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Biomedical subjects

Josep Maria Borràs

Publications and source records attributed to Josep Maria Borràs.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Cancer risk perceptions in an urban Mediterranean population.

The objective of our study was to analyze the perceived (belief) or adopted (behavior) measures to reduce cancer risk in a Spanish population. We used cross-sectional data from the Cornella Health Interview Survey Follow-up Study (CHIS.FU). We analyzed 1,438 subjects who in 2002 answered questions about risk perceptions on cancer and related behavior (668 males and 770 females). The benefits of avoiding cigarette smoking (95.8%), sunlight exposure (94.9%) and alcohol (81.0%) were widely recognized. On the other hand, electromagnetic fields (92.1%), food coloring and other food additives (78.4%) or pesticides (69.4%), whose role in cancer occurrence, if any, remain unproven, were clearly considered as cancer risk factors in this population. Compared to men, women more frequently reported healthy behaviors, and the role of exogenous factors (i.e., environmental risk factors) were widely popular. There was a socioeconomic gradient on cancer risk perception with respect to several lifestyle or dietary factors. Individuals with higher educational level scored lower in several risk factors than those with primary or less than primary school education. Smokers reported adopting fewer healthy behaviors than former or never smokers. How people perceive health issues and risk or make choices about their own behavior does not always follow a predictable or rational pattern.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed2005

Smoking reduction in a population-based cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the factors associated with smoking reduction in a population-based cohort study in Cornella de Llobregat (Barcelona, Spain). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used data from the Cornella Health Interview Survey Follow-up Study (n = 2,500). We included for the analysis those subjects who declared to be daily smokers at baseline (1994) and continued smoking after eight years of follow-up (n = 234). We considered as operational definition of reduction to reduce > or = 10 cigarettes/day. We calculated the relative risk (RR) of smoking reduction vs. maintain or increase tobacco consumption and 95% confidence intervals (CI) by means of a Breslow-Cox regression model. RESULTS: The average reduction on number of cigarettes among subjects who reduced their tobacco consumption was similar in men and women (13 cigarettes/day). The consumption intensity and self-perceived health are the characteristics associated with reduction: smoking reduction was associated with being a smoker > 20 cigarettes/day (RR = 3.25; 95% CI: 1.69-6.25) and individuals who declared having a suboptimal health showed a 3-fold risk of reducing smoking (RR = 3.13; 95% CI: 1.52-6.43). CONCLUSION: Heavy smokers and smokers with poor health are those smokers more likely to reduce their tobacco consumption. Specific actions targeting them could lead to increase reduction and even smoking cessation.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Sex differences in hospital readmission among colorectal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: While several studies have analysed sex and socioeconomic differences in cancer incidence and mortality, sex differences in oncological health care have been seldom considered. OBJECTIVE: To investigate sex based inequalities in hospital readmission among patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Hospital Universitary in L'Hospitalet (Barcelona, Spain). PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred and three patients diagnosed with colorectal between January 1996 and December 1998 were actively followed up until 2002. Main outcome measurements and METHODS: Hospital readmission times related to colorectal cancer after surgical procedure. Cox proportional model with random effect (frailty) was used to estimate hazard rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals of readmission time for covariates analysed. RESULTS: Crude hazard rate ratio of hospital readmission in men was 1.61 (95% CI 1.21 to 2.15). When other significant determinants of readmission were controlled for (including Dukes's stage, mortality, and Charlson's index) a significant risk of readmission was still present for men (hazard rate ratio: 1.52, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.96). CONCLUSIONS: In the case of colorectal cancer, women are less likely than men to be readmitted to the hospital, even after controlling for tumour characteristics, mortality, and comorbidity. New studies should investigate the role of other non-clinical variable such as differences in help seeking behaviours or structural or personal sex bias in the attention given to patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Evaluation of clinical research studies in a comprehensive cancer center].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The number of clinical trials in cancer patients has experienced an important growth during last years. However, it is difficult to find data showing this activity in Spanish Hospitals. This study analyses the clinical trials data bases between 1996 and 2002 in a cancer center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We perform a descriptive analysis of data from: selection of protocols, origin of proposals, sponsors, investigators, studies performed and published; demographic data about patients and phase of the studies in which they have been included. RESULTS: Evaluation was undertaken with a standardised protocol review assessment. 337 proposals of clinical trials were evaluated during 1996-2002, with a decreasing acceptance index (62.5% to 39.18%, respectively), the number of proposals has grown from 16 in 1996 to 74 in 2002. The general recruitment index was 6.64%. Between 1995-2002, 1479 patients were registered; only 5% were older than 75 years. Pharmaceutical Companies sponsored the majority of the studies, although Co-operative Groups promote an important number of studies, especially in Haematology and Radiotherapy. Thirteen studies performed between 1996-1998 had been published, and 3 more are accepted for publication (69.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The number of patients included in clinical trials is limited and older patients are not well represented in them.

Biomedical Research↗
PubMed2003

[Smoking in Spain, 1945-1995. A retrospective analysis based on the Spanish National Health Interview Surveys].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To analyse trends in cigarette consumption in Spain between 1945 and 1995. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prevalence rates of daily cigarette smoking were derived from the individual information collected in the Spanish National Health Interview Surveys (1993, 1995 and 1997) for the period 1945-1995. RESULTS: In males, the prevalence rate in 1945 was 42.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40,1-44,7%), increased till 59.1% in 1975 (95% CI, 58,0-60,2%), levelled-off during the decade 1975-1985, and decreased till 48.9% in 1995 (95% CI, 48,1-49,7%). In females, the prevalence rate of cigarette smoking was less than 5% till the 1970s, and it begun to steadily increase till the end of the study period (22,5%; 95% CI, 21,9-23,1%). CONCLUSIONS: This analysis shows the different dynamics of the smoking epidemic among men and women in Spain.

Adolescent↗