Self-rated health of Brazilian women of childbearing age: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate sociodemographic factors, non-communicable diseases and conditions, and behavioral risk factors associated with negative self-rated health among Brazilian women of childbearing age. METHOD: Cross-sectional study with 26,071 Brazilian women of reproductive age. Estimated prevalence of self-rated health according to sociodemographic characteristics, non-communicable diseases and conditions, and behavioral risk factors. Poisson regression was used to estimate adjusted and unadjusted prevalence ratios. RESULTS: Occurrence of two or more of the diseases and conditions presented a prevalence of negative self-rated health almost three times higher than none. There was a positive association between negative self-rated health and older age groups, lower education, black or brown skin color/race, living in the north and northeast regions, physical inactivity, being a smoker, and presence of one or more of the diseases and conditions. CONCLUSION: There are differences in self-rated health, reflecting social inequalities.