The authors review the historical evolution of the concept of health, particularly in relation to the definition provided by the WHO in 1946. The concepts of health promotion and health education are analyzed within the context of changing social, economic, and environmental conditions. The position of health education within the field of public health has shifted it from a strictly health-related function to the integration of the social concept of community health, taking into account sociodemographic, ethnic, and cultural aspects and incorporating solidarity networks and community participation into its implementation.