Samuel Lado

Samuel Lado

PhD student at the UdG

Research

Journal publications

Ayllón, S.; Brugarolas, P.; Lado, S. (2024). New estimates for inequality of opportunity in Europe using elastic net algorithms, Applied Economics Letters, forthcoming. [link]

  • This paper provides new estimates for inequality of opportunity (IOp) in Europe between 2005 and 2019, using data from EU-SILC and elastic net algorithms. We document three different trends: some countries showed significant improvement over time; others saw a notable increase in IOp; and yet others reversed the rise in inequality post-Great Recession. Importantly, our new machine-learning estimates show consistency with more established approaches.

Ayllón, S.; Holmarsdottir, H. B.; Lado, S. (2023). Digitally deprived children in Europe, Child Indicators Research, 16: 1315-1339. [pdf]

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the need for internet connectivity and technological devices across the population, but especially among school-aged children. For a large proportion of pupils, access to a connected computer nowadays makes the difference between being able to keep up with their educational development and falling badly behind. This paper provides a detailed account of the digitally deprived children in Europe, according to the latest available wave of the European Union–Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). We find that 5.4% of school-aged children in Europe are digitally deprived and that differences are large across countries. Children that cohabit with low-educated parents, in poverty or in severe material deprivation are those most affected.

Ayllón, S.; Lado, S. (2022). Food hardship in the US during the pandemic: What can we learn from real-time data?, Review of Income and Wealth, 68(2): 518-540. [pdf]

  • We study the potential effect of the declaration of the state of emergency, the beginning and end of the stay-at-home orders, and the one-off Economic Impact Payments on food hardship in the US during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. We use daily data from Google Trends for the search term “foodbank” and document the development of a hunger crisis, as indicated by the number of individuals who need to locate a food pantry through the internet. The demand for charitable food handouts begins to decrease once families start receiving the stimulus payments, but the biggest fall comes when economic activity resumes after the lifting of the lockdown orders. Our estimates indicate that the increased need for emergency help among vulnerable families lasted for at least 10 weeks during the first wave of the pandemic, and we argue that real-time data can be useful in predicting such urgency.

Chapters in edited volumes

Ayllón, S.; Lado, S.; Symeonaki, M. (2024). Digitally disengaged and digitally unconfident children in Europe in Understanding the everyday digital lives of children and young people, ed. H. B. Holmarsdottir, I. Seland, C. Hyggen, M. Roth, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 27-55 (chapter 2). [pdf]

  • The increasing use of information and communications technologies (ICT) in education has raised concerns about exacerbating existing educational inequalities, particularly for students who lack interest or confidence in using digital devices. Drawing from data of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), this chapter documents the extent to which school-aged children in Europe are digitally disengaged and/or lack digital confidence. We also analyse the socio-economic and demographic characteristics that describe both profiles. By shedding light on these challenges, this research can inform policies and interventions aimed to ensure equitable access and success in digital learning environments.

Ayllón, S.; Brugarolas, P.; Lado, S. (2024). ICT use and children’s self-reported life satisfaction in Understanding the everyday digital lives of children and young people, ed. H. B. Holmarsdottir, I. Seland, C. Hyggen, M. Roth, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 239-279 (chapter 9). [pdf]

  • In this chapter, we use the Children’s Worlds database to investigate how ICT affects children’s subjective well-being in Europe, and whether its use crowds out other activities, which could have an impact on how satisfied children are with their own lives. The survey queries 8, 10 and 12-year-old children regarding their daily routine and activities, use of time and the extent to which they agree with several statements. The questionnaire also includes information on their social, economic and demographic background and, most importantly for our research, their self-assessed well-being and thoughts on ICT usage. First, we find that a higher frequency of playing electronic games, using social media and having internet access and/or a mobile phone is positively associated with overall subjective well-being. Second, we find no evidence of any crowd-out effects – i.e. children who spend more time with digital devices do not report that they devote any less time to other activities. Finally, we document the fact that the use of digital technologies is positively related to satisfaction with the amount of free time they have and with their use of time. These results are generally not consistent with the main takeaways from causal studies which highlights the importance of further research on this area.

Reports

Ayllón, S.; Brugarolas, P.; Lado, S. (2022). La transmisión intergeneracional de la pobreza y la desigualdad de oportunidades en España, Ministerio de Derechos Sociales y Agenda 2030. [in Spanish] [pdf]

Sánchez, C.; Marquès, P.; Lado, S.; Bikfalvi, A. (2022). Guia de bones pràctiques per a la igualtat de gènere a la indústria agroalimentària, Departament d’Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural, Generalitat de Catalunya. [in Catalan] [pdf]

Sánchez, C.; Marquès, P.; Lado, S.; Lloveras, N. (2021). La dona a la indústria alimentària a Catalunya, Departament Agricultura, Ramaderia, Pesca i Alimentació, Generalitat de Catalunya. [in Catalan] [pdf]

Working papers

Ayllón, S.; Brugarolas, P.; Lado, S. (2023). The level of inequality of opportunity in Spain: an estimation using Artificial Intelligence, Instituto de Estudios Fiscales. Media coverage: El Confidencial, El Confidencial. [pdf]