Educação em Saúde

Educação em Saúde: uma Nova Abordagem
Health Education: A New Approach
Solange L’Abbate 1
L’ABBATE, S. Health Education: A New Approach. Cad. Saúde Públ., Rio de Janeiro, 10 (4):
481-490, Oct/Dec, 1994.
This article describes a series of experiences in the area of Health Education. The experiences, carried out with groups of health professionals working in institutions, begin with the social relationships in which these professionals are involved in their day-to-day work, in contact with other social agents and groups. One of the basic assumptions is that social relationships are an important aspect of the public health services provided to the population. As a result, health workers need specific training in this area to develop and improve their professional performance. The experiences show the importance of making theoretical and methodological approaches (like Educational Psychodrama and the Arvoredo Method) available to these workers. Those who have participated in such training programs have considerably improved their professional/social skills. One of the basic tenets of these approaches is the constant search for autonomy, as an essential element for people to increase awareness of themselves as individuals and as citizens, be they health care professionals or users. The experiences and methods described in this article may serve as one way of reducing the serious gaps in today’s public health services.
Key words: Health Education; Professional Training; Professional Role Development
INTRODUÇÃO
Quando se pensa na atuação de qualquer profissional de saúde hoje em dia, particularmente na daquele que atua em alguma instituição ligada ao Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), conclui-se, sem grande dificuldade, que ele enfrenta uma grave de crise em relação à sua situação de trabalho, aí incluindo nível salarial e carreira profissional, bem como a carência de recursos técnicos e materiais. A isso se acrescenta a própria situação do