Yoak M, Chesler M
J Appl Behav Sci. 1985;21(4):427-44. doi: 10.1177/002188638502100407.
The increasing professionalization of health care delivery systems, improved client awareness, funding cutbacks, and an emphasis on voluntarism have led recipients of health services to turn increasingly to self-help groups. This article examines the leadership and organizational pattern of such groups, using a study of 43 self-help groups from around the U.S. whose members are parents of children with cancer. Three leadership patterns emerged: groups were independent and parent-led, were led by professionals, or had a shared leadership of parents and professionals. Data indicate that the professionally led groups were the smallest, least formal, and had the narrowest range of activities. The groups with shared leadership had the greatest longevity, tended most often to retain as members parents of deceased children. The authors conclude that such coalitions of clients and professionals are vital for ensuring proper service delivery at a time when health care systems will likely remain bureaucratic and public resources for professional care are being reduced.
医疗服务提供系统日益专业化、客户意识提高、资金削减以及对志愿服务的重视，促使医疗服务接受者越来越多地转向自助团体。本文通过对美国各地43个自助团体的研究，探讨了此类团体的领导模式和组织模式，这些团体的成员均为癌症患儿的父母。出现了三种领导模式：团体独立且由父母领导、由专业人员领导，或由父母和专业人员共同领导。数据表明，由专业人员领导的团体规模最小、最不正式，活动范围也最窄。共同领导的团体存续时间最长，最常将已故儿童的父母保留为成员。作者得出结论，在医疗保健系统可能仍保持官僚作风且专业护理的公共资源正在减少的时期，客户与专业人员的这种联盟对于确保提供适当的服务至关重要。
