Publications (7)22.76 Total impact
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Article: Violence reported by the immigrant population is high as compared with the native population in southeast Spain.
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ABSTRACT: Immigrants constitute a population vulnerable to the problem of violence. This study sought to ascertain the prevalence of violence reported by the immigrant population in the Murcian Region of Spain and characterize the related factors, taking the country population as reference. A cross-sectional study was carried out based on a representative population sample of Latin American (n = 672; 48% women), Moroccan (n = 361; 25% women), and Spanish origin (n = 1,303; 66% women), aged 16 to 64 years. Using a specific questionnaire, the prevalence of violence in the preceding year was assessed. The results were compared with the Spaniards using the 2006 National Health Survey (NHS). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to study the factors associated with violence having been reported in each group, both separately and in immigrants versus Spaniards. Finally, the cause and place of last aggression were studied. The prevalence of violence was 6.5% in Latin Americans, 12.0% in Moroccans, and 2.7% in Spaniards. Discrimination was the principal violence-related factor in all three groups. Among Latin Americans, low educational level was also associated with violence. Among Moroccans, those who had perceived discrimination showed the greatest differences in prevalence of violence compared with natives. Intimate partner violence (IPV) registered a prevalence of below 2%. As a conclusion, in this study, violence was little reported and higher among immigrants. The principal violence-related factor was discrimination. More studies of this type are called for to characterize the problem in other population-representative samples.Journal of Interpersonal Violence 07/2012; 27(16):3322-40. · 1.64 Impact Factor -
Article: Lung cancer prognosis in Spain: the role of histology, age and sex.
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ABSTRACT: Survival in the case of lung cancer patients not only remains poor and decreases with advancing age at diagnosis, but recent European studies also report that it differs by sex. Our study sought to describe sex-related differences in lung cancer survival in Spain, and evaluate the role played by histologic type. Our analysis covered seven Spanish regions with population-based cancer registries. Cases diagnosed with lung cancer during the period 1995-1999 were followed up until December 31, 2004. To ascertain possible sex differences we performed multiple regression analysis. Age-standardized 5-year relative survival proved significantly higher in women (11.8%) than in men (9.2%), and among the youngest patients relative survival at 5 years conditional on surviving 1 year, was 1.74 times significantly higher in women than in men. The regression analysis showed that men had a higher relative excess risk of dying (RER) than did women (1.1 [95% CI 1.03-1.18]), with this being particularly marked among the 15-54 age group (1.42 [1.24-1.64]). Analysis by histologic type showed that in small cell carcinoma, men had a higher RER than women (1.29 [1.02-1.61]); in squamous cell carcinoma, men had a significantly lower RER than women during the first and fifth years; and in large cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, the RER displayed no significant sex-related differences. Lung cancer survival rates in Spain are poor, with better prognosis in women, especially among patients aged under 55 years at diagnosis, or those with small cell carcinoma.Respiratory medicine 06/2012; 106(9):1301-8. · 2.33 Impact Factor -
Article: Trends in prostate cancer survival in Spain: results from population-based cancer registries.
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to analyse the evolution of the survival of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer during the period 1995-2003. This is a population survival study of incident cases of prostate cancer in four Spanish areas: Basque Country, Girona, Murcia and Navarra. We calculated the relative survival (RS) at 5 years and its 95% confidence intervals using a cohort analysis and adjusted for age. To assess the trend in survival between the periods (1995-1999 and 2000-2003) a Poisson regression model was used, adjusting for age, region and period, obtaining the relative risk of death. The number of patients diagnosed during the 1995- 1999 period was 6493 and 8331 in the period 2000-03. The RS at 5 years adjusted for age increased significantly, from 75.3% (95% CI 73.3-77.2) in the period 1995-99 to 85% (95% CI 83.4-86.4) in the period 2000-03. In Spain the survival of patients with prostate cancer has increased significantly from 1999 to 2003, probably due to the advancement in diagnosis produced by the opportunistic screening of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Differences in the dissemination and use of the PSA level could explain the observed geographic differences in the increase of survival. It would be necessary to carry out studies to quantify the produced overdiagnosis by screening with PSA in prostate cancer.Clinical and Translational Oncology 06/2012; 14(6):458-64. · 1.33 Impact Factor -
Article: Cancer survival in Spain: estimate for nine major cancers.
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ABSTRACT: This study provides estimates of population-based relative survival in Spain for nine major cancers and reports results on cancer survival by region, gender and age group. Our analysis covered eight Spanish regions, namely, Basque Country, Navarre, Girona, Tarragona, Castellón, Albacete, Murcia and Granada, and included patients with cancer of the colon, rectum, lung, breast, ovary, prostate, testis, melanoma of skin and Hodgkin's lymphoma. Cases diagnosed during the period 1995-99 were followed up until 31 December 2004. For individual records, the maximum likelihood approach was used to estimate 5-year relative survival (5y-RS), with crude and adjusted 5y-RS being calculated. A statistical test was applied to explain significant geographical variations. In the regions studied, the highest 5y-RS ratio was detected for lung cancer (adjusted 5y-RS of 12.4% in Navarre versus 6.1% in Granada) and the lowest for breast cancer (91.3% in Castellón versus 81.2% in Albacete). 5y-RS for the respective cancer types was as follows: colon and rectal, 54.7% and 50.2%, respectively; ovarian, 43% overall, though much lower in the oldest age groups; prostate, 76%, rising to close to 80% in the 45-74 age group, with rates ranging from highest in Girona to lowest in Albacete; testicular, 95%, the type with the best prognosis; and Hodgkin's lymphoma, 85%, rising to 92% among young adults. In the case of melanoma of skin, the sex-related difference in 5y-RS was >10% for women. Although regional differences were identified for most tumours, these were more marked in lung cancer. Women showed better prognosis. Breast and prostate cancer registered lower survival among young than among middle-aged adults. The worst prognosis was for lung cancer and the best for cutaneous melanoma, with breast, prostate and Hodgkin's lymphoma displaying favourable and colon, rectum and ovary unfavourable prognoses. Identifying regional, gender- and age-related differences affords valuable knowledge for improving cancer care.Annals of Oncology 05/2010; 21 Suppl 3:iii21-29. · 6.43 Impact Factor -
Article: Childhood cancer incidence and survival in Spain.
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ABSTRACT: This article affords an overview of the patterns and time trends of childhood cancer incidence (1983-2002) and survival (1991-2002) in Spain. A population-based study was conducted, including 5936 cases for incidence and 3257 for survival analyses. Differences in incidence were tested with the standardised incidence ratio. Trends were analysed for all tumours, and for all malignant, haematological, central nervous system (CNS) (all and only malignant) and other solid tumours. Incidence trends were analysed using Poisson and Bayesian joinpoint models. Observed, relative and age-adjusted survival rates were calculated, and trends were tested using the log-rank test. The incidence pattern in Spain was similar to that in Europe. Rates, both overall and for leukaemias, lymphomas, CNS, soft tissue and, remarkably, for sympathetic nervous system and bone tumours, were high. Upward incidence trends were present for all tumour groups. All groups, except solid tumours (excluding CNS), displayed a change-point centred around 1990-95, after which the trend stopped rising. Five-year survival increased significantly across the period for all groups, except for CNS tumours. Recent survival results were in line with Italy, the UK and the European average. To confirm these results, ongoing surveillance of incidence and survival trends, and studies targeting specific tumours are called for.Annals of Oncology 05/2010; 21 Suppl 3:iii103-110. · 6.43 Impact Factor -
Article: Prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment in Southeastern Spain: the Ariadna study.
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ABSTRACT: To estimate the prevalence of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND) and dementia in a general elderly population and to examine the associated socio-demographic factors. The Ariadna study is a population-based cross-sectional study of cognitive function involving 1074 individuals aged 65-96 years from the Murcia Region of southeastern Spain. Prevalence, adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The overall prevalence was 8.7% (95% CI 7.1-10.5) for aMCI, 14.5% (95% CI 12.4-16.8) for CIND and 5.5% (95% CI 4.3-7.1) for dementia. Dementia was associated with age (OR 1.13 95% CI 1.09-1.18 for a 1-year increase in age). Illiterate subjects were more likely to present aMCI (OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.09-6.14) and dementia (OR 4.09; 95% CI 1.28-13.08) than subjects with secondary or higher education. Rural area residents (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.07-4.24) and women (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.06-2.22) were more likely to have CIND. The prevalence of dementia was low, despite a high prevalence of aMCI and CIND. Dementia was strongly associated with age and education. CIND was associated with living in a rural area and with female sex, while aMCI was associated with illiteracy.Acta Neurologica Scandinavica 11/2009; 120(5):300-7. · 2.47 Impact Factor -
Article: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy performance for detection of dementia, Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment in a community-based survey.
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ABSTRACT: To evaluate (1)H-labelled magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in patients with a low Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score identified during a dementia community-based survey. A population sample of 1,500 individuals (>64 years old) was randomly selected. Two hundred and fifteen individuals (MMSE < or =24) were sorted into clinical groups: dementia, Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), normal. Up to 56 of these individuals attended the MRS appointment. Two single-voxel sequences (TR 1,500, TE 35/144 ms) were carried out in the posterior cingulate gyrus of each individual, and the ratios N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr), choline (Cho)/Cr, myo-inositol (mI)/Cr, NAA/mI and NAA/Cho were compared statistically. The ability of MRS to distinguish clinical groups was assessed by receiver-operating characteristics analysis. Cognition effects on metabolite ratios were estimated, with gender and cognition as categorical variables and age as a continuous covariate. NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho ratios were lower in dementia or Alzheimer's disease than in MCI and normal groups. The NAA/Cr ratio at TE 35 ms performed best when distinguishing dementia or Alzheimer's disease from non-demented subjects (cut-off point 1.40). MRS could not distinguish between MCI patients and normal subjects. Dementia was an independent predictor of metabolite values. In a population sample, conventional MRS still proved to be a useful tool for dementia discrimination, but it is potentially far less useful as a surrogate marker for MCI.Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders 06/2008; 26(1):15-25. · 2.14 Impact Factor
