Health, health promotion and multiplying agents: concepts of health and education professionals in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Health and education professionals play an important role in the context of health promotion. This paper aims at understanding their concepts about health, health promotion and multiplying agents, since the way they think can lead their professional practices. Seven focus groups were set, as follows: four groups with education professionals (totaling 28 participants) and three groups with health professionals (totaling 27 participants). In order to analyze the material, it was sought to interpret and understand their talks, identifying the thematic categories. It was observed that health professionals have a concept of health as a result of life conditions. Education professionals discuss their daily difficulties to achieve health, emphasizing their work in double shifts. Regarding health promotion, the health professionals emphasize their role as agents of change. The education professionals point access to information as a possibility of improving the quality of life. The results point to the need of a greater connection between both fields – health and education – making it possible to redirect the practice, aiming at the achievement of inter-sectoral actions of health promotion and quality of life. This process demands an institutional investment in continuing education, in organization, as well as focusing on the discussion on the work process.