Francesc Alòs

Mr. Francesc Alòs

Institut Català de la Salut

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
9 June 2025 in Primary Care Diabetes
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
FAFrancesc Alòs
Francesc Alòs
MCMa Àngels Colomer
Ma Àngels Colomer
JBJudit Bort-Roig
Judit Bort-Roig
CMCarlos Martin-Cantera
Carlos Martin-Cantera
AMAlicia Minaya
Alicia Minaya
Anna Maria Puig-RiberaAnna Maria Puig-Ribera
Anna Maria Puig-Ribera
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a prevalent and costly disease, with sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity as modifiable contributors. Mobile health (mHealth) applications provide complementary strategies for T2D management, but their impact on clinical outcomes remains unclear. This study evaluated the efficacy of an mHealth programme promoting "sit less and move more" at work, prescribed in clinical practice, on clinical and cardiovascular risk factors in office employees with T2D. A randomized controlled trial compared usual care (n = 25) with a 13-week mHealth intervention (n = 29) using the Walk@Work-App and web-based tools. Outcomes included HbA1c, glycemia, lipid profile, domain-specific sedentary behaviour (Workforce Sitting Questionnaire), objective physical activity and sedentary behaviour (ActivPal), blood pressure, and BMI at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Compared to the control group and at 12 months, the intervention group showed a significant reduction in HbA1c (p < 0.05), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.05). Sitting time decreased during leisure activities while watching TV (p = 0.0052) and using electronic devices (p = 0.0397). The number of sedentary breaks and time spent in sedentary bouts <20 min/day increased (p < 0.05). An mHealth programme effectively reduced sedentary behaviour, improved HbA1c and blood pressure, serving as a cost-effective lifestyle intervention for adults with T2D. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04092738.https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04092738.

29 June 2022 in BMC Public Health
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
FAFrancesc Alòs
Francesc Alòs
MCMª. Àngels Colomer
Mª. Àngels Colomer
CMCarlos Martin-Cantera
Carlos Martin-Cantera
MSMontserrat Solís-Muñoz
Montserrat Solís-Muñoz
JBJudit Bort-Roig
Judit Bort-Roig
APAnna Puig-Ribera
Anna Puig-Ribera
Background: Prolonged sedentary time is associated with an increased incidence of chronic disease including type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). Given that occupational sedentary time contributes significantly to the total amount of daily sedentariness, incorporating programmes to reduce occupational sedentary time in patients with chronic disease would allow for physical, mental and productivity benefits. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-, medium- and long-term effectiveness of a mHealth programme for sitting less and moving more at work on habitual and occupational sedentary behaviour and physical activity in office staff with DM2. Secondary aims. To evaluate the effectiveness on glycaemic control and lipid profile at 6- and 12-month follow-up; anthropometric profile, blood pressure, mental well-being and work-related post-intervention outcomes at 3, 6 and 12 months. Methods: Multicentre randomized controlled trial. A sample size of 220 patients will be randomly allocated into a control (n = 110) or intervention group (n = 110), with post-intervention follow-ups at 6 and 12 months. Health professionals from Spanish Primary Health Care units will randomly invite patients (18–65 years of age) diagnosed with DM2, who have sedentary office desk-based jobs. The control group will receive usual healthcare and information on the health benefits of sitting less and moving more. The intervention group will receive, through a smartphone app and website, strategies and real-time feedback for 13 weeks to change occupational sedentary behaviour. Variables: (1) Subjective and objective habitual and occupational sedentary behaviour and physical activity (Workforce Sitting Questionnaire, Brief Physical Activity Assessment Tool, activPAL3TM); 2) Glucose, HbA1c; 3) Weight, height, waist circumference; 4) Total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides; (5) Systolic, diastolic blood pressure; (6) Mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being); (7) Presenteeism (Work Limitations Questionnaire); (8) Impact of work on employees´ health, sickness absence (6th European Working Conditions Survey); (9) Job-related mental strain (Job Content Questionnaire). Differences between groups pre- and post- intervention on the average value of the variables will be analysed. Discussion: If the mHealth intervention is effective in reducing sedentary time and increasing physical activity in office employees with DM2, health professionals would have a low-cost tool for the control of patients with chronic disease. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04092738. Registered September 17, 2019.

14 April 2021 in Vaccines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MCMaria Angels Colomer
Maria Angels Colomer
Antoni MargalidaAntoni Margalida
Antoni Margalida
FAFrancesc Alòs
Francesc Alòs
POPilar Oliva-Vidal
Pilar Oliva-Vidal
AVAnna Vilella
Anna Vilella
Lorenzo FraileLorenzo Fraile
Lorenzo Fraile
We developed an agent-based stochastic model, based on P Systems methodology, to decipher the effects of vaccination and contact tracing on the control of COVID-19 outbreak at population level under different control measures (social distancing, mask wearing and hand hygiene) and epidemiological scenarios. Our findings suggest that without the application of protection social measures, 56.1% of the Spanish population would contract the disease with a mortality of 0.4%. Assuming that 20% of the population was protected by vaccination by the end of the summer of 2021, it would be expected that 45% of the population would contract the disease and 0.3% of the population would die. However, both of these percentages are significantly lower when social measures were adopted, being the best results when social measures are in place and 40% of contacts traced. Our model shows that if 40% of the population can be vaccinated, even without social control measures, the percentage of people who die or recover from infection would fall from 0.41% and 56.1% to 0.16% and 33.5%, respectively compared with an unvaccinated population. When social control measures were applied in concert with vaccination the percentage of people who die or recover from infection diminishes until 0.10% and 14.5%, after vaccinating 40% of the population. Vaccination alone can be crucial in controlling this disease, but it is necessary to vaccinate a significant part of the population and to back this up with social control measures.

12 March 2024 in Atencion Primaria
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
FAFrancesc Alòs
Francesc Alòs
DMDavid Aldon Mínguez
David Aldon Mínguez
MCMarta Cárdenas-Ramos
Marta Cárdenas-Ramos
JCJosé Manuel Cancio-Trujillo
José Manuel Cancio-Trujillo
YZYoseba Cánovas Zaldúa
Yoseba Cánovas Zaldúa
APAnna Puig-Ribera
Anna Puig-Ribera
The use of smart devices such as mobile phones (smartphones) or smart watches (smartwatch) to promote physical activity and well-being has increased in recent years among patients and professionals in primary care. This change is driven by the access of patients and professionals to a large catalog of health applications, which can complement the provision of services and promote the empowerment of patients in their own health and lifestyles. These applications are beginning to be integrated with areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) and data storage in the cloud, among other emerging technological systems, offering a new complementary approach to clinical practice known so far. Despite the great potential, there are numerous limitations and major challenges for its full implementation in clinical practice.

FAFrancesc Alòs
Francesc Alòs
ACAngels Colomer Cugat
Angels Colomer Cugat
JBJudit Bort-Roig
Judit Bort-Roig
ECEmilia Chirveches-Pérez
Emilia Chirveches-Pérez
YZYoseba Canovas Zaldua
Yoseba Canovas Zaldua
Anna Maria Puig-RiberaAnna Maria Puig-Ribera
Anna Maria Puig-Ribera
Aims: To identify principal components of free-living patterns of sedentary behaviour in office employees with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to normal glucose metabolism (NGM) office employees, using principal component analysis (PCA). Methods: 213 office employees (n = 81 with T2D; n = 132 with NGM) wore an activPAL inclinometer 24 h a day for 7 consecutive days. Comparions of sedentary behaviour patterns between adults with T2D and NGM determined the dimensions that best characterise the sedentary behaviour patterns of office employees with T2D at work, outside work and at weekends. Results: The multivariate PCA technique identified two components that explained 60% of the variability present in the data of sedentary behaviour patterns in the population with diabetes. This was characterised by a fewer number of daily breaks and breaks in time intervals of less than 20 min both at work, outside work and at weekends. On average, adults with T2D took fewer 31 breaks/day than adults without diabetes. Conclusion: Effective interventions from clinical practice to tackle prolonged sedentary behaviour in office employees with T2D should focus on increasing the number of daily sedentary breaks.

28 October 2022 in Healthcare
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MSMiquel Sitjar Suñer
Miquel Sitjar Suñer
MSMaria Rosa Suñer Soler
Maria Rosa Suñer Soler
CBCarme Bertran-Noguer
Carme Bertran-Noguer
APAfra Masià Plana
Afra Masià Plana
NRNatalia Romero-Marull
Natalia Romero-Marull
JPJosefina Patiño-Masó
Josefina Patiño-Masó
The quality of life, morbidity and mortality of people receiving renal replacement therapy is affected both by the renal disease itself and its treatment. The therapy that best improves renal function and quality of life is transplantation. Objectives: To study the quality of life, morbidity and mortality of people receiving renal replacement therapy over a five-year period. Design: A longitudinal multicentre study of a cohort of people with chronic kidney disease. Methods: Patients from the Girona health area receiving peritoneal dialysis were studied, gathering data on sociodemographic and clinical variables through an ad hoc questionnaire, quality of life using the SF-36 questionnaire, and social support with the MOS scale. Results: Mortality was 47.2%. Physical functioning was the variable that worsened most in comparison with the first measurement (p = 0.035). Those receiving peritoneal dialysis (p = 0.068) and transplant recipients (p = 0.083) had a better general health perception. The social functioning of transplant recipients improved (p = 0.008). Conclusions: People with chronic kidney disease had a high level of mortality. The dimension of physical functioning worsens over the years. Haemodialysis is the therapy that most negatively effects general health perception. Kidney transplantation has a positive effect on the dimensions of energy/vitality, social functioning and general health perception.