[Health promotion and the epistemological sensitivity of 'community' as a category]. / Promoção de saúde e a sensibilidade epistemológica da categoria 'comunidade'

ABSTRACT

A discussion on the scope of "community" as a category in health promotion by means of its "epistemological sensitivity"--a reasoning tool based upon the epidemiological concept of "sensitivity", adjusted to the epistemological field--was carried out. A brief review of promotional health topics and a short description of the sociological usage of "community" according to Tönnies were performed. Issues regarding difficulties of defining contemporary communities are considered. Health promotion's leading approaches do not pay enough attention to crucial sociological concerns and philosophical standpoints. As a result, these approaches suffer from deep theoretical strain that weaken their premises and make corresponding interventions' results rather unsatisfactory.