Special Academic Unit for the Study of Smoking Behaviour
Smoking is one of the world’s leading causes of premature death, disease and disability, but it is preventable.
The Special Academic Unit for the Study of Smoking Behaviour has as its research objective the systematic study and recording of smoking habits in the population, the use of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and new heated tobacco products in order to design effective actions to stop smoking and protect the community from its harmful effects.
In particular, the aim of the unit is to meet the teaching needs of the Department of Public and Community Health and other departments of the University of West Attica at undergraduate and postgraduate level, while promoting theoretical and applied research in smoking cessation.
Within the framework of the research activities of the Special Academic Unit, a systematic study of the smoking habit of the population, the use of tobacco products, the use of electronic cigarettes and new heated tobacco products is carried out.
In addition, in collaboration with scientists of different disciplines, the main object of research of the Unit is the possible effects of new tobacco products on both the health of the population, their potential impact on smoking behaviour and their use in reducing smoking.
RESEARCH PROGRAMMES
2020
- Konstantinos Farsalinos , Anastasia Barbouni, Konstantinos Poulas, Riccardo Polosa ,Pasquale Caponnetto and Raymond Niaura
Current smoking, former smoking, and adverse outcome among hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2020, Vol. 11: 1–14 DOI: 10.1177/2040622320935765 - Farsalinos K, Barbouni A, Niaura R.
Changes from 2017 to 2018 in e‐cigarette use and in ever marijuana use with e‐cigarettes among US adolescents: analysis of the National Youth Tobacco Survey
Addiction. 2020 Jun 13. Online ahead of print. - Farsalinos K, Barbouni A, Niaura R.
Systematic review of the prevalence of current smoking among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in China: could nicotine be a therapeutic option?
Intern Emerg Med. 2020 May 9.
2019
- Farsalinos K, Siakas G, Poulas K, Voudris V, Merakou K, Barbouni A.
E-cigarette use is strongly associated with recent smoking cessation: an analysis of a representative population sample in Greece.
Intern Emerg Med. 2019 Sep;14(6):835-842. Epub 2019 Jan 14. - Diamantopoulou E, Barbouni A, Merakou K, Lagiou A, Farsalinos K.
Patterns of e-cigarette use, biochemically verified smoking status and self-reported changes in health status of a random sample of vapeshops customers in Greece.
Intern Emerg Med. 2019 Sep;14(6):843-851. Epub 2019 Jan 11.
2018
- Farsalinos KE, Siakas G, Poulas K, Voudris V, Merakou K, Barbouni A.
Electronic cigarette use in Greece: an analysis of a representative population sample in Attica prefecture.
Harm Reduct J. 2018 Apr 13;15(1):20.
2017
- Rachiotis G, Barbouni A, Katsioulis A, Antoniadou E, Kostikas K, Merakou K, Kourea K, Khoury RN, Tsouros A, Kremastinou J, Hadjichristodoulou C.
Prevalence and determinants of current and secondhand smoking in Greece: results from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) study.
BMJ Open. 2017 Jan 19;7(1)
2016
- Moysidou A, Farsalinos KE, Voudris V, Merakou K, Kourea K, Barbouni A.
Knowledge and Perceptions about Nicotine, Nicotine Replacement Therapies and Electronic Cigarettes among Healthcare Professionals in Greece.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 May 20;13(5). - Palipudi KM, Mbulo L, Morton J, Mbulo L, Bunnell R, Blutcher-Nelson G, Kosen S, Tee GH, Abdalla AM, Mutawa KA, Barbouni A, Antoniadou E, Fouad H, Khoury RN, Rarick J, Sinha DN, Asma S; GATS Collaborative Group.
Awareness and Current Use of Electronic Cigarettes in Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar, and Greece: Findings From 2011-2013 Global Adult Tobacco Surveys.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2016 Apr;18(4):501-7.
2013
- GATS| GLOBAL ADULT TOBACCO SURVEY FACT SHEET GREECE 2013
Παγκόσμια Μελέτη Ενηλίκων για το Κάπνισμα: GATS GR FactSheet 2 1Nov2013
- GΥTS| GLOBAL YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY FACT SHEET GREECE 2013
Παγκόσμια μελέτη παιδιών (13-15 ετών) για το κάπνισμα: GΥTS GR FactSheet 2013
2012
- Barbouni A, Hadjichristodoulou C, Merakou K, Antoniadou E, Kourea K, Miloni E, Warren CW, Rachiotis G, Kremastinou J.
Tobacco use, exposure to secondhand smoke,and cessation counseling among health professions students: greek data from the global health professions student Survey (GHPSS).
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012 Jan;9(1):331-42. doi: 10.3390/ijerph9010331. Epub 2012 Jan 19.
Erratum in: Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012 Sep;9(9):3317. Rahiotis, George
[corrected to Rachiotis, George].
Professor Anastasia Barbouni
Konstantinos Kesanopoulos, biologist, Msc, PhD
Konstantinos Farsalinos, Cardiologist, researcher at the Onassis Heart Surgery Centre of Athens and at the Gathuisberg University Hospital in Belgium.
Kalliroi Kourea, Cardiologist, PhD, University of Athens, Supervisor of the cardiology clinic “HELIAS MELATHRON”, Academic Scholar (Smoking Cessation Clinic B University Cardiology Clinic, P.G.N. “ATTIKON”
September 2022
5th Scientific Summit on Tobacco Harm Reduction: Novel products, Research & Policy
June 2022
Participation in the “60th Panhellenic Pediatric Congress”
The Special Academic Unit for the Study of Smoking Behaviour participated with a free announcement in the “60th Panhellenic Paediatric Congress”, which was held in person on the weekend of 3-5 June 2022, entitled:
“Development of an Epidemiology Information System: Beliefs against the COVID-19 childhood vaccination Greek Twitter”
Christos Markou, Nefeli Giannopoulou Marini, Ioanna Karefyllaki, Georgia Mercuriadis, Vasiliki – Athena Tyrologos, Dimitra Papadaki, Konstantinos Kesanopoulos, Anastasia Barbouni
The paper highlights the application of Informed Epidemiology in the study of childhood vaccination. At the same time, it presents a sentiment analysis of the attitudes and beliefs of Greek Twitter users using 2 comparative methods: natural language processing (NLP) algorithm method and text sentiment analysis method by members of the research team.
In the framework of the conference, the paper was awarded with the “Xoremio Prize”.
March 2022
2nd Cycle of the programme “ZOOM &…. Stop Smoking!”
ONLINE SMOKING CESSATION GROUP
It is with great pleasure that we announce the start of the 2nd cycle of the innovative cooperation program between the Centre for the Prevention of Addictions “PRONOI” of the Municipality of Kifissia and the Laboratory of Preventive Cardiology of the 2nd University Cardiology Clinic P. G.G.N. ATTIKON (Smoking Cessation Clinic) and the Special Academic Unit for the Study of Smoking Behaviour (Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology) of the Department of Public and Community Health of the University of West Attica.
February 2022
Participation in the “Panhellenic Public Health Conference 2022”
The Special Academic Unit for the Study of Smoking Behavior participated with e-poster in the “Panhellenic Public Health Conference 2022”, which was held in person during the weekend of 28 February – 2 March 2022, entitled:
“Childhood vaccination against COVID-19: Analysis of the Greek Twitter through an IBS system”
Markou Christos, Giannopoulou Marini Nefeli, Mercouriadis Georgia, Tυροlogos Vasiliki – Athena, Papadaki Dimitra, Karefyllaki Ioanna, Kessanopoulos Konstantinos, Barbouni Anastasia
Through this paper, the possibilities of applying Infodemiology in the study of attitudes and beliefs of Greek Twitter users regarding childhood vaccination against COVID-19 are presented, thus highlighting the importance of Infodemiology in the study of key issues of Public Health interest.
In the framework of the Conference, the paper was awarded the “Dimitris Trichopoulos Prize” as the best e-poster.
September 2021
Participation in the “4th Scientific Summit on Tobacco Harm Reduction: novel products, research & policy”
The Special Academic Unit for the Study of Tobacco Behavior participated with a presentation at the “4th Scientific Summit on Tobacco Harm Reduction:
“Internet Based Surveillance systems on smoking and alternative tobacco product use: exploring the potential of Twitter”
Konstantinos Kesanopoulos, Christos Markou, Ioanna Karefullaki, Nefeli Giannopoulou Marini, Georgia Merkouriadi, Dimitra Papadaki, Vasiliki-Athina Tyrologou, Anastasia Barbouni
The paper highlights the important potential of social media, and more specifically Twitter, in the study of smoking habits using Internet-Based Surveillance systems.
Martch-May 2021
1st Cycle of the programme ” ZOOM &…. Stop Smoking!”
ONLINE STOP SMOKING GROUP
It is with great pleasure that we announce the operation of the new innovative cooperation program between the Centre for the Prevention of Addictions “PRONOI” of the Municipality of Kifissia and the Preventive Cardiology Laboratory of the 2nd University Cardiology Clinic of the P.G.N. ATTIKON (Smoking Cessation Clinic) and the Special Academic Unit for the Study of Smoking Behaviour (Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology) of the Department of Public and Community Health of the University of West Attica.
Press release (in Greek)-Start of the programme
Press release (in Greek) -Completion of the programme
February 2021
Important recognition of a publication of the Smoking Behaviour Study Unit of the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Department of Health and Epidemiology of the University of Athens. Public and Community Health Department of the Department of Health and Epidemiology of the Laboratory of Public and Community Health
The scientific publication “Systematic review of the prevalence of current smoking among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in China: could nicotine be a therapeutic option?” prepared in early May 2020 by the Unit of the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Department of Public and Community Health, where we presented the scientific hypothesis linking COVID-19 disease to lesions in nicotinic receptors and the cholinergic anti-inflammatory network, describing the potential benefits of nicotine medication (still under investigation), was ranked among the Highlights of the Year 2020 by Springer Nature (Springer Nature 2020 Highlights) as one of the most controversial articles. Read the publication at the link below
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11739-020-02355-7
Authors:
Α. A. Barbouni,
K. Farsalinos,
- Niaura, New York University
“We are delighted to inform you that your publication Systematic review of the prevalence of current smoking among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in China: could nicotine be a therapeutic option? was among the Springer Nature 2020 Highlights – a selection of the most popular articles and book chapters published last year and reflecting top research that made an impact. Thank you and
Congratulations!
September 2020
Pre-conference Workshop on “Smoking Habit in Greece: From epidemiology to smoking cessation and legislation”, 23 September 2020 in the framework of the
3rd Scientific Summit on Tobacco Harm Reduction: Novel products, Research & Policy.
Attendance is free of charge and is done remotely. Registration is required by sending an e-mail to info@nosmokesummit.org.
- Participation of the Special Academic Unit for the Study of Smoking Behaviour of the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Department of Public and Community Health in the organization of the 3rd Scientific Summit on Tobacco Harm Reduction: Novel products, Research & Policy.
March 2020
- Participation in the 13th Panhellenic Conference of Public Health & Health Services
November 2019
- Η Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco (SRNT) επέλεξε την Ειδική Ακαδημαϊκή Μονάδα Μελέτης Καπνισματικής Συμπεριφοράς για να διοργανώσει την Ετήσια Ευρωπαϊκή Συνάντηση της στην Αθήνα τον Σεπτέμβριο του 2021
PRESS RELEASES:
- Almost 100,000 smokers have quit using e-cigarettes in the Prefecture of Attica alone Press Release 310517
- Daily e-cigarette use 11 times more likely to quit smoking in GreecePress Release 15 01 2019