TAPPING MUTUAL AID, LAY RESOURCES IN CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT
ALFRED H. KATZ
Abstract: The modal type of health problems in "developed" countries, chronic illness, presents difficult problems of care-management. It is increasingly recognized that for both patient and family, psycho-social issues are especially important and often transcend bio-medical treatment needs. Role-readjustments, lifestyle alterations, everyday problems of "normalization," self-concept, self-management, practical information, and emotional-social support become salient in the patients' maintenance of social functioning. In these aspects, participation in self-help groups, which exist widely in the chronic conditions, has been shown to have effective values for the chronically ill and their families. Such mutual aid groups, whether formed and conducted within formal institutions, like hospitals or independent community organizations, provide continuous care on the psycho-social issues. Such care will be illustrated by examples drawn from recent research and the speaker's current study of patients with systemic lupus.
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