Linda Lombi

Sunbed use among subjects at high risk of melanoma: an Italian survey after the ban

The World Health Organization classified the entire ultraviolet (UV) spectrum and artificial UV tanning devices as carcinogenic to humans. Italian law has prohibited the use of tanning equipment by children under 18 years of age and by high‐risk populations.

Melanoma attributable to sunbed use and tan seeking behaviours: an Italian survey

Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer and its incidence is increasing worldwide. In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified the entire UV spectrum as carcinogenic. In many countries, including Italy, the use of tanning equipment by minors and individuals with high risk phenotypes has been banned. This study assessed tan-seeking behaviour in a Mediterranean population with a relatively high melanoma incidence, where a considerable time is spent tanning outdoors. Subjects spending the most time in the sun were typically young single men, who use significantly less sunscreen and sunglasses. The overall prevalence of sunbed usewas 22% in youth (≤35 years old) and18%of them used sunbeds throughout the year. Sunbed use in youth was greater for phenotypes at risk. In Italy, 3.8% of melanoma cases are attributable to sunbed use, more in women (4.2% vs 3.1%, for women and men respectively) and much more in the young (17%). Of 8013 new melanoma cases in 2008 in Italy, 293 were attributable to sunbed use, with a high proportion of these in women (168) and 1045 were attributable to sun exposure. Among youth, 172 cases were attributable to sunbed use and 140 exclusively to sunbed use. This analysis reveals that a large number of cancers each year in Italy could be avoided by changing cultural attitudes to tanning. Sun avoidance and protection is generally inadequate in adults, especially young men. These results have important implications for the primary prevention of melanoma.

Cannabis market : user types, availability and consumption estimates

In this report we will start with a brief overview of recent developments relating to cannabis markets and policies in the seven countries participating in the project (chapter 1). Most of the information in this chapter is based on the National Reports of the EU Member States to the EMCDDA and can be found on the EMCDDA website (www.emcdda.europa.eu). One document is of special interest in this regard: the recently published Insight of the EMCDDA making a detailed account of the cannabis markets (Carpentier et al. 2012), which is partly based on the Reitox National reports for 2009. For Portugal and The Netherlands specific case studies of drug policy and cannabis policy, respectively, are described in Part III, report 1 and 2. We will then summarize the latest figures on cannabis use and trends in cannabis use (chapter 2). In chapter 3 an introduction is given into ways to classify or typology cannabis users and how we have defined different user groups in the present study. The remainder of this chapter and the next chapter (chapter 4) describe the findings of the web survey conducted in the seven countries with regard to characteristics of cannabis users, especially their consumption patterns, and the availability of cannabis to different user groups. In the last chapter (chapter 5) an integration will be made of existing data on the prevalence of cannabis use and web survey data on consumption patterns in order to estimate per user group the total amount of cannabis consumed annually in each country.To explore the European drug market from the demand side, we conducted web surveys in seven selected EU Member States (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom) among last year users of (meth) amphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine. These users provided us with information on quantitative and qualitative aspects of their drug use such as their frequency of use and usual locations of purchase and use, thus offering us a window on patterns of drug use and availability. On the basis of past year use frequency, we divided users of each drug into three user type groups of infrequent (less than 11 use days), occasional (11-50 use days) and frequent (51-365 use days) users. We present findings per Member State as a whole and, wherever sample size allows, separately per user type. Our typology shows that infrequent users comprise the largest group for each drug and that the amount consumed on a typical use day increases with increasing frequency of use. We also estimated total annual consumption of (meth)amphetamine in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Sweden, and of ecstasy and cocaine in the Netherlands on the basis of the user type distinction. To this end, we calculated mean individual annual consumption within each user type group and combined these figures with absolute numbers of users of each type derived from general and targeted population survey data to arrive at estimates of total annual consumption. Individual annual consumption was higher among occasional than infrequent users and was highest among frequent users. In terms of total annual consumption, the smallest group of frequent users is responsible for the largest part of the total estimated amounts of each drug consumed. We discuss and compare our estimates to those from previous drug market research.In this report we explore some aspects of heroin consumption, using the data we collected through the face-to-face interviews and comparing our findings with data from other research and monitoring sources. We focus on Italy, the Netherlands and England, the three sample Member States where we have the most robust data from our face-to-face interviews. We worked with purposive samples to gain insights into the demand side of the drugs market. Occasional, non-dependent heroin use proves to be rather rare. We therefore do not differentiate between user types but focus only on regular or PHUs. The main issues of concern in our questionnaires were using and buying behaviours i.e. where drug users buy, what considerations play a role in their behaviour, etc.

Sizing the Cannabis Market: A Demand-side and User-Specific Approach in Seven European Countries

Demand-based estimates of total cannabis consumption rarely consider differences among different user types and variation across countries. To describe cannabis consumption patterns and estimate annual consumption for different user types across EU Member States, a web survey in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and United Kingdom (England & Wales) collected data on cannabis use patterns from 3,922 persons who had consumed cannabis at least once in the past year. They were classified into four groups based on their number of use days in the past 12 months: infrequent users or chippers (<11 days), occasional users (11-50 days), regular users (51-250 days) and intensive users (>250 days). User type specific data on typical amounts consumed were matched with data on numbers of users per user type estimated from existing population surveys, taking differences in mode of consumption, age and gender into account. Estimates were supplemented with data from populations of problem users to compensate for under coverage. Results showed remarkably consistent differences among user groups across countries. Both the average number of units consumed per typical use day and the average amount of cannabis consumed per unit increased across user types of increasing frequency of use. In all countries except Portugal, intensive users formed the smallest group of cannabis users but were responsible for the largest part of total annual cannabis consumption. Annual cannabis consumption varied across countries but confidence intervals were wide. Results are compared with previous estimates and discussed in the context of improving estimation methods.

Le web survey. Aspetti metodologici per una ricerca di qualità

Web surveys are becoming a more and more spread tools in many research fields, included the health area. Factors such as the availability of new software, the reduction of digital divide, and the widespread of mobile devices have encouraged social researchers to implement web surveys. Researchers must be particularly attentive to their methodological choices to ensure that instruments can collect valid and reliable data. The implications of the various survey mode choices from the methodological, technical and ethical point of views are discussed to suggest the best practices and guidelines to implement web surveys.

Surveys on user types, availability and consumption estimates

In this report we will start with a brief overview of recent developments relating to cannabis markets and policies in the seven countries participating in the project (chapter 1). Most of the information in this chapter is based on the National Reports of the EU Member States to the EMCDDA and can be found on the EMCDDA website (www.emcdda.europa.eu). One document is of special interest in this regard: the recently published Insight of the EMCDDA making a detailed account of the cannabis markets (Carpentier et al. 2012), which is partly based on the Reitox National reports for 2009. For Portugal and The Netherlands specific case studies of drug policy and cannabis policy, respectively, are described in Part III, report 1 and 2. We will then summarize the latest figures on cannabis use and trends in cannabis use (chapter 2). In chapter 3 an introduction is given into ways to classify or typology cannabis users and how we have defined different user groups in the present study. The remainder of this chapter and the next chapter (chapter 4) describe the findings of the web survey conducted in the seven countries with regard to characteristics of cannabis users, especially their consumption patterns, and the availability of cannabis to different user groups. In the last chapter (chapter 5) an integration will be made of existing data on the prevalence of cannabis use and web survey data on consumption patterns in order to estimate per user group the total amount of cannabis consumed annually in each country.To explore the European drug market from the demand side, we conducted web surveys in seven selected EU Member States (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom) among last year users of (meth) amphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine. These users provided us with information on quantitative and qualitative aspects of their drug use such as their frequency of use and usual locations of purchase and use, thus offering us a window on patterns of drug use and availability. On the basis of past year use frequency, we divided users of each drug into three user type groups of infrequent (less than 11 use days), occasional (11-50 use days) and frequent (51-365 use days) users. We present findings per Member State as a whole and, wherever sample size allows, separately per user type. Our typology shows that infrequent users comprise the largest group for each drug and that the amount consumed on a typical use day increases with increasing frequency of use. We also estimated total annual consumption of (meth)amphetamine in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Sweden, and of ecstasy and cocaine in the Netherlands on the basis of the user type distinction. To this end, we calculated mean individual annual consumption within each user type group and combined these figures with absolute numbers of users of each type derived from general and targeted population survey data to arrive at estimates of total annual consumption. Individual annual consumption was higher among occasional than infrequent users and was highest among frequent users. In terms of total annual consumption, the smallest group of frequent users is responsible for the largest part of the total estimated amounts of each drug consumed. We discuss and compare our estimates to those from previous drug market research.In this report we explore some aspects of heroin consumption, using the data we collected through the face-to-face interviews and comparing our findings with data from other research and monitoring sources. We focus on Italy, the Netherlands and England, the three sample Member States where we have the most robust data from our face-to-face interviews. We worked with purposive samples to gain insights into the demand side of the drugs market. Occasional, non-dependent heroin use proves to be rather rare. We therefore do not differentiate between user types but focus only on regular or PHUs. The main issues of concern in our questionnaires were using and buying behaviours i.e. where drug users buy, what considerations play a role in their behaviour, etc.