[The health of men and women in Catalonia, Spain. Are changes occurring?].

The aim of this work is to show the changes observed in the health profile according to gender in 2006 with respect to 1994 of the population of Catalonia, through the comparison of data obtained in 1994 and 2006 from the Encuesta de Salud de Cataluña. The increase of the level of studies of the population has tended to comparing both sexes. The pattern of the social classes has been invested, so that in 2006 the proportion of women who place themselves in the upper classes and intermediate is superior to that of the men, and the proportion of women belonging to the lower class is inferior to that of the men. The number of women who incorporate into the work and handicapped world has increased those who are declared housewives. The little healthy behaviors continue being more frequent among men but the proportion of smoker and sedentary women increased between 1994 and 2006. Women have a more preventive than men in relation to the taking of blood pressure and measurement of cholesterol levels. People who value their health as positive has increased, but maintains that the percentage of women is lower than in males. The women continue to have more chronic diseases, mental disorders and disabilities. In 2006, and in comparison with 1994, it is observed that in Catalonia the health profile by gender, wherein women have poorer perception of health status, greater number of chronic diseases and disabilities and greater risk of poor mental health than men. Unhealthy habits are still more prevalent among men with the exception of the sedentarism, which is more frequent among women. Women continue practicing preventive activities in greater proportion than men.