 1995/97.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Factors associated with non-fatal heroin overdose: assessing the effect of frequency and route of heroin administration.

AIMS: To examine risk factors associated with non-fatal heroin overdose, particularly frequency and route of heroin administration. DESIGN: Data from cross-sectional surveys were analysed as a case-control and as a case cross-over design. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 2556 subjects treated for heroin dependence in 164 outpatient facilities in Spain. MEASUREMENTS: Prevalence of overdose involving emergency care in the 12 months before treatment admission. CASE CONTROL DESIGN: Odds ratio (OR) adjusted by logistic regression. CASE-CROSSOVER DESIGN: Estimated relative risk (RR) of transient risk of injecting heroin. FINDINGS: The prevalence of overdose was 10%. In the case control analysis the cumulative risk of overdose increased as the frequency of heroin use decreased. However, among daily heroin users this risk increased as the frequency of heroin injection rose, with an OR of 6.0 (95% CI: 3.9-9.6) for daily injectors versus non-injectors. Sniffers had a higher risk than smokers among non-daily users, but not among daily users. Other factors associated with increased risk of overdose were: tranquilizers, alcohol or cocaine use, living in certain regions and being long-term HIV+ 0. In the case-crossover analysis, the RR for injecting heroin versus using other routes immediately before overdose was 15.9 (95% CI: 9.5-26.6), and was much higher for non-daily heroin users than for daily users. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the rapid entry of a large quantity of heroin into the blood (as occurs when injecting) involves a high risk of overdose, especially when the heroin tolerance level is low (as occurs in sporadic users).

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Infant mortality at time of birth and cause-specific adult mortality among residents of the Region of Madrid born elsewhere in Spain.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between infant mortality at time of birth and mortality from various causes of death in adulthood in men and women. METHODS: Linked mortality study based on mortality records for 1996 and 1997 and on 1996 population census data of the Region of Madrid (Spain). Deaths from five cancer sites and from five chronic diseases were estimated for 1 224 894 people aged 35-74 years residing in the Region of Madrid who were born elsewhere in Spain. RESULTS: A gradient in mortality by infant mortality quartile was seen for mortality from stomach cancer, colon cancer, diabetes mellitus and chronic liver disease in men, and for stomach cancer, ischaemic heart disease and chronic liver disease in women. The association was positive for stomach cancer and negative for all other causes. The relative mortality rates adjusted for age and adult socioeconomic factors for men belonging to infant mortality quartiles 3 and 4 (highest) versus those belonging to quartiles 1 and 2 as baseline were 1.06 (95% CI : 0.75-1.56) for stomach cancer, 0.67 (95% CI : 0.47-0.95) for colon cancer, 0.59 (95% CI : 0.35- 1.00) for diabetes mellitus, and 0.70 (95% CI : 0.49-0.99) for chronic heart disease. The relative mortality rates for women were 2.06 (95% CI : 1.09-3.88) for stomach cancer, 0.58 (95% CI : 0.41-0.80) for ischaemic heart disease, and 0.44 (95% CI : 0.27-0.70) for chronic liver disease. CONCLUSION: Higher infant mortality at time of birth is associated with adult mortality from diabetes mellitus and colon cancer in men, from ischaemic heart disease in women, and from stomach cancer and chronic liver disease in both sexes. These results most likely reflect adverse living conditions and/or nutritional deprivation in childhood.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Failure in the control of the number of traffic accident victims in Spain. Is this a result of the correct answer to the wrong question?].

Although various measures have been implemented in Spain with the aim to modifying the behavior of motor vehicle users, it has not been observed a descending trend in traffic accident and injuries from traffic accident. This article considers the question of whether the measures taken to reduce motor vehicle crash-related injuries in Spain have targeted the causes that are truly responsible for this trend. Using several sources of data, beginning in 1990 it has been observed a significant reduction in traffic accidents and their consequences, but in the second half of the 90s the growth in motor vehicle crash-related injuries was similar to the increase observed in the 80s. Likewise per capita alcohol consumption shows a downward trend from 1980 while the number of injuries has been strong associated with the economic cycle during the last twenty years. We conclude pointing out that intervention measures to control this problem in Spain have focused mainly on modifying behaviour that increases the risk and severity of traffic accident injuries and have ignored the macro-economic determinants that explain the trend in the frequency of this health problem.

Accidents, Traffic↗