Previous projects
Tackling second-hand tobacco smoke and e-cigarette emissions: assessing exposure, new interventions, effects on lung disease and economic burden in diverse European populations – The TackSHS Project
Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) has been classified as a “Group 1 Carcinogen” (a known human carcinogen) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and has been shown to have adverse health effects in adults and children, including heart disease and respiratory disorders. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), the most common “electronic nicotine” delivery system, have burst onto the market with a considerable increase in sales volume across the EU in the last five years.
The TackSHS project will attempt to elucidate the comprehensive impact of FAT and e-cigarette emissions on the respiratory health of the European population and how the impact on health varies depending on socioeconomic parameters, with special emphasis on specific vulnerable groups (patients suffering from pre-existing chronic lung diseases, smokers and other disadvantaged groups).
Through an integrated series of workpackages, the determinants of exposure to FAT, at the individual and environmental level (pan-European survey and assessment of FAT in 12 countries, the total burden of disease caused by lung and cardiovascular diseases), including changes in respiratory health in patients and healthy people, the economic impact of mortality and morbidity caused by these exposures, methods to characterise these exposures and new interventions to reduce them, will be investigated. This comprehensive and integrated approach will allow a significant change beyond the current state of knowledge in the understanding of FAT exposure and e-cigarette emissions. The participating partners have been at the forefront of research in this discipline, with some collaboration between them on specific projects. The TackSHS project brings together for the first time all these frontline research teams, and the conjunction of the workpackages will translate into a step forward in addressing FAT exposure and e-cigarette emissions.
48 months: from 11/2015 to 11/2019.
Grant No. 681040. European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (€2,987,793.00).
Esteve Fernández Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) Spain
Maria J. López Public Health Agency of Barcelona (ASPB) Spain
Silvano Gallus Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri (IRFMN) Italy
Sean Semple University of Aberdeen (UNIABDN) Scotland, UK
Luke Clancy TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland (TFRI) Ireland
Panagiotis Behrakis Hellenic Cancer Society (HCS) Greece
Roberto Boffi Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori (INT) Italy
Giuseppe Gorini Institute for Oncological Prevention (ISPO) Italy
Angel López-Nicolás Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) Spain
Cornel Radu-Loghin European Network for Smoking/Tobacco Prevention (ENSP) Belgium
Joan B. Soriano
Stival C, Lugo A, Odone A, van den Brandt PA, Fernandez E, Tigova O, Soriano JB, Lopez MJ, Scaglioni S, Gallus S; TackSHS Project Investigators. Prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity in 12 European Countries in 2017-2018. Obes Facts. 2022 Aug 2. doi: 10.1159/000525792 .
Gallus S, Lugo A, Stival C, Cerrai S, Clancy L, Filippidis FT, Gorini G, Lopez MJ, López-Nicolás Á, Molinaro S, Odone A, Soriano JB, Tigova O, VAN DEN Brandt PA, Vardavas CI, Fernandez E; TackSHS Project Investigators. Electronic cigarette use in 12 European countries. Results from the TackSHS survey. J Epidemiol. 2021 Nov 13. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20210329 .
Nogueira SO, Fu M, Lugo A, Tigova O, Henderson E, Lopez MJ, Clancy L, Semple S, Soriano JB, Fernandez E, Gallus S; TackSHS Project Investigators. Non-smokers’ and smokers’ support for smoke-free legislation in 14 indoor and outdoor settings across 12 European countries. Environ Res. 2022 Mar;204(Pt C):112224. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112224 .
Henderson E, Continente X, Fernández E, Tigova O, Cortés-Francisco N, Gallus S, Lugo A, Semple S, Dobson R, Clancy L, Keogan S, Ruprecht A, Borgini A, Tzortzi A, Vyzikidou VK, Gorini G, López-Nicolás A, Soriano JB, Geshanova G, Osman J, Mons U, Przewozniak K, Precioso J, Brad R, López MJ; TackSHS project Researchers. Secondhand smoke exposure assessment in outdoor hospitality venues across 11 European countries. Environ Res. 2021 Sep;200:111355. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111355 .
Amalia B, Fu M, Tigova O, Ballbè M, Castellano Y, Semple S, Clancy L, Vardavas C, López MJ, Cortés N, Pérez-Ortuño R, Pascual JA, Fernández E. Environmental and individual exposure to secondhand aerosol of electronic cigarettes in confined spaces: Results from the TackSHS Project†. Indoor Air. 2021 Sep;31(5):1601-1613. doi: 10.1111/ina.12841 .
Borgini A, Veronese C, De Marco C, Boffi R, Tittarelli A, Bertoldi M, Fernández E, Tigova O, Gallus S, Lugo A, Gorini G, Carreras G, López MJ, Continente X, Semple S, Dobson R, Clancy L, Keogan S, Tzortzi A, Vardavas C, Nicolás ÁL, Starchenko P, Soriano JB, Ruprecht AA; TackSHS Project Investigators. Particulate matter in aerosols produced by two last generation electronic cigarettes: a comparison in a real-world environment. Pulmonology. 2021 Apr 17:S2531-0437(21)00079-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pulmoe.2021.03.005.
TackSHS Project Investigators, Henderson E, Lugo A, Liu X, Continente X, Fernández E, López MJ, Gallus S. Secondhand smoke presence in outdoor areas in 12 European countries. Environ Res. 2021 Apr;195:110806. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110806 . Erratum in: Environ Res. 2021 Aug;199:111337. PMID: 33515582.
Gallus S, Lugo A, Liu X, Borroni E, Clancy L, Gorini G, Lopez MJ, Odone A, Przewozniak K, Tigova O, van den Brandt PA, Vardavas C, Fernandez E; TackSHS Project Investigators. Use and Awareness of Heated Tobacco Products in Europe. J Epidemiol. 2022 Mar 5;32(3):139-144. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20200248 .
Carreras G, Lachi A, Cortini B, Gallus S, López MJ, López-Nicolás Á, Soriano JB, Fernandez E, Tigova O, Gorini G; TackSHS Project Investigators. Burden of disease from second-hand tobacco smoke exposure at home among adults from European Union countries in 2017: an analysis using a review of recent meta-analyses. Prev Med. 2021 Apr;145:106412. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106412 .
Amalia B, Rodríguez A, Henderson E, Fu M, Continente X, Tigova O, Semple S, Clancy L, Gallus S, Fernández E, Lopez MJ; TackSHS Project Investigators. How widespread is electronic cigarette use in outdoor settings? A field check from the TackSHS project in 11 European countries. Environ Res. 2021 Feb;193:110571. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110571 .
Henderson E, Continente X, Fernández E, Tigova O, Cortés-Francisco N, Gallus S, Lugo A, Semple S, O’Donnell R, Clancy L, Keogan S, Ruprecht A, Borgini A, Tzortzi A, Vyzikidou VK, Gorini G, López-Nicolás A, Soriano JB, Geshanova G, Osman J, Mons U, Przewozniak K, Precioso J, Brad R, López MJ; TackSHS project researchers. Secondhand smoke exposure in outdoor children’s playgrounds in 11 European countries. Environ Int. 2021 Apr;149:105775. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105775 .
Carreras G, Lachi A, Cortini B, Gallus S, López MJ, López-Nicolás Á, Lugo A, Pastor MT, Soriano JB, Fernandez E, Gorini G; TackSHS Project Investigators. Burden of disease from exposure to secondhand smoke in children in Europe. Pediatrician Res. 2021 Jul;90(1):216-222. doi: 10.1038/s41390-020-01223-6 .
Henderson E, Continente X, Fernández E, Tigova O, Cortés-Francisco N, Gallus S, Lugo A, Semple S, O’Donnell R, Clancy L, Keogan S, Ruprecht A, Borgini A, Tzortzi A, Vyzikidou VK, Gorini G, López-Nicolás A, Soriano JB, Geshanova G, Osman J, Mons U, Przewozniak K, Precioso J, Brad R, López MJ; TackSHS project Researchers. Secondhand smoke exposure and other signs of tobacco consumption at outdoor entrances of primary schools in 11 European countries. Sci Total Environ. 2020 Nov 15;743:140743. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140743 .
Keogan S, Alonso T, Sunday S, Tigova O, Fernández E, López MJ, Gallus S, Semple S, Tzortzi A, Boffi R, Gorini G, López-Nicolás Á, Radu-Loghin C, Soriano JB, Clancy L; TackSHS Project Investigators (all listed in Appendix). Lung function changes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma exposed to secondhand smoke in outdoor areas. J Asthma. 2021 Sep;58(9):1169-1175. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2020.1766062 .
Dobson R, O’Donnell R, Tigova O, Fu M, Enríquez M, Fernandez E, Carreras G, Gorini G, Verdi S, Borgini A, Tittarelli A, Veronese C, Ruprecht A, Vyzikidou V, Tzortzi A, Vardavas C, Semple S; TackSHS researchers. Measuring for change: A multi-centre pre-post trial of an air quality feedback intervention to promote smoke-free homes. Environ Int. 2020 Jul;140:105738. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105738 .
Carreras G, Lachi A, Boffi R, Clancy L, Gallus S, Fernández E, López MJ, Soriano JB, López Nicolás Á, Semple S, Behrakis P, Gorini G; TackSHS Project Investigators. Burden of disease from breast cancer attributable to smoking and second-hand smoke exposure in Europe. Int J Cancer. 2020 Nov 1;147(9):2387-2393. doi: 10.1002/ijc.33021 .
Gallus S, Lugo A, Liu X, Behrakis P, Boffi R, Bosetti C, Carreras G, Chatenoud L, Clancy L, Continente X, Dobson R, Effertz T, Filippidis FT, Fu M, Geshanova G, Gorini G, Keogan S, Ivanov H, Lopez MJ, Lopez-Nicolas A, Precioso J, Przewozniak K, Radu-Loghin C, Ruprecht A, Semple S, Soriano JB, Starchenko P, Trapero-Bertran M, Tigova O, Tzortzi AS, Vardavas C, Vyzikidou VK, Colombo P, Fernandez E; TackSHS Project Investigators. Who Smokes in Europe? Data From 12 European Countries in the TackSHS Survey (2017-2018). J Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 5;31(2):145-151. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20190344 .
Amalia B, Liu X, Lugo A, Fu M, Odone A, van den Brandt PA, Semple S, Clancy L, Soriano JB, Fernandez E, Gallus S; TackSHS Project Investigators. Exposure to secondhand aerosol of electronic cigarettes in indoor settings in 12 European countries: data from the TackSHS survey. Tube Control. 2021 Jan;30(1):49-56. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055376 .
Tzortzi A, Teloniatis S, Matiampa G, Bakelas G, Tzavara C, Vyzikidou VK, Vardavas C, Behrakis P, Fernandez E; TackSHS Project Investigators. Passive exposure of non-smokers to E-Cigarette aerosols: Sensory irritation, timing and association with volatile organic compounds. Environ Res. 2020 Mar;182:108963. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108963 .
Fernández E, López MJ, Gallus S, Semple S, Clancy L, Behrakis P, Ruprecht A, Gorini G, López-Nicolás Á, Radu-Loghin C, Soriano JB; TackSHS Project Investigators; TackSHS Project Investigators. Tackling second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke and aerosols of electronic cigarettes: the TackSHS project protocol. Gac Sanit 2020 Jan-Feb;34(1):77-82. doi: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2019.07.002 .
Carreras G, Lugo A, Gallus S, Cortini B, Fernández E, López MJ, Soriano JB, López-Nicolás A, Semple S, Gorini G; TackSHS Project Investigators. Burden of disease attributable to second-hand smoke exposure: A systematic review. Prev Med. 2019 Dec;129:105833. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105833 .
Ruaraidh Dobson . Can air quality feedback be an effective tool to encourage parents and caregivers to “take smoking right outside”? (2019).
Beautiful Amalia . Environmental and bystanders’ exposure to secondhand aerosols of electronic cigarettes in the European population (2021).
Sarah O. Nogueira . Beyond the current tobacco control legislation. Do Europeans support further policies? Attitudes and associated factors (2021).
Elizabeth Henderson . Secondhand smoke exposure in outdoor settings in Europe (2021).
Silvanus Gallus . The role of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products in tobacco control in Italy and Europe (2022).
Doctoral theses (in progress)
Chiara Stival. Obesity prevalence trends in Europe (in progress)
Olena Tigova. Burden and Prevention of Smoking and Second-hand Smoke Exposure in Private Settings (in progress)