Abstract Background Health education is an important activity developed by health professionals. Their formation should provide the development of skills which enable them to perform activities in order to promote the health of populations in which they work at health organizations. In social, economics and policies terms these organizations feel challenges given by different demands. In Portugal, the midwifery profession can be accomplished after intensive training of 120 ECTS, preceded by a basic nursing education of 240 ECTS and accomplished by two years of professional practice. It's a post-graduation training and it usually occurs after working hours, under the philosophy of education for adults and lifelong education. Methods The course of midwifery graduation named Nursing Specialization Course of Obstetric and Maternal Health is performed at a North University, in Portugal. This course is composed by two types of modules: theoretical and practical. During these practical modules was realized an action research project to evaluate the intervention efficacy supported by SPIN technical during the health education. This research characterized as a no probabilistic, convenience sample, took place at a young people health center, performed by the midwifery students. This sample was accomplished by sexual risk behaviour men (n = 125 aged between 20 and 29 years): group A (n = 65) where was used the SPIN technique during three formal sessions and group B (n = 60) where was performed three sessions with information flyers. Later, after three, six and twelve months, were undertook sessions that included questions on knowledge, attitudes and skills which were related to the use of contraception, with sexually transmitted infections (STI) and condom use. Results These results evidenced that the group which planned the sessions of health education using the SPIN technique (group A) showed a significant reduction in sexual risk behaviour, (p = 0.001), an increasing of knowledge (p = 0.001) and favourable attitudes in comparison to group B. Conclusions The action research conducted by the students has allowed the development of various skills in an integrated manner, making the educational process more suitable to their future needs and enhancing their motivation by evaluating the results of their these interventions. The training of future trainers in such sensitive subjects such as the sexual and reproductive health is a complex and also an exacting process. Focusing on the student as the main agent of their learning implies endow them with appropriate tools that include knowledge, use of strategies and techniques adjusted to their needs, create appropriate contexts so that they may train and applying them. These instruments are directly applying in contact with communities in order to create challenges that make them meaning and enable them to assess all its potential and constraints.
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