[Educational inequalities and self-perceived health in Spain: A population analysis by autonomous communities]

To analyze the relationship between educational level and self-perceived health in Spain at the regional level, incorporating differences by sex.

An ecological study was conducted using aggregated data from the autonomous communities of the INCLASNS system of the Ministry of Health. Correlations were analyzed between the percentage of the population with low education and the proportion of people who reported positive self-perceived health. Scatter plots, descriptions of territories, and percentage differences between men and women were generated.

The percentage of the population with low education ranged from 58.8% to 82.3%, while positive self-perceived health varied from 21.5% to 55.6%. The correlation between both indicators was weak and positive (r ≈ 0.25), without statistical significance, reflecting a wide dispersion between territories. Ceuta and Melilla stood out as extreme cases, simultaneously ranking among the regions with the highest percentage of low education (Ceuta: 81.7%; Melilla: 82.3%) and the highest percentage of positive self-perceived health (Ceuta: 55.6%; Melilla: 41.7%). Gender gaps showed consistent patterns: men had up to 14 percentage points more low education than women (Castilla y León), and up to 12 percentage points more positive self-perceived health (Extremadura).

The association between education and self-perceived health at the regional level is weak and does not reproduce the gradient observed at the individual level. Territorial heterogeneity and the influence of demographic and cultural factors could explain this lack of a clear relationship. Further investigation is recommended through multilevel analysis and the incorporation of other structural determinants.