Com o envelhecimento da população brasileira torna-se cada vez mais importante conhecer a prevalência das doenças crônicas. Essas doenças constituem-se em forte demanda aos serviços de saúde. Foram utilizados os dados da amostra da PNAD/98. Analisou-se o conjunto de doenças crônicas auto-referidas, empregou-se a razão de prevalência e razão de odds ratios com intervalo de confiança de 95% para verificar a presença de associações. Comprovou-se o aumento da prevalência das doenças crônicas com o aumento da idade; padronizando-se a idade identificou-se um gradiente de redução da prevalência com aumento da escolaridade e da renda. Observou-se maior prevalência entre mulheres e entre os que não possuíam plano de saúde. A presença de doença crônica estava associada à má avaliação do estado de saúde e de restrição de atividade. A utilização dos serviços de saúde foi de 1,8 vezes entre os portadores de doenças crônicas; com um consumo significativamente maior do número médio de consultas. Não se verificou diferença significante do número médio de consultas médicas por estrato de renda. Entre os portadores de doença crônica não houve diferença significativa do número médio de consultas entre usuários do SUS e de planos privados de saúde.

This study aimed to analyze inequalities in health status and utilization of medical consultations and hospital services by IntroductionEquity in health may be defined as the absence of unfair inequalities, or for operational purposes, as the absence of systematic inequalities between groups with different social positions due to different levels of wealth, power, and prestige 1 .The concept of equity is inherently normative, whereas inequality may denote only a difference, without any connotation of injustice. The central idea in the concept of equity can be expressed as equal opportunities to be and remain healthy and is rooted in the right to health. It also includes the right to decent living standards, as well as other human rights, such freedom from discrimination and the ability to fully participate in community life (social inclusion). Health inequality is unfair if it is systematically associated with social disadvantages in such a way that the social groups that are already penalized because of their socioeconomic status suffer further disadvantages in the promotion, protection, and recovery of their health 1 .The usual explanation for health inequalities has been that one's lifestyle is the expression of individual choices and behaviors that can either reinforce or jeopardize health. However, the control of such variables cannot suppress some differentials 2 . Health inequalities always reflect social determinants, there is usually no specificity between particular causes and outcomes, ARTIGO ARTICLE

The difference in self-reported health status for men and women became even greater after adjusting for socioeconomic variables, suggesting that poorer women have more pronounced, relative differences than men do. The impact of structural determinants, such as education and income, is considerably smaller than the social construct of gender, although the former are more important predictors. Women use health services more often than men do, which is consistent with their health needs. However, medical visit rates show an inverse relationship to health care needs, suggesting an inequitable access to outpatient care, mainly preventive care.

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Drosophila martensis Wasserman and Wilson is shown to be a cactiphilic fly, emerging from five species of cacti: Ritterocereus griseus, Subpilocereus repandus, Acanthocereus tetragonus, Opuntia elatior, and 0. ficus-indica. Thus, it can be considered a polyphagic species. The known distribution of D. martensis includes localities as distant as 900 km on an east-west axis in Venezuela, and gene flow seems to occur freely between the sampled populations. It is suggested that D. martensis is an opportunistic invader fly, and that population interfertility and polyphagy are concomitant phenomena for the species.