OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of health services use in Brazil. METHODS: The protocol of present review is available at PROSPERO (CRD42015016648). A structured search for population-based surveys was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, LILACS, SciELO and Brazilian theses repository. Selection of studies, data extraction and critical appraisal processes was completed by two independent reviewers. Methodological quality assessment included random sample, unbiased sampling frame, sample size, standard for measures, unbiased assessors for outcomes, response rate, subgroup analysis and description of subjects. In STATA, results of similar studies were grouped in meta-analysis of random effects and their heterogeneity was investigated by a model of inverse variance. All results were stratified by recall period and health service (dental or medical consultation or hospitalization). RESULTS: The search recovered 1,312 references. Fifteen articles and five national surveys were included. The studies presented good methodological quality. They were made between 1995-2015 and, mainly, in the southern region. 829,941 people were interviewed about the use of dental services in the past 360 days, of which 32% (95% CI 22.7-41.9%) responded positively. 70% (95% CI 64.9-75.1%) of 710,703 subjects visited a doctor in last 54 weeks. Finally, 10.4% (95% CI 9.5-11.3%) of 695,072 respondents report hospitalization in previous 12 months. All results were statistically heterogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: Medical doctors were more requested than dentists and hospitals. The use of health services was more concentrated in developed areas. The pooled results of meta-analysis suggest representativeness of Brazilian population for the last decade.