Literacy and health education: analysis of pedagogical projects of health courses

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyze political-pedagogical projects of higher education courses in the health field to identify how literacy and health education have been included in the training of students. A cross-sectional and documentary study was performed through the analysis of political-pedagogical projects of higher education courses in the health field in force in 2023. Political-pedagogical projects of nursing, medicine, and dentistry courses of a public university and a private university center in the city of Montes Claros, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were analyzed through detailed readings conducted by three independent researchers. The private university center has more up-to-date projects, apart from the medical course. There were no direct mentions of health literacy in the political-pedagogical projects. The nursing program at the private university center had the highest number of cataloged courses within this spectrum. The nursing and dentistry courses at the private university center presented more topics related to health education than the same courses at the public university. Weaknesses were observed in the approach to health literacy in the political-pedagogical projects of the courses evaluated, considering their relevance for professional training and for the autonomy of citizens in making decisions related to their own health. However, the documents included subjects related to health education, particularly in the initial and intermediate periods, which allows the sensitization of future professionals to the topic.