Unlike traditional health studies focused on major capital cities, the initiative by Dipsalut and the Generalitat de Catalunya analyses the impact of the environment across 18 towns of varying scales and geographical settings.
When the media talks about pollution, air quality, or environmental stress, attention is almost exclusively directed towards major metropolitan areas. However, what do we know about how the environment impacts the health of people living in mid-sized cities, towns, or rural communities?
Historically, research into the exposome (the sum of environmental, lifestyle, and social factors that influence us over time) has had a strong urban bias. The lack of specific data outside major cities has meant that many public health policies are designed using models that do not reflect the reality of smaller or mid-sized towns.
Filling the gap left by major European projects
Looking at international exposome research, the main benchmark projects focus almost exclusively on high-density population areas. A clear example is the EU-funded EXPANSE project, which analyses how the urban environment affects the health of 50 million people, but does so by focusing on major capitals like Barcelona, Athens, Basel, or Utrecht.
Similarly, many pioneering studies led by centres of excellence such as ISGlobal often base their conclusions on the dynamics of macro-cities like Barcelona (with prominent projects like BREATHE, which measures pollution in Barcelona schools). These studies are essential, but they measure phenomena closely linked to high density: urban heat islands generated by asphalt, major ring roads with heavy traffic, or industrial pollution.
But what about the effects of biomass heating during winter in Sant Joan de les Abadesses? What do we know about the impact of being surrounded by agricultural areas in Besalú or Porqueres? And how does humidity or seasonal tourism mobility affect Santa Cristina d’Aro?
Unlike these major metropolitan projects, Girostudi fills an essential scientific gap on a European scale: it decentralises research and demonstrates that environmental health must also be measured on a small and medium scale.
A unique regional mosaic: 18 towns, 18 realities
Girostudi, promoted by Dipsalut and the Generalitat de Catalunya, was created to bridge this gap. By following 4,000 people, the project analyses the interaction between genetics, biological samples (preserved at the IDIBGI Biobank), and the environmental factors specific to each area.
The selection of the 18 participating towns is no coincidence; it reflects the commitment to representing the richness and diversity of the Girona region:
- Mountains and Pyrenees (Camprodon, Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Puigcerdà, Llívia): where factors such as mountain climate, heating methods, or geographical dispersion play a key role.
- Coast and Seaside (Palamós, Llançà, Santa Cristina d’Aro): with dynamics shaped by sea breezes, seasonal tourism, and coastal traffic.
- Valleys and Rural Surroundings (Porqueres, Besalú, Les Preses, La Cellera de Ter, Vidreres): where agricultural activity, proximity to nature, and village life provide a distinct exposure profile.
- Mid-sized Cities and Urban Centres (Girona, Figueres, Olot, Blanes, Banyoles): where traffic, noise pollution, and urban density require detailed monitoring.
Local science to shape the future of health
Measuring these parameters with the highest scientific rigour will provide, for the first time, local evidence. The ultimate goal is to obtain an accurate, high-precision overview of the Girona population’s well-being to guide public policies across the region and adapt them to the real needs of each town, regardless of its size.
