This study analyzes the social participation in health educational initiatives under the Family Health Strategy. An investigative study was conducted in five Family Health Centers in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, between 2009 and 2011. Data was obtained through participative observation and individual interviews with, health workers, community health agents and users. Health education initiatives occurred occasionally, mostly with traditional methodologies and individual approaches that do not favor the popular participation. The evidence indicated a lack of professional qualification for the development of these initiatives and the overwork resulting from the low coverage of primary care. Popular education initiatives provide greater autonomy participation, confirming the potential of this methodology to encourage user participation and the dialogue between scientific and popular knowledge.
Family Health Program; Popular participation; Health Education; Popular Health Education