¿Does childhood obesity as a result of a disadvantaged family environment exist? This article points towards the fact that, in the face of psychological distress, many children use food as an escape valve, which causes a loss of control over their diet.

Despite a slight increase in participation by men, this study shows that housework and childcare represented a heavier workload for women during the lockdown.

The digital divide reduces equal opportunities for citizens. This article examines the reasons for this based on the analysis of ICT use patterns among Spanish compulsory secondary-school students.  

Technology has played a key role in us continuing to work and study from home, but also in leisure and communication. We spent, on average, over 9 hours a day in front of screens. Does greater consumption mean more or less wellbeing?

The Social Observatory of ”la Caixa” announces a call to support research projects on inequality in Spain.

Climate change is a concern worldwide, but what influences support for climate change policies? According to this study, the determining factor is the perceived effectiveness of each measure.

Are mothers at a disadvantage when being considered for promotion at work? This study shows that they are not, providing that they have not taken options such as flexible or reduced working hours or teleworking.

The gender gap in employment prior to covid-19 stood at around 16.5%. This article assesses the impact of economic crises and analyses the evolution of female employment between 1980 and 2017.

“In-work poverty” has the greatest impact on women and young people, and this was the case before the covid-19 crisis. This article shows that between 2010 and 2014, the median wage fell by 5.2%.

How do families solve the problem of balancing work and family life when school finishes for the summer? Women bear the brunt in the labour sphere.

Do we have quality education? In this report we analyse three fundamental dimensions: access to sufficient educational level, obtaining of adequate knowledge to contribute to economic and social development, and degree of inclusion of the education system.

The aim of excise duties is to reduce the negative impact on society of specific consumption, such as fuels or tobacco. This report shows that they are regressive in their current design.

The increase in economic inequality in recent years in Spain translates into the richest 1% of the population obtaining a higher income than the poorest 50%. What lies behind this concentration of capital?

Is labour polarisation occurring in Europe? This study, prior to the covid-19 crisis, shows that in Spain, in barely 25 years, employment in higher-quality occupations has almost doubled. 

We analyse the relative influence of the family background and the skills of each person on social mobility. Are there differences between the Nordic countries and those in southern Europe such as Italy and Spain? 

The impact of the covid-19 crisis on the labour market is being more pronounced in the Mediterranean countries and is concentrated on workers with low salaries and in precarious jobs, as well as women and younger workers.

The aim of the call was to support survey-based research that allows data to be obtained on the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on Spanish society.

The aim of the call was to support survey-based research that allows data to be obtained on the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on Spanish society.

Does a wealth tax help to reduce inequality when it comes to distributing wealth? This report shows that Spain’s wealth tax displays major shortcomings that limit its collection and redistributive impact. 

Healthcare spending is unequal: it increases with age and is higher among men than women. Furthermore, 5% of the population is responsible for 50% of total expenditure. We analyse the factors that explain this, within a pre-covid-19 scenario.

A lack of investment in innovation, major employment precarity and a lack of refresher training are obstacles for tackling the digitalisation of the Spanish economy. We analyse the causes.    

Have we improved in terms of equality between men and women? In this report we analyse five dimensions: economic wellbeing, employment, access to decent housing, education and state of health.

Elderly people enjoy greater economic stability but suffer from a worse state of health. We analyse the situation of this population segment prior to the drastic change caused by covid-19.

A lack of professional opportunities and labour precarity mean that young people are very vulnerable to economic crises. What were the circumstances of this group prior to covid-19?

Deprivations during childhood become unequal opportunities in adulthood. Understanding the conditions in which this population segment lived prior to the covid-19 crisis can help to prepare for the future.

We analyse possible reforms, considered in a pre-covid-19 scenario, for improving the welfare state in Spain and its redistributive capacity in relation to the European average.

One of the risks of the pandemic is an increase in child poverty. We analyse the effectiveness of redistributive polices (pre-covid-19) whose aim is to protect vulnerable households with children.

Can poverty be eradicated? Michael Kremer, Nobel Prize for Economics 2019, talks to us about new tools for the economy, which enable us to obtain a rigorous estimate of causes and impacts.

The situation in the coming months forces us to reflect on our society's (pre-covid-19) redistributive capacity. Spain is one of the EU countries with the greatest income inequality. 

Population changes can occur due to variations in the population caused by natural changes and migratory movements.

In 2017, one out of every four people was at risk of poverty and social exclusion in Spain, three points higher than the European average(EU-28: 23.5%)

Between the years 2007 and 2017, inequality in Spain increased, with a Gini Coeficient (not including social transfers) that has increased in value from 45 to 50

The GDP in purchasing power standards allows a more exact comparison of the level of economic development between countries. In 2017, the GDP per inhabitant in Purchasing Power Standards remained at 92% of the European average, unchanged from the previous year

Some 79.3% of households with children and with very low work intensity were at risk of poverty in 2017. Does this figure exceed the European average?

To what point do poverty and material deprivation affect the households in which children live? The eighth Dossier from the Social Observatory of ”la Caixa” analyses the relationship between child poverty and its consequences, such as health problems, academic failure and social mobility difficulties. 

In Spain barely 3.3% of the total of social transfers in the year 2016 targeted children, against the European average of 9%. However, this study shows that it is the most effective way of eradicating poverty.

The CaixaProinfancia programme supports families in a situation of poverty with academic reinforcement, grants for food and hygiene, leisure, psychotherapeutic care and family educational support.

The books reviewed here consider why it is important for everyone, and not just for the most vulnerable, to achieve more egalitarian societies.

Despite the economic recovery, in 2018 three out of every ten children were living in a situation of anchored poverty. Poverty during childhood has consequences throughout life. We analyse its impact.

The difference in unemployment rates between men and women in our country is larger than the European average. How has it evolved during the recent years of economic crisis?

The “la Caixa” Banking Foundation grants programme, which funds postgraduate studies, has a major impact on the careers of its beneficiaries. Who applies for these grants and what factors determine to whom they are awarded?

Two out of every three workers in manual occupations are men, and women continue to be a minority in occupations such as construction, and industry. What factors influence segregation by gender in the labour market?

Caring for children and dependent elderly people, cooking, cleaning the house… what economic value can we attribute to unpaid domestic tasks? We calculate what this invisible work would represent for Spain’s GDP. 

The most visible face of loneliness is the feeling of not having people to call on or trust in case of need. Who does it affect most? We analyse the influence of factors such as age and gender.  

According to this study, we frequently interact with an average of 536 acquaintances, but the number is different for each person. What factors influence the size of our relationship circles?

The call has been open to social research projects that, will help to analyse the net effect of a “brain drain” on scientific activity in the country of origin by using quantitative techniques. 

This report analyses four challenges relating to health in Spain: improving the population’s health, promoting healthy lifestyle habits, guaranteeing access to healthcare and the viability of services for dependency.

The call has been open to foster research in the social sciences by supporting original research that can shed light on three specific aspects of social reality in Spain: vocational training, early school leaving and job insecurity.

According to this study, following new additions to the family only 4% of fathers requested reduced working hours, versus 37.7% of mothers. 

Elizabeth Rasekoala, President of African Gong, defends the importance of science as a tool for social transformation and talks to us about the need for acquiring basic scientific literacy in order to be able to think critically.

The call has been open to research projects that, through the conducting of a multi-annual survey over the course of the next four years, contributes a new analysis of a social phenomenon or problem and its evolution over time.

Theatre, opera, classical music, dance… Can digital consumption be an opportunity to attract new audiences to so-called high culture?  

Este informe recoge el análisis sobre la situación social en España y sobre la capacidad de las ayudas y subsidios existentes para garantizar unos ingresos mínimos a todos los ciudadanos, con el objetivo de reducir la pobreza y la desigualdad.

The Social Observatory of ”la Caixa” invited researchers interested in disseminating their research work among a non-academic audience to submit their papers (published articles, preprint or working papers) dealing with the subject of immigration.

Stress, depression, insomnia, tension, feeling of uselessness… This article analyses how the mental health of workers was affected by the economic crisis and long-term unemployment.  

The call has been opened to support research projects in social sciences based on laboratory or field experiments.

Behind rejection of the other, and xenophobia, lie factors such as the country’s macroeconomic evolution, individual economic vulnerability and worker exposure to job competition.

What social challenges does decent housing represent in Spain? This report analyses three challenges in this field: access, conditions and energy needs.

What happens when a scientist conducting high-level research dies prematurely? This article confirms a proliferation of articles by new researchers, with disruptive ideas, in the field of the deceased person.

The welfare system in Spain has never paid great attention to housing. However, it is a key aspect and one that has repercussions in other dimensions such as health and education.

Employment precarity is an obstacle to accessing home ownership for young people. Rental, which is more expensive, or family solidarity are the main alternatives for setting up a home.

In a young household, what takes up the biggest proportion of income: buying or renting?

We analyse the severe deprivation rate in relation to housing matters in Spain. Better or worse than the European Union?

Some 5% of the Spanish population were living in overcrowded homes in 2017. For this indicator, Spain outperforms the European average.

What budget do we assign to housing-related costs? In proportion, which households pay most: rich or poor?

In 2017, some 42.1% of people devoted more than 40% of their disposable income to paying the rent. What does this mean in the European context?

In 2015, the percentage of social rental houses in Spain stood at 2.5%, which is very low. Which EU countries have the largest volume of social housing?

Some 45.6% of the population lives in a flat in a building with more than 10 homes. Is this the same in the rest of Europe?

In 2017, 21.8% of Spanish households were formed by childless couples. Which model is predominant in Europe?

We evaluate the difficulties faced by young people in accessing an own home and what demographic effects this situation has.

Access to housing through renting is increasing in Spain although it is the least secure form of housing tenure on an economic, contractual and legal basis. We analyse which groups are the most affected.

La convocatoria ha estado abierta a  propuestas para desarrollar narrativas infográficas que arrojen luz sobre la realidad social española, mediante la visualización de datos cuantitativos procedentes de investigaciones originales en ciencias sociales.

The seventh Dossier from the Social Observatory of ”la Caixa” focuses on the residential insecurity faced by society’s most vulnerable groups, and access to housing for young people.

Poor housing conditions have repercussions on the health and progress of citizens. Sorcha Edwards, secretary general of Housing Europe, talks to us about the relationship between housing and social inclusion.

What is the role of the public sector in access to housing? Can public policies act as a counterweight to the market? These two books examine the question from the European and United States viewpoint.

A country’s development depends on access to employment with adequate conditions and sufficient remuneration to cover the needs of each household. This report analyses the social needs linked to the labour market.

A programme that offers quality housing for the most vulnerable groups: young people, families and elderly people.

Diet, leisure, housing conditions… do children who live in single-parent households suffer greater material deprivation? We analyse what influence income level and gender have.    

The Social Observatory of  ”la Caixa” is launching a new open competitive call to fund excellent, innovative and socially-oriented research projects.

Does the phenomenon of the "working poor" spread? Among other effects of the economic crisis, temporary and part-time jobs have increased and wages have been reduced.

Can the positive effects of parental involvement in education be extended to  schools? We analyse the outcomes of schools according to the types of families of the pupils that attend them.  

Are women worse at competing? This article shows that factors exist, of a cultural nature, that can explain part of the discrimination that women suffer in the jobs market.   

Does emigration always bring with it a dose of ambition? We analyse whether immigrants are more oriented toward success, risk, and money than their non-migrant compatriots.

Not following the treatments prescribed in primary healthcare has an economic impact, due to higher probabilities of absence from work and of the use of emergency healthcare services. We analyse this situation.

Where and by whom do we prefer to be cared for when facing dependency? We analyse the role of the family and of public and private services as care providers.  

An experiment in gender discrimination confirms that, under equal conditions, women have 30% fewer probabilities of being invited to a job interview.

In which European countries is the work-family conflict greatest? What measures for reconciliation are most popular among men and women? We analyse company policies and satisfaction among families.

Will new-generation technologies substitute the most routine jobs? Discover the impact of automation on the world of work. 

Is living longer synonymous with good health? The following study compares, within the European context, life expectancy and happiness among men and women.

What relationship exists between art and economics? We present two books that study the importance of creativity and innovation in the arts, as well as how art contributes to economic development.  

How should the social impact of research be measured? James Wilsdon, professor at the University of Sheffield, talks to  us about the need for “responsible metrics”. 

Planned early delivery for non-medical reasons may have negative consequences for babies’ health. The cancellation of Spain’s “baby cheque” made it possible to investigate the impact of this practice on infant health.     

To what point does art contribute to social integration? Talking about access to culture under conditions of equality with Sunil Iyengar.

Training workers is vital for improving their employability. However, since the economic crisis, investment in training has fallen by 50% in Spain and social agents barely participate in the definition of continuous training actions.  

How do economic problems affect family stability? The books reviewed tackle changes in gender roles at work and the instability generated by socioeconomic inequality.

A psychoeducational programme from a positive parenting perspective to promote, among others, affective bonds and educational relationships within the family setting.

The 6th Dossier of the Social Observatory of “la Caixa” aims to provide elements for reflection on the diversity of family models in Spain and on how these can condition child welfare.