The use of nonrandomized evidence to estimate treatment effects in health technology assessment

Health technology assessment (HTA) is increasingly informed by nonrandomized studies, but there is limited guidance from HTA bodies on expectations around evidence quality and study conduct. We developed recommendations to support the appropriate use of such evidence based on a pragmatic literature review and a workshop involving 16 experts from eight countries as part of the…

The use of healthcare services and disabling chronic pain: results from the cross-sectional population-based Andalusian Health Survey

Background Several factors seem to be related to the use of healthcare services, and chronic pain (CP) is among these characteristics. The objective is to describe the number of visits to a doctor’s surgery or emergency rooms, and the periods of hospitalization; to identify characteristics associated with frequent healthcare use, including disabling chronic pain (DCP)…

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain: hygiene habits, sociodemographic profile, mobility patterns and comorbidities

COVID-19 constitutes the largest pandemic in the last 100 years. In view of the rapid spread of the virus, it is necessary to study the sociodemographic characteristics, hygiene habits, activity and mobility, and comorbidities of SARS-CoV-2 infection to be able to implement prevention strategies. For this purpose, a survey including the variables of interest was…

The social value of a PASI 90 or PASI 100 response in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in Spain

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic disease involving the skin, which significantly impacts the quality of life. Disease severity and treatment efficacy (i.e., response) are assessed through the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). A PASI 75 response, i.e., an improvement of at least 75% with respect to the baseline PASI score, has traditionally been used as…

The role of plasma microseminoprotein-beta in prostate cancer: an observational nested case–control and Mendelian randomization study in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition

Background Microseminoprotein-beta (MSP), a protein secreted by the prostate epithelium, may have a protective role in the development of prostate cancer. The only previous prospective study found a 2% reduced prostate cancer risk per unit increase in MSP. This work investigates the association of MSP with prostate cancer risk using observational and Mendelian randomization (MR)…

The Role of Indication-Based Pricing in Future Pricing and Reimbursement Policies: A Systematic Review

Objectives Indication-based pricing (IBP) has received growing attention because of the expected increase in the number of new medicines with multiple indications. In our systematic review, we assess the potential benefits, barriers, current experiences, and future perspectives of different IBP mechanisms. Methods We searched publications in English, Spanish, or French assessing the impact, international experience,…

The Role of European Schools and University Departments of Public Health in the 2020 COVID-19 Response, European Region, 2020

Objective: The main objective was to examine, how European Schools of Public Health (SPHs) responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through 2020, across the main activity domains of the SPHs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey based on an online questionnaire concerning the anti-COVID-19 activities from 1st March to 31st October 2020 of the 117 members of the…

The Role of Diet, Alcohol, BMI, and Physical Activity in Cancer Mortality: Summary Findings of the EPIC Study

Evidence on the impact of diet, alcohol, body-mass index (BMI), and physical activity on mortality due to cancer and other cancer-related outcomes is still scarce. Herein, we reviewed the contribution of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study to the current state of the art on the role of these factors in…

The relationship between parental stress and psychological adjustment of the children: The role of parental psychological flexibility as a mediator

There is growing interest in parental psychological flexibility, understood as parents’ ability to enjoy an optimal relationship with their children by accepting their negative emotions and thoughts in the present moment, while remaining child-conscious, in value-based parenting. Parenting can sometimes be stressful, especially when faced with the varied and changing challenges of parenthood. Parental stress,…

The relationship between blood pressure and risk of renal cell carcinoma

Background The relation between blood pressure and kidney cancer risk is well established but complex and different study designs have reported discrepant findings on the relative importance of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP). In this study, we sought to describe the temporal relation between diastolic and SBP with renal cell carcinoma…