Hundertmark-Mayser Jutta
Nationale Kontakt- und Informationsstelle zurAnregung und Unterstützung von Selbsthilfegruppen (NAKOS), Berlin.
Z Arztl Fortbild Qualitatssich. 2005;99(10):607-12.
Self-help groups, self-help organizations, and clearing-houses have now become recognized elements of the health care system. Organized self-help, which has a long tradition in Germany, gained significant momentum during the 1980s and 1990s. Several factors still contribute to the development of self-help groups: the increased number of chronic health conditions, the improved treatment programs, increasing life expectancies, changes in primary social networks (family, relations, and neighborhood), and increased public recognition of the value of self-help. There are approximately 280 self-help clearinghouses and a large number of topic-specif ic self-help organizations in Germany; these form the mainstay of effective self-help support for those who are affected or engaged and are interested in self-help. It is estimated that approximately 3 million individuals are engaged in 70,000 to 100,000 self-help groups, covering virtual ly every topic relating to medical, psychological, and social issues. Representative surveys have revealed that three quarters of the population would turn to a self-help group in case of illness, although experience shows that only a minority actually does. In addition, there is still a significant lack of information about self-help and its organizational structure.
自助团体、自助组织和信息交换中心如今已成为医疗保健系统中被认可的组成部分。有组织的自助在德国有着悠久的传统，在20世纪80年代和90年代获得了显著发展。仍有几个因素推动着自助团体的发展：慢性健康状况数量增加、治疗方案改进、预期寿命延长、主要社会网络（家庭、亲属和邻里）的变化，以及公众对自助价值的认可度提高。德国大约有280个自助信息交换中心和大量特定主题的自助组织；这些构成了为受影响者、参与自助者和对自助感兴趣者提供有效自助支持的支柱。据估计，约300万人参与了7万至10万个自助团体，几乎涵盖了与医疗、心理和社会问题相关的所有主题。代表性调查显示，四分之三的人口在患病时会求助于自助团体，不过经验表明实际这样做的只是少数。此外，关于自助及其组织结构的信息仍然严重匮乏。
