Objectives: to identify the factors that influence educational actions, and building with professionals and users proposed educational strategies that encourage popular participation.
Methods: an action research, in which individual interviews, participant observation and Focus Group were conducted. Sixteen professionals and ten users from 2 Family Health Strategy from Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil participated. The results were organized by using the Thematic Analysis technique.
Results: the thematic units emerged: Health education as a strategy that encourages changes in the lives of Family Health Strategyusers; Critical reflection on diagnosis of the causes that interfere in educational actions in the Family Health Strategy and proposition of new strategies; Potentialities that encourage the development of educational practices at Family Heath Units; Proposals for improving educational practices focused on soft health education technology in the dialogue dimension.
Conclusions: the analysis showed a lack of community ties and traditional educational strategies. In the action phase, the actors agreed to participatory changes.