https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12328/1037 2026-06-06T06:56:57Z 2026-06-06T06:56:57Z Fernández-Carro, Celia Módenes, Juan A. Spijker, Jeroen https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12328/5346 2026-05-28T17:44:27Z 2015-02-15T00:00:00Z

Living conditions as predictor of elderly residential satisfaction. A cross-European view by poverty status Fernández-Carro, Celia; Módenes, Juan A.; Spijker, Jeroen Although there is an extensive body of literature on the use of residential satisfaction to measure the impact of housing conditions on well-being in later life, less is known about differences and similarities between sub-populations and national contexts. By means of a cross-European analysis (EU15), this study aims to examine how objective and subjective factors of living conditions shape the perceptions of older Europeans about the adequacy of their residential environment. Two patterns of housing quality are explored: (1) international heterogeneity of the EU15 countries, and (2) intra-national heterogeneity, where we distinguish between households at risk of poverty and those not at risk in the elderly population of these countries. Data were drawn from the 2007 wave of the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey, providing a sample of more than 58,000 individuals aged 65 years and older. The housing characteristics surveyed were reduced using tetrachoric correlations in a principal component analysis. The resulting predictors, as well as control variables (including gender, age, health status and tenure), are assessed using multiple linear regression analysis to explore their association with a high or low level of residential satisfaction. Despite a generally positive assessment by older Europeans of their living space, major geographic and household income differences existed in the factors that explained residential satisfaction. Identifying factors associated with residential satisfaction in different household income groups and national contexts may facilitate the development of EU policies that attempt to make ‘ageing in place’ a viable and suitable option for older Europeans.

2015-02-15T00:00:00Z Spijker, Jeroen Cámara, Antonio D. Blanes Llorens, Amand https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12328/5345 2026-05-28T16:31:35Z 2012-07-01T00:00:00Z

The health transition and biological living standards: Adult height and mortality in 20th-century Spain Spijker, Jeroen; Cámara, Antonio D.; Blanes Llorens, Amand This paper seeks new insights concerning the health transition in 20th century Spain by analyzing both traditional (mortality-based) and alternative (anthropometric-based) health indicators. Data were drawn from national censuses, vital and cause-of-death statistics and seven National Health Surveys dating from 1987 to 2006 (almost 100,000 subjects aged 20–79 were used to compute cohort height averages). A multivariate regression analysis was performed on infant mortality and economic/historical dummy variables. Our results agree with the general timing of the health transition process in Spain as has been described to date insofar as we document that there was a rapid improvement of sanitary and health care related factors during the second half of the 20th century reflected by a steady decline in infant mortality and increase in adult height. However, the association between adult height and infant mortality turned out to be not linear. In addition, remarkable gender differences emerged: mean height increased continuously for male cohorts born after 1940 but meaningful improvements in height among female cohorts was not attained until the late 1950s. This work is associated to the following research projects funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation: Crecimiento, Nutrición y Bienestar en España. La influencia de los procesos socioeconómicos a largo plazo en los niveles de vida biológicos y la salud (SEJ2007-67613); Implicaciones sociodemográficas de las condiciones de salud en las edades maduras (ref. CSO2009-09851-SOCI).

2012-07-01T00:00:00Z Muhlis, Abdu Nafan Aisul Mahrouseh, Nour Soares Andrade, Carlos Alexandre Chen Xu, Jose Eikemo, Terje Andreas Balaj, Mirza Economou, Mary A Mechili, Enkeleint Unim, Brigid Baravelli, Carl Michael Badache, Andreea Spijker, Jeroen GABRANI, Jonila Vieira, Rafael José Lassen, Brian Haneef, Romana Tecirli, Gülcan Cuschieri, Sarah Rojas-Rueda, David Hoven, Hannoh Chamouni, Ghenwa Tarek, Gabriella Laila Varga, Orsolya https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12328/5344 2026-05-29T17:23:56Z 2026-05-07T00:00:00Z

Potential impact of increasing physical activity on NCD mortality in the EU: pathways to SDG 3.4.1 by 2030 Muhlis, Abdu Nafan Aisul; Mahrouseh, Nour; Soares Andrade, Carlos Alexandre; Chen Xu, Jose; Eikemo, Terje Andreas; Balaj, Mirza; Economou, Mary; A Mechili, Enkeleint; Unim, Brigid; Baravelli, Carl Michael; Badache, Andreea; Spijker, Jeroen; GABRANI, Jonila; Vieira, Rafael José; Lassen, Brian; Haneef, Romana; Tecirli, Gülcan; Cuschieri, Sarah; Rojas-Rueda, David; Hoven, Hannoh; Chamouni, Ghenwa; Tarek, Gabriella Laila; Varga, Orsolya Background Physical inactivity affects 36.2% of adults in the European Union (EU), contributing substantially to the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The WHO’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030 targets a 15% relative reduction in physical inactivity by 2030, supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4.1 to achieve over 30% reduction in premature NCD mortality. This study estimates the number of averted deaths, premature deaths and cause-specific NCD deaths averted if physical activity targets are achieved across EU countries. Methods We applied the WHO Preventable Risk Integrated ModEl using baseline physical activity and body mass index from waves 2 and 3 of the European Health Interview Survey. The counterfactual scenario modelled a 15% increase in metabolic equivalent of task hours/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and a 15% relative reduction in the proportion of adults who are physically inactive across the EU. Findings Increased physical activity is associated with an estimated 24 178 premature deaths averted by 2030 (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 23 253–25 103), equivalent to 3.3% of premature NCD mortality. Overall, 107 108 deaths (95% UI: 102 479–111 737) across all ages could be prevented, representing 4.7% of total NCD deaths in EU member states. Interpretation Increasing physical activity alone is unlikely to achieve the SDG 3.4.1 target of reducing premature NCD deaths by 2030. However, when combined with other WHO ‘best buy’ interventions, such as improved diet and reduced tobacco and alcohol use, this target could be attainable across the EU.

2026-05-07T00:00:00Z Spijker, Jeroen Pérez, Julio Cámara, Antonio D. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12328/5323 2026-05-08T17:44:00Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Cambios generacionales de la estatura en la España del siglo XX a partir de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud Spijker, Jeroen; Pérez, Julio; Cámara, Antonio D. A través del tratamiento estadístico de los datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud desde 1987 se plantea la posibilidad de realizar estudios sobre la salud y sus determinantes principales en España en perspectiva longitudinal. El caso práctico que se presenta, basado en el indicador antropométrico de la estatura, demuestra la validez de la fuente para tales propósitos y ofrece la primera perspectiva general sobre la evolución del estado nutricional en España durante el siglo XX. Esa evolución muestra diversas fases, con clara implicación de aspectos socioeconómicos, así como rasgos diferenciados entre hombres y mujeres que merecerían estudiarse con atención en futuros trabajos. El presente trabajo se inscribe en el marco de tres proyectos de investigación: Cambios generacionales de la salud en España (financiado por el IMSERSO); El Futuro de la Población, la Salud y la Actividad en España (SEJ2006-002686/GEOG, financiado por el Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia) y Crecimiento, nutrición y bienestar en España. La influencia de los procesos socioeconómicos a largo plazo en los niveles de vida biológicos y la salud (SEJ2007-67613/ECON, financiado por el Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia).

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z