The article explores and defines how the arts and literature can be used to advance health education. The authors examine the historical role of the arts and literature in social change, and more recently in educational and clinical settings. The use of the arts and literature in health education is examined in relationship to health education theory. Six ways the arts and literature can be utilized in health education practice are delineated, with numerous recent examples. The authors discuss the growing body of health promotion experience which draws on cultural vehicles, including examples of evaluated programs. The authors discuss the relevance of the arts and literature for health education in urban settings, arguing that the arts can serve to promote diversity and build unity. The article concludes with lessons from using the arts to conduct community assessment in a Latino community in metropolitan New Orleans.
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