Spirituality, Popular Education and the Political Struggle for Health

Abstract

The theme of spirituality is increasingly appearing in medicine and public health. Innumerable international studies show an association between a religious and spiritual life with the health conditions of a population and the process of recuperation from disease. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the study of the significance of spirituality for group activities in healthcare. In Brazil, the strong presence of Popular Education in Health has offered considerations concerning the political struggle for health in communities. The author of this work has been involved in activities relating to Popular Education in Health for 30 years and actively participates in the movement of grass roots Brazilian educators in the area of health - a theme debated from the mid 1990s. He attempts to systematize the current debate regarding the significance of spirituality in the struggle for health in the community.