[Self-help: new concepts in health care. I. The situation worldwide]

In the first part of the paper devoted to the possibilities of self-help in health care the author gives an account of experience with self-help, in particular with mutual aid groups in the world. This concerns groups which have some common problem and which associate to tackle the problem. The author explains the basic terms of self-help (self-sufficiency, relying on its own strength, knowledge, abilities, experience) and functions of self-help groups (social and emotional support, defence against the feeling of isolation and loneliness; against stigmatization; source of information and practices pertaining to a given disease or state). The author emphasizes the importance of self-help in the sense of more active participation of patients or affected people in the protection and development of their health, i.e. greater responsibility for health. The author analyzes the relations between self-help and professional health services which should not be antagonistic but complementary and should lead to mutually useful collaboration. The author also mentions the importance ascribed to self-help in WHO documents, in particular in the programme "Health for all by the year 2000".