title: [Self-rated health and physical disabilities due to health (corrected) problems].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate self-rated health and physical disabilities due to health problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cross-sectional study carried out in 18 Brazilian cities between 2002 and 2005. There were interviewed 26,424 residents (aged 15 years or more) of households selected by a two-stage probabilistic sampling. Percentages and confidence intervals were calculated considering the study design effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Poorer self-rated health status and physical disabilities were found among women, those aged 50 years old or more and those with lower education. In addition, higher percentages of fair or poor self-rated health were found in cities in Northern and Northeastern Brazil compared to those in Southern and Southeastern Brazil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poorer health conditions in the North/Northeast compared to the South/Southeast regions reflect factors related to social inequalities, mainly lower education.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Ministério da Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. miriancs@inca.gov.br
authors.forename: Mirian Carvalho de
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Ubirani Barros
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.forename: Liz Maria de
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Silvana Rubano Barretto
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Turci
authors.forename: Valeska Carvalho
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: José de Azevedo
authors.initials: Jde A
authors.lastname: Lozana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult