The present research addresses the experience of professionals of basic health services that perform health education activities in the Leprosy Control Program in Rio de Janeiro. The main objective of the study was to understand the meaning of these activities and to discuss how the concept of health education is related to this practice. The phenomenology of Martin Heidegger was the method used to obtain and analyze the evidence. The meanings revealed that the educational activities are based on the standards and rules of the leprosy control program as well as on the traditional concept that health education must transmit information necessary to provide care and ensure treatment adherence. This proved to be an impersonal way to develop educational contents. Plus it evidences the use of a speech that originates in the traditional educational practices. We conclude that the fulfillment of health education activities is still dominated by a non authentic practice, but this does mean that professionals are excluded from having an opportunity to truly turn towards those affected by leprosy.
Health Education; Leprosy; Primary Health Care