[Health reports as the centrepiece of public health services]

The main objective of health reports is to contribute to the health improvement of a specific population. They are an essential support tool for the design and planning of health policies and can also be used for accountability and evaluation. This study assesses various types of health report, including that used by the City of Barcelona (Spain), with a focus on social determinants, as well as an international health report more centred on the impact of health services. Some suggestions are proposed about the appropriateness and best use of these documents, including: the need for effective communication between technical professionals and politicians through meetings and dialogue; commitment to transparency, both authors (by means of the declaration of interests) and in terms of the information reported and with the maximum level of participation; to promote the use of a conceptual framework of social determinants of health; a focus on health inequalities; the inclusion of information relevant to policy action; the organisation of information in such a way that it allows comparison or benchmarking with similar areas and prospectively; presenting the information in an attractive way using elements such as rankings, maps or other tools; and the design of communication strategies adapted to key stakeholders.