title: [Use of outpatient health services by women: a population-based study in southern Brazil].
abstract: The aim of this study was to verify the use of outpatient health services and associated factors among women ages 20 to 60 years living in the urban area of São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. This was a cross-sectional, population-based study with a sample of 1,026 women in 2003. The association between the independent variables and the outcome was evaluated by means of prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Poisson regression was used with a hierarchical model. Among 1,022 women, 136 (13.3%; 95%CI: 11.2-15.4) had not used outpatient services in the 12 months prior to the interview. Women in lower socioeconomic classes (C, D, and E), with less schooling, and with lower income showed lower use of outpatient health services. Thus, the most vulnerable women and those with the greatest health needs showed the lowest use of health services, suggesting unfavorable conditions in the local health system and pointing to the presence of lack of universal care and equal access.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brasil. episoares@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Juvenal Soares
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dias-da-Costa
authors.forename: Adriana Dewes
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Presser
authors.forename: Anelise Fernanda
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Zanolla
authors.forename: Daiane Giacomet
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perozzo
authors.forename: Ivani Bueno de Almeida
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Lívia Tavares
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Portolan
authors.forename: Renata Tôndolo
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Maria Teresa Anselmo
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Olinto
authors.forename: Marcos Pascoal
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Pattussi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult