The Swedish study circle--possibilities for application to health education in the United States

There has been a growing recognition over the past decade of the need to broaden the focus of health promotion by placing greater emphasis on the social context in which individual behavior change interventions occur. As a result, health educators are being required to look for innovative pedagogical methods to address this broader focus. A model of education that is used extensively in Sweden and that takes a broader approach to health matters is the study circle. Because of its simple, flexible structure and its capacity to address lifestyle as well as social and environmental factors, the study circle could serve as a model for health education efforts undertaken in the United States. The first part of this article presents an overview of the literature from the field of public health that calls for a broader concept of health promotion. The second part of the article looks at the principles and concepts of the study circle. The role of the study circle in health promotion is discussed and use of the method is illustrated in three different case examples. In addition, possibilities for application of the model to health education in the United States are also addressed.