ABSTRACT
In Spain, the movement towards decentralization of control of many public services, including health, with the creation of 17 autonomous communities and their own governmental structure, has been taking place since 1978 and is still proceeding. Fourteen of the 17 communities now provide a service in Health Education.
Historically, health propaganda can first be identified in 1934 in the government ‘public health structure’ and important work between 1940 and 1960 in the ‘Mother and child’ preventive programme is well recognized. A programme of ‘Food and nutrition education’ commencing in 1961 is suggested as marking the beginning of an expanding health education programme which now involves its identification within many different agencies.
A law passed in 1986 includes a statement on the systematic adoption of action for health education and each of the 17 autonomous communities acknowledges this in a similar way. The first health education training course of 80 hours was run in 1978 for provincial health service personnel. Since this date, more time and stature has been given to health education courses but, as yet, there is no separate profession of health educators. Health education remains a component of professional training within the health care and teaching professions.
Collaboration with other countries and the support of the WHO are benefits felt within the country. The aims of health education in Spain are far reaching. The main health problems are those common to developed countries.
