ABSTRACT
The national health system is responsible for most of the health needs—primary and beyond—for nearly two-thirds of Brazil’s population of more than 200 million. Brazil’s social welfare policies have achieved impressive results. Between 2003 and 2013, income inequality was significantly reduced, and 31.5 million people were able to move out of poverty. Homicide and traffic accidents are the leading causes of death for men in Brazil, and they are the key reasons for the large life expectancy gap between men and women. Ethnicity, age, sex, and socioeconomic status overwhelmingly influence homicide risk in Brazil. Brazil has had a national family planning policy since 1996 stipulating the provision of family planning free of charge via the national public health system. Considering public health in Brazil—and the place of men’s health within it—requires first and foremost a focus on the country’s vast and historical social disparities.
