Public Participation in Health Education

This article describes a unique two-part health education project that took place in Calgary, Alberta, with and for the general public. In Part I, adults were asked in focus-group discussions what they wanted to learn about health. Part II involved organizing and offering health education sessions in various communities around the city. The project evolved into a community-university partnership, based on strong interest and support from community groups. Analysis of the project raised major questions, including ethical questions, about the application of a revenue-generation model to health-related continuing education for the general public. The author advocates a return to meaningful public participation for health-related learning.