Marga Marí-Klose

Youth loneliness has emerged as a major social concern, yet its associated social factors remain insufficiently understood. Using nationally representative data from the 2023 Survey of Spanish Youth, this study examines loneliness among young people aged 15–34 in Spain, focusing on gender differences in both its prevalence and its associated social factors. Loneliness is measured using the 3-item University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale. We analysed its relationship with sociodemographic, economic, relational, digital and psychosocial factors through multivariate regression models stratified by gender. Nearly one third of young people report experiencing loneliness, with a higher prevalence among women. Mental well-being shows the strongest association with loneliness, followed by material deprivation and recent life transitions. Relational embeddedness—especially the frequency of contact with friends—and sexual orientation are also strongly associated with loneliness, with marked differences by gender. Passive social media use shows a modest but significant association. The findings indicate that loneliness among young people is associated not only with individual psychological characteristics but also with inequalities in relational integration and material conditions, while gender shapes the relative importance of these associations. The study underlines the importance of adopting a gender-sensitive and life-course perspective in research and policy responses addressing youth loneliness.

In ageing societies, understanding the lived experiences of dependent older adults is essential for designing care policies that support health, dignity, and well-being. While ageing in place is widely promoted, less is known about how dependent older adults themselves define its limits. This study examines how dependent older adults describe the conditions under which ageing in place supports-or undermines- their dignity and quality of life. We conducted 30 in-depth interviews with individuals aged 65 and older in Barcelona, Spain, all officially recognized as having some degree of dependency. Interviews were analysed using a thematic approach, according to environmental gerontology and person-environment fit frameworks. Ageing in place emerged not as a fixed preference but as a fragile and continuously negotiated process of the person-place relationship. Remaining at home is sustained by symbolic autonomy and attachment to familiar environments, supporting control over daily routines and a sense of dignity. At the same time, participants described a state of care liminality, continuously reassessing their ability to remain at home in light of anticipated health decline. Three interconnected boundaries emerged: deteriorating health, perceived burden on family members, and loneliness. Ageing in place among dependent older adults should be understood as a conditional and relational process rather than a universal ideal. Recognising older adults' own definitions of its limits is essential for designing responsive care policies.

INTRODUCCIÓ. L’etapa universitària sovint inclou episodis vitals que coincideixen amb processos de transició a la vida adulta que poden desencadenar malestars emocionals. Aquest estudi analitza el nivell de benestar de l’alumnat de la Universitat de Barcelona (UB) i la seva relació amb factors sociodemogràfics i acadèmics. MÈTODE. Es va administrar en línia l’escala WHO-5 Well-Being Index a una mostra de 1.485 estudiants. RESULTATS. Més de la meitat de l’alumnat (52,4 %) presenta un baix benestar emocional. El percentatge és superior entre les dones (59 %), l’alumnat a temps complet (57,1 %) i les persones amb condicions que afecten l’aprenentatge (71,4 %). L'alumnat de ciències de la salut mostra nivells lleugerament més alts de benestar, tot i que les diferències no són estadísticament significatives. CONCLUSIONS. Els baixos nivells de benestar emocional observats recomanen impulsar intervencions específiques per millorar el benestar de l’alumnat de la UB. Tot i que es tracta d’un estudi pioner, la mostra no és prou representativa de tota la comunitat estudiantil. Malgrat aquesta limitació, l’estudi proporciona informació rellevant que pot orientar futures iniciatives en aquest àmbit.

Background: The intersection between poverty and mental health is clear. Period poverty, understood as the lack of access to menstrual products, has been gaining attention especially among low and middle-income countries as an overlooked aspect of gendered poverty. Less is known about the incidence of period poverty in high-income countries and its association with mental health. The purpose of this study is to examine this association in a representative sample of young women living in an urban setting in southern Europe. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from a representative survey of individuals aged 15 to 34 in the city of Barcelona (Spain), with a sample group of 647 young women. Subjects were selected through a systematic stratified random sampling method. A proportional quota sampling was used. The information was registered using CAPI data collection method. Period poverty was measured by a combination of three questions about the lack of access or misuse of menstrual products for economic reasons. The GHQ-12 was used to measure the risk of poor mental health. The analysis was carried out using multivariable logistic regression. Results: From our sample, 15.3% of young women reported having experienced period poverty. Higher odds of poor mental health were estimated for women facing period poverty (AOR = 1.85 p < 0.05). This effect is statistically significant after controlling by their income status and level of deprivation. Young women living in poorer households have a higher probability of poor mental health than those living in high-income households (AOR = 0.47 p < 0.05). Finally, material deprivation was associated to an increased risk of poor mental health among young women reporting period poverty (AOR = 2.59 p < 0.01). Conclusion: We found that a considerable number of young women living in an urban setting in a high-income country cannot afford menstrual products, and this may have an impact on their mental wellbeing. The relationship between period poverty and respondents’ mental health is significant when controlling for factors known to confer an increased risk of poor mental health. If confirmed by further research, the public health burden of poor mental health in young women could be reduced by policy-level interventions to improve access to menstrual products.

Menstrual poverty has become a global issue, affecting women who do not have access to the menstrual products they need. Most of the related literature is based on low- and middle-income countries’ facts and experiences. Using the 2020 Youth Survey in Barcelona, this cross-sectional study provides novel data on the prevalence and the factors associated with menstrual poverty in an urban context (Barcelona) in a high-income country (Spain) with a randomly selected representative sample of 700 young women aged 15 to 34. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used in the analysis. Results show that 15.3 per cent of young women in Barcelona reported facing financial barriers to accessing menstrual products. Further, those young women with a high level of material deprivation (OR=4.42; CI=2.14–9.16) have a greater probability of suffering from menstrual poverty, whereas those living independently from their parents (OR=0.50; CI=0.28–0.90) and women with a non-EU origin (Latin-Americans: OR=0.54; CI=0.31–0.93; Others: OR=0.06; CI=0.01–0.46) have a lower probability of reporting menstrual poverty. Our findings advocate that the measurement of poverty should consider individual aspects and needs, and not only the household income level as the reference. Further, we would encourage rethinking poverty measurement with a gender perspective, as well as identifying how deprivations overlap to aggravate the experience of poverty.

Unhealthy weight is a major global health concern. This study examines unhealthy weight among children in Spain and the role of the home environment therein. Data are from a 2010 national survey of families with children. We examined unhealthy weight among children ages 5–10 years using the WHO Child Growth Standards and used multivariate logistic regression to assess associations with family characteristics. There was a high prevalence of unhealthy weight, with only 46% of children at normal weight. Both underweight and obesity were higher among boys (14%; 22%) than girls (13%; 12%). Underweight and obesity were higher among children of mothers with obesity and those with unemployed parents. Obesity was higher among children of mothers who were less educated (35%) and among children of immigrants (19%). We find high levels of unhealthy weight in children, with both underweight and obesity being predicted by the same family environment characteristics.

This article reviews current research on gender gaps in educational outcomes among children of new migrants (first, 1.5, and second generations) from a comparative cross‐national perspective. The article examines potential explanations for why gendered differences in educational outcomes among immigrants (vis‐à‐vis non‐migrants) continue to occur, focusing on individual, schooling, and institutional factors. For example, while gender gaps in expectations and aspirations as well as some cognitive outcomes are increasing (reading ability is considerably higher among females) and shrinking in specific subjects (e.g. math and science ability is slightly higher among boys), that process often has been less explored within and across immigrant vis‐à‐vis non‐immigrant students. We show that in some countries, gender gaps among disadvantaged ethnic minorities (in relation to other groups) continue to persist and are exacerbated by institutional factors. These disadvantages vary not only across different educational systems and at different rates over time but also are based on students' social background. Overall, we argue that these educational inequalities are key to understanding not only the socioeconomic and future political adaptation of migrants and their children but also future social policy developments in the European Union context.

Existe una multiplicidad de factores que pueden afectar el riesgo del consu- mo de tabaco en la adolescencia. Mediante el análisis de estos factores de manera conjunta podemos desentrañar la relevancia específica que cada uno de ellos tiene en la conformación de la conducta individual de los adolescentes. El objetivo de esta investigación es profundizar en el cono- cimiento sobre la relación entre el consumo de tabaco en la adolescencia y variables socio-demográficas y socio-emocionales. Contamos con una muestra representativa de 2.289 adolescentes catalanes (15-18 años) que participaron en el Panel de Familias e Infancia. Se han realizado modelos de regresión para determinar la asociación estadística de los diferentes estados de ánimo (tristeza, nerviosismo y soledad), características del grupo de iguales y estilos parentales, con el consumo de tabaco. Los resultados indican que el comportamiento adictivo es más probable cuando los adolescentes muestran estados de ánimo negativos, controlando por variables socio-demográficas y otros factores de riesgo. Entre estos factores adicionales, los estilos parentales autoritativos reducen el riesgo del consumo de tabaco en comparación con la parentalidad autoritaria, permisiva y negligente. El consumo generalizado de tabaco en el grupo de iguales es el factor de riesgo que tiene una asociación más alta con el comportamiento individual del adolescente.

Heavy episodic drinking is widespread among adolescents, with serious health risks, including abuse / dependence in adulthood. The aim of this paper is to analyze the influence of negative mood states and some family variables on this type of drinking behavior among Catalan adolescents. Cross sectional study of a representative sample of adolescents (age 14-18 years) from Catalonia (Second Wave, Panel of Families and Children) (2006-2010). Separate logistic regression models are run for women (n = 1,459) and men (n = 1,105) to assess whether negative mood states (self-perceived) are associated with heavy episodic drinking measured as binge drinking at least twice a month or more in the last year. It is estimated to what extent these effects are attributable to familial factors. Feelings of sadness are associated with binge drinking among male adolescents (OR 2.7). Feeling pressured by parents keeps also a positive association with binge drinking among both sexes (OR 1.8 for males and OR 2.1 for women). Women from low-middle and high income groups are more likely to engage in binge drinking (OR 1.6 and OR, 1.7 respectively). Migrant family background (OR 0.4) and parental control of arrival home on weekend (OR 0.6) are negatively related to binge drinking among female adolescents. Negative mood states are associated with heavy episodic drinking. Socio-economic and family factors have stronger effect on women than on men.