From hygiene to public health education

This paper is a review of the development of health education in Brazil (identified as "hygiene" in early times, it has evolved to "public health education"). The field has passed through infancy and adolescence facing all kinds of problems, and is entering adulthood with health education leadership now in the hands of an increasing number of specialists trained in the country. The authors suggest that to hasten progress, more attention should be given to integration of health education to health programs, to stimulation of research, to preparation of health personnel, and to administrative support of health education services.