Perceptions about men's health in a gender relational perspective, Brazil, 2014

The goal of this article is to assess the perception of male health from the viewpoint of men and women. The study drew from a random sample of men aged 20 to 59 who were SUS (Unified Healthcare System) users and resided in the capitals of Brazilian states and the Federal District. Participants were interviewed by phone. Sociodemographic variables and variables related to perception of healthcare services, health status and health care were recorded. Logistic regression was used to assess failure to seek service and good and very good self-care. The majority of the study population considers it has no health problem, especially men. The main reason for failure to seek treatment is no access to services, although both men and women claim the healthcare services receive them adequately. Over 40% of men and almost 30% of women self-medicate. Men believe they are taking good care of their health, while women have a different perception of this. Perceptions differ when we take into consideration age, years of schooling, ethnicity and occupation.