Bibliotherapy: an adjunct to care of patients with problems of living.

Bibliotherapy, or the selected use of reading as an adjunct to the treatment of medical and psychological problems, has a long history in the library science literature. However, the use of bibliotherapy by practicing physicians has not been significant. Many patients who see family physicians are candidates for bibliotherapy as adjunctive treatment. In the past five years numerous well-written books that address various patient problems of living have been made available. The authors surveyed a variety of health care specialists in the Denver area to develop a reading list for people with life problems. These problems have been categorized under the following headings: dealing with life crises and transitions, parents and children, parenting, coping with illness and disability, death and dying, lifestyle modification, sexuality, and coping with feelings. The resulting annotated bibliography may be used as a guide for practicing physicians who feel that appropriate reading material may be beneficial to their patients with such problems.