Montse Bartroli’s research while affiliated with Pompeu Fabra University and other places

Gambling forms part of social and leisure activities for adolescents but is not free of potential harms. Moreover, with the emergence of new technologies, gambling has become increasingly accessible and appealing to this population. The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of gambling behaviour and its associated factors in adolescents aged 13–19 years in the city of Barcelona in 2021. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2021 Survey of Risk Factors in Secondary Schools. A bivariate analysis was carried out and multiple logistic regression models were constructed to estimate adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for online, non-online, and at-risk gambling. The prevalence of gambling among adolescents in Barcelona was 18.6% in boys and 6.1% in girls. Gambling was associated with various sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle factors, with differences observed by sex and gambling modality (online vs. non-online). The prevalence of at-risk gambling was 6.2% in boys and 1% in girls. At-risk gambling was associated with male sex, engaging in online gambling, poor mental health, and participating in more than two different types of gambling. The results of this study show that gambling is a widespread activity among adolescents in Barcelona, with significant associated risks. Preventive programmes and regulations are needed to reduce gambling involvement and gambling-related harms.

The “1,2,3,emoció!” is a universal preschool program of emotional education for children aged 3–5 years that has positive effect on emotional competence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this program specifically in 3- to 5-year-old children with autism spectrum conditions. The effectiveness was evaluated during the first year of implementation (school year 2018–2019) in Barcelona. We conducted a cluster randomized community trial, with schools as units of randomization. The children’s level of emotional competence was evaluated with the validated Emotional Competence Assessment Questionnaire (score range from 30 to 180). We designed a linear regression model for paired measures. The dependent variable was the final Emotional Competence Assessment Questionnaire score adjusted by the initial score, sex, and grade. The sample consisted of 49 children with autism spectrum conditions, of which 11 were girls. Children in the intervention group showed an increase from the initial score to the final score that was almost three times higher (16.1) than the increase observed in children in the comparison group (6.6). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant, with 8.9 points (95% confidence interval: 1.2–16.6) attributed to the intervention. We conclude that the “1,2,3,emoció!” universal program has the potential to be effective in children with autism spectrum conditions. Lay abstract There are numerous programs and interventions to improve social and emotional skills that expressly target children with autism spectrum conditions. However, there is less knowledge about the impact of universal (directed to all children) school programs of emotional education specifically on these children. In this context, the aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of the “1,2,3,emoció!” universal school program on them. The results show that children with autism spectrum conditions participating in the program improved their emotional competence more than the ones who did not participate. Therefore, we conclude that the “1,2,3,emoció!” universal program is effective in children with autism spectrum conditions. This promising outcome gives the opportunity to these children to benefit from group learning in an inclusive school setting, by complementing individual interventions with a universal program.

RESUMEN El juego de apuestas es una actividad de ocio legítima en muchos países, la cual muchas personas utilizan. Sin embargo, algunas de ellas experimentan daños significativos como resultado de estos juegos de apuestas. Estos daños, que pueden ser de carácter económico, social o de salud física y mental, no solo los sufre el individuo que juega, sino que afectan a la familia, a la comunidad y a toda la sociedad. El objetivo de este texto es proponer un marco conceptual para comprender los determinantes del juego de apuestas y sus daños asociados, que ayude a desarrollar políticas de prevención para reducir su impacto en la salud. El marco planteado en este manuscrito sitúa la evidencia actual en el modelo de desigualdades en salud y analiza la importancia del contexto socioeconómico y político, de los ejes de desigualdad, de los factores individuales y sociales, y del sistema sanitario en la desigualdad en salud asociada al juego de apuestas que sufren los grupos más vulnerables. La evidencia que se recoge en este marco sugiere que los determinantes de salud conllevan a una desigualdad en salud en relación con los juegos de apuestas y sus daños asociados.

Objective: Implementation fidelity is a key dimension in process evaluation but has been scarcely studied. Reptes is a selective alcohol and cannabis use prevention program performed in vulnerable young people (16-21 years) from different educational and leisure settings. The study aimed to describe the components of this program, its implementation fidelity, and satisfaction among participants and facilitators. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Implementation fidelity was assessed in terms of adherence, dose, participant responsiveness, and quality of the intervention through self-reports completed by 15 facilitators and self-administered questionnaires by 99 youth from the 15 groups completing the program. Results: 70.7% of the groups performed 30 of the 43 planned activities with high use of various teaching methods, except for Information and Communication Technology resources. Fidelity implementation was above 70%. 2/3 groups completed an acceptable intervention and 1/3 completed a qualified intervention. Satisfaction was higher than 7. Conclusions: Our results show high implementation fidelity and satisfaction compared with those from similar studies.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic particularly affected the health of vulnerable population, such as people who use drugs. Due to compromised baseline health status, certain drug uses and settings and socioeconomic deprivation related to poverty and homelessness, drug users faced higher risk of COVID-19 infection. They had difficulty in adhering to the public health measures (i.e. physical distancing, hand hygiene and mask use). Also, the struggle to implement non-pharmaceutical actions (i.e. test–trace–isolate–quarantine strategy) among SARS-COV-2-infected drug users and their close contacts challenged the public health response. Therefore, this study aimed to describe a community COVID-19 outbreak and its approach among drug users of a harm reduction programme in an outpatient drug treatment centre in Barcelona, Spain. Methods We conducted an observational descriptive study of an outbreak of COVID-19 among people who use drugs attending the harm reduction programme of an outpatient drug treatment centre in the city of Barcelona, between July and October 2021 (n = 440). A passive search for cases was carried out with rapid antigens tests targeting symptomatic users who attended the facilities. Results Nineteen positive COVID-19 cases were identified among symptomatic drug users, between July and October 2021, with an attack rate of 4.3%. Specific measures were taken to control the outbreak, such as offering accommodation to self-isolate in a low-threshold residential resource to homeless drug users who tested positive and intensifying the vaccination strategy. The management of the outbreak was carried out in close collaboration between the outpatient centre and the main public health stakeholders in the city of Barcelona. Conclusions This study shows the complexity of managing and investigating COVID-19 outbreaks in vulnerable population groups. Epidemiological control measures, such as the test–trace–isolate–quarantine strategy, were challenging to implement due to technology-related barriers and socioeconomic vulnerabilities, especially homelessness. Community-based interventions, cooperation among stakeholders and housing-related policies were helpful in tackling outbreaks among people who use drugs. When addressing vulnerable and hidden populations, the perspective of inequalities should be included in epidemiological surveillance and outbreak control strategies.

Introduction: Emotional education programmes are universal preventive strategies for health promotion, especially mental health. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of '1,2,3, emoció!': a preschool-based programme designed to improve emotional competence and targeted to 3-5-year-old children in Barcelona during three academic years. Study design: Cluster randomised trial, using schools as clusters. Methods: The study's population included preschoolers 3-5 years old from Barcelona. Teachers offered the programme during one or three academic years in the intervention groups. We evaluated the emotional competence of each child at the beginning and the end of the academic year with the Emotional Competence Assessment Questionnaire (30-180 scale). We studied the implementation process and analysed the outcomes with nested linear regression models. Considering sociodemographic variables and implementation outcomes, we obtained the individual differences in emotional competence at the end of the school year-segregated by sex-for intervention and comparison groups. Results: 1586 children participated in the study. The emotional competence level increased significantly after one year (4.1 in boys; 5.6 in girls; P < 0.05) and after three years of intervention (5.5 in boys; 8.0 in girls; P < 0.01), compared to comparison group. The level of emotional competence was the highest for the 3-year intervention group: we obtained an average ECAQ score of 131.1 (95% CI 126.9-135.2) for boys and 141 (95% CI 137.2-144.9) for girls. We observed that an accurate implementation improved its results. Conclusions: The programme '1,2,3, emoció!' effectively increases preschool children's emotional competence, especially when the programme is rigorously implemented for three years.

Objectives The acquisition of emotional competencies through emotional education programs improves both short- and long-term health outcomes. The 1,2,3,emoció! program directed at children aged 3–5 years aims to promote health through the development of emotional competencies. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the program during its first year of implementation. Study design Cluster randomized trial. Methods The information sources were an ad-hoc questionnaire to evaluate emotional competencies and focus group discussions with the teachers implementing the program. For the quantitative data analysis, we compared mean emotional competencies scores pre- and postintervention for the intervention group and the comparison group. We also conducted a multilevel regression with repeated measures, adjusted by sociodemographic variables and stratified by gender and school year. For the qualitative data, we performed a thematic content analysis. Results The sample consisted of 2625 children (48.4% girls and 49.2% intervention group). Emotional competencies improved in both groups after the school year (P-value < 0.001), but the increase was greater in the intervention group. The multilevel analysis showed an improvement in the final scores attributed to the intervention, especially for those in the first year of preschool [boys: 12.33 points (95% CI 5.51–19.15), girls: 9.66 points (95% CI 3.36–15.96)]. The thematic content analysis also highlighted enhanced emotional competencies in the intervention group. The final scores did not vary by sociodemographic variables. Conclusions The 1,2,3,emoció! program had a positive effect on emotional competencies among children, with effectivity being higher among younger children.

In order to assess emotional competence in children, it is necessary to have psychometrically sound measures. To the best of our knowledge, there is no available tool to assess emotional competence in children from 3 to 5 years old that assesses the five emotional competences of the Bisquerra model and can be easily and quickly answered in the school environment. The objective of this study is to develop a measure, the Emotional Competence Assessment Questionnaire (ECAQ), and to provide evidence of its psychometric quality. Qualitative evidence was obtained from a systematic review, from two expert committees and from five discussion groups. On the other hand, quantitative validity and reliability evidence was obtained from a sample of 1088 students and other smaller subsamples. The results suggest that the ECAQ is a short and easy-to-use tool, easily understood by administrators. The quantitative results confirm a general factor of emotional competence adjusted for three specific factors. This factor has excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The ECAQ has therefore been shown to be a promising tool for assessing emotional competence in children between 3 and 5 years of age.