This literature review aimed to identify the concept of Health Education used by researchers in Collective Health; to present the main trends and pedagogical references defended in these studies and to exemplify studies constructed with the objective to promote health education by means of participant strategies with the community's involvement. After reading and analyzing 22 articles searched in the Scientific Electronic Library Online that answered the study questions, the following categories of analysis were constructed: Health Education in Brazil - conceptual aspects; pedagogical practices in education and health; health education applied to professional practices. Health education is an essential field to the development of a society and educative practices are opportunities to apply knowledge directed to social growth. The importance of educational proposals based on the reflection, critique, involvement and awareness is perceived, as well as the importance of implementing new educative programs to meet the population's needs.
health education; public health; nursing
