HEALTH EDUCATION AND PREVENTION OF CHRONIC NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze, through an integrative literature review, the health education initiatives and strategies developed within primary health care (PHC) for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), identifying their contributions, challenges, and potential impacts on health promotion. This is an integrative literature review conducted in the SciELO, PubMed, and BVS databases from 2020 to 2025, using Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) (Primary Health Care), (Chronic Disease), (Health Education), and (Disease Prevention), combined using the Boolean operator AND. A total of 31 studies were included, employing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. The results showed that educational interventions contribute to increasing knowledge, improving treatment adherence, strengthening self-care, and promoting healthy lifestyle habits, especially when grounded in participatory and context-specific methodologies. Challenges identified included traditional educational practices, structural limitations, and low adherence in vulnerable contexts. It is concluded that health education in primary health care plays a strategic role in the prevention of NCDs, and it is necessary to invest in continuous, innovative approaches centered on the needs of local communities.