Abstract
Introduction: Epidemiological data allow to know the needs of the communities and can provide subsidies for planning and actions in the health services, hence, it is necessary to investigate illness and chronic non-communicable diseases in the population of interest.
 Objective: The objectives of this study are to describe and verify the association between the most prevalent self-reported morbidities in adults regarding the characteristics: socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle. 
 Methods: This is a population-based survey conducted with adults (?18 years of age), living in Rio Branco, Acre State, Brazil, during the period 2007/2008. The sample consisted of 1516 individuals, from a probabilistic sampling in two stages of a draw.
 Results: The most prevalent self-reported morbidity was spine/back disease with a percentage of 30.8%, followed by hypertension (28.3%), malaria (28.3%) and depression (18.7%). Regarding socioeconomic and demographic aspects, the most prevalent characteristics were: female gender and low level of formal education, with statistical significance. As for life habits, the most common characteristics with statistical significance were: smoking and physical inactivity.
 Conclusion: In view of the scarcity of studies of this nature in the North region of Brazil, and especially in the State of Acre, the results regarding the most prevalent self-reported morbidities in the adult population of Rio Branco are of fundamental importance, to alert researchers and health professionals. This contributes to a better adaptation and/or implementation of public strategies for promotion, protection and health assistance.
Highlights
Epidemiological data allow to know the needs of the communities and can provide subsidies for planning and actions in the health services, it is necessary to investigate illness and chronic non-communicable diseases in the population of interest
In view of the scarcity of studies of this nature in the North region of Brazil, and especially in the State of Acre, the results regarding the most prevalent self-reported morbidities in the adult population of Rio Branco are of fundamental importance, to alert researchers and health professionals
It is observed that Brazil follows the global trend of demographic, epidemiological and nutritional transition, which has led to new demands on health services
Summary
Epidemiological data allow to know the needs of the communities and can provide subsidies for planning and actions in the health services, it is necessary to investigate illness and chronic non-communicable diseases in the population of interest. All countries must be prepared to face the consequences of demographic change This situation requires health promotion, disease prevention and community intervention, as well as the adoption of health management strategies and requires a strong information system to enable the management of its services[1,2]. For a long period of time, in the absence of morbidity information systems and due to the predominant epidemiological profile of communicable diseases, the assessment of the health status of the populations was based on mortality data. There is an intense growth of diseases with age, since the increase in the population’s survival is concurrent with the increment in the burden of morbidities[3,5]
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