inequality

European regions with the greatest economic inequalities face a higher risk of mortality from both cold and heat, while wealthier regions face a higher risk during heat waves and a lower risk from cold. These findings come from a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and published in Nature Health. According to the authors, the greater vulnerability to heat in regions with higher GDP could be due to a greater presence of heat islands and urbanization in those areas, while the lower risk from cold could be explained by better-insulated homes and lower energy poverty. The results are based on an analysis of a mortality database covering the years 2000 to 2019 and including the urban and rural populations of 32 European countries.

Given current vaccination and cervical cancer screening campaigns, high-income countries could eliminate this disease by around 2048, according to a study published in The Lancet. However, the incidence of this cancer in low- and middle-income countries would decline by only 23% over this period if current trends continue, the article states. Elimination is defined as an incidence of fewer than four cases per 100,000 women.

The accelerated extraction of critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt is causing water insecurity and health risks, according to a report by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), which refers to them as the “oil of the 21st century.” The high water consumption of mining operations limits access to water for other purposes such as agriculture, fishing, and human consumption. Furthermore, data from various regions in South Africa, Bolivia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo reveal “widespread heavy metal contamination and exposure to toxic waste,” the report states. This leads to health problems including fetal malformations and chronic diseases, which disproportionately affect women and children.

An international team led by the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), has compiled the largest genetic database of Native American populations to date, including 128 new complete genomes. The research identified more than one million genetic variants not previously observed in other populations, revealing a unique genetic diversity. According to the authors, who published their work in Nature, “these results demonstrate the need to better represent these populations in genomics.”

A new study published in the journal Patterns investigates the influence of professional networks on positions of power. The authors drew on data from more than 19,000 senior executives across over 700 publicly listed Canadian companies between 2000 and 2022. Using deep learning artificial intelligence models, the team analysed the evolution of each individual’s social and professional networks throughout their career, as well as the factors affecting their likelihood of promotion. The results revealed a "clear 'glass ceiling effect': women on boards must build broader and more influential networks than men in order to reach comparable positions of influence, even when their demographic characteristics and career trajectories are similar".

Before being published, studies written by female researchers are spend a longer time in peer review than articles by male authors, according to an analysis of more than 36 million publications in biomedical and life science journals. The median peer review time is between 7.4% and 14.6% longer for female authors than for male authors in most disciplines, says the analysis published in PLoS Biology.

An international team has used a type of artificial intelligence (AI) to identify the most important factors influencing cancer survival in almost every country in the world. The study provides information on policy improvements or changes that could be implemented in each nation to have the greatest impact. In general, access to radiotherapy, universal health coverage, and economic strength emerged as common and important factors. Furthermore, information for each country, including Spain, can be accessed through an online tool. The results are published in  Annals of Oncology. 

Three articles with Spanish participation, published in The Lancet, review the evidence that ultra-processed foods are worsening diet quality and displacing the consumption of fresh and minimally processed foods. Furthermore, they warn that their consumption is linked to a higher risk of multiple chronic diseases. According to the authors, who also review the associated policies and commercial factors, only a coordinated global response can combat the strategy of the companies that market these products.

The adoption of plant-based diets could reshape agricultural employment worldwide. This is the main conclusion of an international study that estimates that by 2030, between 5% and 28% less agricultural labour would be needed, i.e. between 18 and 106 million fewer full-time jobs. The countries most affected would be those with agriculture based largely on livestock farming, while others, especially low-income countries, could need between 18 and 56 million more workers to grow fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts. The study is published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

COP30 will kick off on 10 November in Belém, a Brazilian city and gateway to the Amazon. Expectations are high because it coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, whose goal of limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 °C was shattered in 2024. In addition, this year countries must present a new version of their measures to combat climate change in a turbulent geopolitical context, marked by the Trump administration's abandonment of the climate agenda.