Marta Cirach
Biographic Data
| ID | 3467819 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Marta Cirach |
| GIVEN NAMES | Marta |
| FAMILY NAME | Cirach |
| SIGNATURE | CIRACH M |
| AFFILIATIONS | Universitat Pompeu Fabra |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5518-1529 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 26 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 31 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 26 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Sex-Differential Effects of Air Pollution and Telomere Length on Cognitive Performance in Individuals at Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Building a Healthy Urban Design Index (Hudi): How to promote health and sustainability in European cities
The Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Generalitat de Catalunya, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Urban Burden of Disease Estimation for Policy Making Horizon Europe project, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, University of Turin, ISI Foundation, and US Department of Energy
Air pollution and fetal brain morphological development: A prospective cohort study
A Walk across Europe: Development of a high-resolution walkability index
Physical inactivity significantly contributes to obesity and other non-communicable diseases, yet efforts to increase population-wide physical activity levels have met with limited success. The built environment plays a pivotal role in encouraging active behaviors like walking. Walkability indices, which aggregate various environmental features, provide a valuable tool for promoting healthy, walkable environments. However, a standardized, high-re…
Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study
Emerging evidence suggests that residential greenspace is associated with a lower prevalence of health risk behaviours, but it remains unclear whether these effects are generalizable across countries or different types of nature contact. Using representative cross-sectional samples from 18 countries/regions, we examined the associations between two types of nature contact (greenspace, nature visits), current smoking and everyday drinking. After c…
Health impact assessment of urban and transport developments in Barcelona: A case study
Commentary: A road map for future data-driven urban planning and environmental health research
Recent advances in data science and urban environmental health research utilise large-scale databases (100s-1000s of cities) to explore the complex interplay of urban characteristics such as city form and size, climate, mobility, exposure, and environmental health impacts. Cities are still hotspots of air pollution and noise, suffer urban heat island effects and lack of green space, which leads to disease and mortality burdens preventable with be…
Cooling cities through urban green infrastructure: A health impact assessment of European cities
Use of the Natural Outdoor Environment in Different Populations in Europe in Relation to Access: Implications for Policy
This cross-cultural study explores the relationship of natural outdoor environment (NOE) use with NOE access. Most urban planning recommendations suggest optimal accessibility to be 300 m-500 m straight distance to spaces with vegetation of at least 1 hectare. Exploring this recommendation, we used data ( n = 3947) from four European cities collected in the framework of the PHENOTYPE study: Barcelona (Spain), Doetinchem (The Netherlands), Kaunas …
Premature mortality due to air pollution in European cities: A health impact assessment
Background Ambient air pollution is a major environmental cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cities are generally hotspots for air pollution and disease. However, the exact extent of the health effects of air pollution at the city level is still largely unknown. We aimed to estimate the proportion of annual preventable deaths due to air pollution in almost 1000 cities in Europe. Methods We did a quantitative health impact assessment for …
Associations between green/blue spaces and mental health across 18 countries
Living near, recreating in, and feeling psychologically connected to, the natural world are all associated with better mental health, but many exposure-related questions remain. Using data from an 18-country survey ( n = 16,307) we explored associations between multiple measures of mental health (positive well-being, mental distress, depression/anxiety medication use) and: (a) exposures (residential/recreational visits) to different natural setti…
Green space and mortality in European cities: A health impact assessment study
BACKGROUND: Natural outdoor environments including green spaces play an important role in preserving population health and wellbeing in cities, but the number of deaths that could be prevented by increasing green space in European cities is not known. We aimed to estimate the number of natural-cause deaths among adult residents that could be prevented in cities in 31 European countries, if the WHO recommendation for universal access to green spac…
Changing the urban design of cities for health: The superblock model
BACKGROUND: Car-dependent city planning has resulted in high levels of environmental pollution, sedentary lifestyles and increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change. The Barcelona Superblock model is an innovative urban and transport planning strategy that aims to reclaim public space for people, reduce motorized transport, promote sustainable mobility and active lifestyles, provide urban greening and mitigate effects of climate chan…
Research Note: Residential distance and recreational visits to coastal and inland blue spaces in eighteen countries
Varied categorisations of residential distance to bluespace in population health studies make comparisons difficult. Using survey data from eighteen countries, we modelled relationships between residential distance to blue spaces (coasts, lakes, and rivers), and self-reported recreational visits to these environments at least weekly, with penalised regression splines. We observed exponential declines in visit probability with increasing distance …
Residential Surrounding Greenspace and Mental Health in Three Spanish Areas
Exposure to greenspace has been related to improved mental health, but the available evidence is limited and findings are heterogeneous across different areas. We aimed to evaluate the associations between residential exposure to greenspace and specific psychopathological and psychosomatic symptoms related to mental health among mothers from a Spanish birth cohort. Our study was based on data from 1171 women participating in two follow-ups of a p…
The association between natural outdoor environments and common somatic symptoms
Low Childhood Nature Exposure is Associated with Worse Mental Health in Adulthood
Exposure to natural outdoor environments (NOE) is associated with health benefits; however, evidence on the impact of NOE exposure during childhood on mental health (MH) and vitality in adulthood is scarce. This study was based on questionnaire data collected from 3585 participants, aged 18-75, in the PHENOTYPE project (2013) in four European cities. Mixed models were used to investigate associations between childhood NOE exposure and (i) MH; (ii…
Long-term exposure to residential green and blue spaces and anxiety and depression in adults: A cross-sectional study
Air Pollution, Noise, Blue Space, and Green Space and Premature Mortality in Barcelona: A Mega Cohort
Introduction: Cities often experience high air pollution and noise levels and lack of natural outdoor environments, which may be detrimental to health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of air pollution, noise, and blue and green space on premature all-cause mortality in Barcelona using a mega cohort approach. Methods: Both men and women of 18 years and above registered on 1 January 2010 by the Sistema d'Informació pel Desenvolupa…
Natural outdoor environments and mental health: Stress as a possible mechanism
Living Close to Natural Outdoor Environments in Four European Cities: Adults’ Contact with the Environments and Physical Activity
This study investigated whether residential availability of natural outdoor environments (NOE) was associated with contact with NOE, overall physical activity and physical activity in NOE, in four different European cities using objective measures. A nested cross-sectional study was conducted in Barcelona (Spain); Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom); Doetinchem (The Netherlands); and Kaunas (Lithuania). Smartphones were used to collect information on…
Green spaces and General Health: Roles of mental health status, social support, and physical activity
Visiting green space is associated with mental health and vitality: A cross-sectional study in four european cities
Natural outdoor environments and mental and physical health: Relationships and mechanisms
Development of NO2 and NOx land use regression models for estimating air pollution exposure in 36 study areas in Europe – The Escape project
Visiting green space is associated with mental health and vitality: A cross-sectional study in four european cities
Air Pollution, Noise, Blue Space, and Green Space and Premature Mortality in Barcelona: A Mega Cohort
Introduction: Cities often experience high air pollution and noise levels and lack of natural outdoor environments, which may be detrimental to health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of air pollution, noise, and blue and green space on premature all-cause mortality in Barcelona using a mega cohort approach. Methods: Both men and women of 18 years and above registered on 1 January 2010 by the Sistema d'Informació pel Desenvolupa…
Health impact assessment of urban and transport developments in Barcelona: A case study
Development of Land Use Regression Models for PM 2.5 , PM 2.5 Absorbance, PM 10 and PM coarse in 20 European Study Areas; Results of the Escape Project
Land Use Regression (LUR) models have been used increasingly for modeling small-scale spatial variation in air pollution concentrations and estimating individual exposure for participants of cohort studies. Within the ESCAPE project, concentrations of PM(2.5), PM(2.5) absorbance, PM(10), and PM(coarse) were measured in 20 European study areas at 20 sites per area. GIS-derived predictor variables (e.g., traffic intensity, population, and land-use)…
Development of NO2 and NOx land use regression models for estimating air pollution exposure in 36 study areas in Europe – The Escape project
Natural outdoor environments and mental and physical health: Relationships and mechanisms
Green spaces and General Health: Roles of mental health status, social support, and physical activity
Visiting green space is associated with mental health and vitality: A cross-sectional study in four european cities
Natural outdoor environments and mental health: Stress as a possible mechanism
Living Close to Natural Outdoor Environments in Four European Cities: Adults’ Contact with the Environments and Physical Activity
This study investigated whether residential availability of natural outdoor environments (NOE) was associated with contact with NOE, overall physical activity and physical activity in NOE, in four different European cities using objective measures. A nested cross-sectional study was conducted in Barcelona (Spain); Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom); Doetinchem (The Netherlands); and Kaunas (Lithuania). Smartphones were used to collect information on…
Long-term exposure to residential green and blue spaces and anxiety and depression in adults: A cross-sectional study
Air Pollution, Noise, Blue Space, and Green Space and Premature Mortality in Barcelona: A Mega Cohort
Introduction: Cities often experience high air pollution and noise levels and lack of natural outdoor environments, which may be detrimental to health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of air pollution, noise, and blue and green space on premature all-cause mortality in Barcelona using a mega cohort approach. Methods: Both men and women of 18 years and above registered on 1 January 2010 by the Sistema d'Informació pel Desenvolupa…
Low Childhood Nature Exposure is Associated with Worse Mental Health in Adulthood
Exposure to natural outdoor environments (NOE) is associated with health benefits; however, evidence on the impact of NOE exposure during childhood on mental health (MH) and vitality in adulthood is scarce. This study was based on questionnaire data collected from 3585 participants, aged 18-75, in the PHENOTYPE project (2013) in four European cities. Mixed models were used to investigate associations between childhood NOE exposure and (i) MH; (ii…
Changing the urban design of cities for health: The superblock model
BACKGROUND: Car-dependent city planning has resulted in high levels of environmental pollution, sedentary lifestyles and increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change. The Barcelona Superblock model is an innovative urban and transport planning strategy that aims to reclaim public space for people, reduce motorized transport, promote sustainable mobility and active lifestyles, provide urban greening and mitigate effects of climate chan…
Research Note: Residential distance and recreational visits to coastal and inland blue spaces in eighteen countries
Varied categorisations of residential distance to bluespace in population health studies make comparisons difficult. Using survey data from eighteen countries, we modelled relationships between residential distance to blue spaces (coasts, lakes, and rivers), and self-reported recreational visits to these environments at least weekly, with penalised regression splines. We observed exponential declines in visit probability with increasing distance …
Residential Surrounding Greenspace and Mental Health in Three Spanish Areas
Exposure to greenspace has been related to improved mental health, but the available evidence is limited and findings are heterogeneous across different areas. We aimed to evaluate the associations between residential exposure to greenspace and specific psychopathological and psychosomatic symptoms related to mental health among mothers from a Spanish birth cohort. Our study was based on data from 1171 women participating in two follow-ups of a p…
The association between natural outdoor environments and common somatic symptoms
Premature mortality due to air pollution in European cities: A health impact assessment
Background Ambient air pollution is a major environmental cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cities are generally hotspots for air pollution and disease. However, the exact extent of the health effects of air pollution at the city level is still largely unknown. We aimed to estimate the proportion of annual preventable deaths due to air pollution in almost 1000 cities in Europe. Methods We did a quantitative health impact assessment for …
Associations between green/blue spaces and mental health across 18 countries
Living near, recreating in, and feeling psychologically connected to, the natural world are all associated with better mental health, but many exposure-related questions remain. Using data from an 18-country survey ( n = 16,307) we explored associations between multiple measures of mental health (positive well-being, mental distress, depression/anxiety medication use) and: (a) exposures (residential/recreational visits) to different natural setti…
Green space and mortality in European cities: A health impact assessment study
BACKGROUND: Natural outdoor environments including green spaces play an important role in preserving population health and wellbeing in cities, but the number of deaths that could be prevented by increasing green space in European cities is not known. We aimed to estimate the number of natural-cause deaths among adult residents that could be prevented in cities in 31 European countries, if the WHO recommendation for universal access to green spac…
Use of the Natural Outdoor Environment in Different Populations in Europe in Relation to Access: Implications for Policy
This cross-cultural study explores the relationship of natural outdoor environment (NOE) use with NOE access. Most urban planning recommendations suggest optimal accessibility to be 300 m-500 m straight distance to spaces with vegetation of at least 1 hectare. Exploring this recommendation, we used data ( n = 3947) from four European cities collected in the framework of the PHENOTYPE study: Barcelona (Spain), Doetinchem (The Netherlands), Kaunas …
Cooling cities through urban green infrastructure: A health impact assessment of European cities
Commentary: A road map for future data-driven urban planning and environmental health research
Recent advances in data science and urban environmental health research utilise large-scale databases (100s-1000s of cities) to explore the complex interplay of urban characteristics such as city form and size, climate, mobility, exposure, and environmental health impacts. Cities are still hotspots of air pollution and noise, suffer urban heat island effects and lack of green space, which leads to disease and mortality burdens preventable with be…
Sex-Differential Effects of Air Pollution and Telomere Length on Cognitive Performance in Individuals at Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Building a Healthy Urban Design Index (Hudi): How to promote health and sustainability in European cities
The Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Generalitat de Catalunya, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Urban Burden of Disease Estimation for Policy Making Horizon Europe project, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, University of Turin, ISI Foundation, and US Department of Energy
Air pollution and fetal brain morphological development: A prospective cohort study
A Walk across Europe: Development of a high-resolution walkability index
Physical inactivity significantly contributes to obesity and other non-communicable diseases, yet efforts to increase population-wide physical activity levels have met with limited success. The built environment plays a pivotal role in encouraging active behaviors like walking. Walkability indices, which aggregate various environmental features, provide a valuable tool for promoting healthy, walkable environments. However, a standardized, high-re…
Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study
Emerging evidence suggests that residential greenspace is associated with a lower prevalence of health risk behaviours, but it remains unclear whether these effects are generalizable across countries or different types of nature contact. Using representative cross-sectional samples from 18 countries/regions, we examined the associations between two types of nature contact (greenspace, nature visits), current smoking and everyday drinking. After c…
Medicine (20 works) · Urban Green Space and Health (19 works) · Environmental health (18 works) · Geography (18 works) · Population (11 works) · Noise Effects and Management (10 works) · Psychology (10 works) · Demography (9 works) · Mental health (9 works) · Psychiatry (8 works)