This article presents the outcome of an integrative literature review on health education and citizenship that sought to understand and analyze the different scientific contributions available. Health education reflects a strategy that seeks a citizen who is a coauthor of the process of building his or her own health care. The LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Center Health Sciences Information) database was used to collect the data in the period ranging from 2000 to 2011, with a total of 79 publications. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the final sample consisted of ten articles. The study revealed the prevalence of article studies with more than three authors - predominantly professors -, and of theoretical reviews. The categories that emerged from the study were health education - historical background and conceptual foundations, and popular education as an engine for citizenship. The evidence showed the historical process of the health policies and the emergence of social movements targeting the needs of the population. They also highlighted that continuing health education allows for the construction of new knowledge by blending scientific and popular knowledge. The literature shows relevant contributions on health education, as it is an emancipatory practice of the subject acting as a space that generates citizenship.
health education; citizenship; education
