Rational Structures in Health Education Models

Abstract

The different Health Education (HE) models appeared in the scientific literature are analyzed, trying to eliminate the confussion produced by its great diversity. applying a general and sistematic point of view. Due to the relevance of that topic in the activities of Health Promotion in Primary Health Care it is urgent a deep reapparaisal due the heterogeneity of scientific papers dealing with that topic. The curriculum, as the confluente of thought and action in Health Education. is the basic concept thanks to which it is possible to integrate both scientific logics, the biological one and that pertaining to the social sciences. Of particular importance have been the different paradigmes that have emerged in the field of HE from the beginning of the present century: a first generation with a “normative” point of view. a second one orientated from positivistic bases, and a third generation adopting an hermeneutic and critic nature. This third generation of paradigmes in HE has taken distances from the behaviouristic and congnitive perspectives being more critical and participative. The principal scientific contributors in the field of HE, intemationals as well as spaniards are studied and classified. The main conclusions obtained from this Health Edutation paradigme controversy are referred to voth aspects: 1) planning, programming and evaluating activities. and 2) models, qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Enphasis is geven to the need of including Community Participation in all phases of the process in critic methodologies of HE. It is postulated the critic paradigme as the only one able to integrate the rest of the cientific approaches in Health Education.