Salud, deporte y vulnerabilidad socioeconómica en una comunidad urbana

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the association between perceived and diagnosed health, sport practice, and the belonging to a vulnerable socioeconomic group. DESIGN: Observational study. Questionnaire. SETTING: Casablanca neighbourhood. Primary Health Care Area in the city of Zaragoza (Spain). PARTICIPANTS: 1032 residents aged over 15 years. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: a) Perceived health using the Health Perception Questionnaire of Davis and Ware; b) diagnosed morbidity; c) sport practice using the Healthy Lifestyles questionnaire-94 of Herrero, Musitu and Gracia, and d) socioeconomic vulnerability based on the occupational, educational and economic conditions of the family unit. RESULTS: Socioeconomic vulnerability had a statistically significant association with diagnosed health, self-perceived health, and sport practice. Vulnerability and exercise showed a higher influence over self-perceived health than over diagnosed health. In the analysis stratified by gender, the association could only be observed in men. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of health social factors is modulated by gender. Social stratification and lifestyles, such as sport practice, are predictors of self-perceived health and, thus, of the relationship between the population and the use of health services.