[Local public health services: a descriptive study of the municipalities of Catalonia in 2016].

OBJECTIVE: The health system in Spain rests mostly in the Autonomous Communities (similar to the states in the US). The public health activities of many local governments are little studied. The objective of this work was to bring knowledge about the public health activities of the municipalities, providing information obtained from a recent survey in Catalonia. METODOS: Estudio descriptivo basado en cuestionario a los responsables de salud publica de los 119 municipios mayores de 10,000 habitantes de Catalunya, excluyendo la ciudad de Barcelona. Se realizo entre mayo y octubre de 2016, respondiendo 103 municipios (86,6 %) sobre la situacion en 2015, anterior a la encuesta. Los datos se tabularon y sometieron a analisis descriptivos. RESULTS: A consolidation of both political and professional public health structures of the municipalities was observed. Most frequent activities in health protection were related to legionella control, the control of urban pests and the management of complaints and requests by citizens. Most frequent activities in the field of health promotion were related to physical activity and health, prevention in tobacco and alcohol, food and nutrition. There were relatively few changes reported in public health structures and their officers, as well as in human resources. CONCLUSIONES: Los municipios catalanes de mas de 10.000 habitantes tienen un notable nivel de actividad en salud publica. Tanto los ambitos de proteccion de la salud (con servicios minimos obligatorios para los gobiernos locales) como los de promocion de la salud muestran niveles altos de actividad. El sistema parece estable respecto a cambios politicos y restricciones presupuestarias. Hay oportunidades de mejora en formacion de profesionales y acreditacion de servicios. Seria deseable mejorar la coordinacion entre estos servicios.