Survey on the use of health services by adult men: prevalence rates and associated factors

OBJECTIVE: estimate the prevalence and identify factors associated with the use of health services by men between 20 and 59 years of age. METHOD: population-based, cross-sectional domestic survey undertaken with 421 adult men, selected through systematic random sampling. The data were collected through a structured instrument and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: the prevalence rate of health service use during the three months before the interviews was 42.8%, being higher among unemployed men with a religious creed who used private hospitals more frequently, had been hospitalized in the previous 12 months and referred some disease. CONCLUSION: the prevalence of health service use by adult men does not differ from other studies and was considered high. It shows to be related with the need for curative care, based on the associated factors found.