Overview

Self-care interventions are among the most promising and exciting new approaches to improve health and well-being, both from a health systems perspective and for people who use these interventions. The World Health Organization (WHO) uses the following working definition of self-care: Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health-care provider.

Worldwide, an estimated shortage of 18 million health workers is anticipated by 2030, a record 130 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, and disease outbreaks are a constant global threat. At least 400 million people worldwide lack access to the most essential health services, and every year 100 million people are plunged into poverty because they have to pay for health care out of their own pockets. There is an urgent need to find innovative strategies that go beyond the conventional health sector response.

The purpose of this guidance is to develop a peoplecentred, evidence-based normative guideline that will support individuals, communities and countries with quality health services and self-care interventions, based on PHC strategies, comprehensive essential service packages and people-centredness.

Contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Executive Summary
• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1. Background
  • 1.2. Objectives
  • 1.3. Living Guideline Approach
  • 1.4. Conceptual Framework for Self-Care Interventions
  • 1.5. Definition of Self-Care
  • 1.6. Approach and Key Principles
  • 1.7. Scope of Self-Care Interventions
  • 1.8. Target Audience
  • 1.9. Values and Preferences
  • References for Chapter 1
• 2. Essential Strategies for Creating and Maintaining an Enabling Environment for Self-Care
  • 2.1. Background
  • 2.2. The Health System
  • 2.3. Enabling Environment
  • References for Chapter 2
• 3. Methodology and Process for Development of the Guideline
  • 3.1. Guideline Development Working Groups
  • 3.2. Additional Key Contributors
  • 3.3. Declaration of Interests by External Contributors
  • 3.4. Defining the Scope and Topic Areas for New Recommendations and Good Practice Statements
  • 3.5. Review of the Evidence and Formulation of Recommendations
  • 3.6. Decision-Making by the GDG during Guideline Development
  • 3.7. Compilation and Presentation of Guideline Content
  • References for Chapter 3
• 4. Recommendations
  • 4.1. Improving Antenatal Care, Delivery, Postpartum and Newborn Care
  • 4.2. Providing High-Quality Services for Family Planning, Including Infertility Services
  • 4.3. Eliminating Unsafe Abortion
  • 4.4. Combating Sexually Transmitted Infections (Including HIV), Reproductive Tract Infections, Cervical Cancer and Other Gynaecological Morbidities
  • 4.5. Promoting Sexual Health
  • References for Chapter 4
• 5. Implementation Considerations and Good Practice Statements on Self-Care
  • 5.1. Overview
  • 5.2. Environmental Considerations
  • 5.3. Financing and Economic Considerations
  • 5.4. Training Needs of Health-Care Providers
  • 5.5. Implementation Considerations for Vulnerable Populations
  • References for Chapter 5
• 6. Developing the Research Agenda on Self-Care Interventions for SRHR
  • 6.1. Research on Self-Care Contributing to Who’s “Triple Billion” Goals
  • 6.2. Towards an Appropriate Approach to Research on Self-Care for SRHR
  • 6.3. Specific Research Considerations to Strengthen the Evidence Base
  • 6.4. Adopting a Human Rights and Equity Lens for Self-Care for SRHR
  • References for Chapter 6
• 7. Dissemination, Applicability and Updating of the Guideline and Recommendations
  • 7.1. Dissemination
  • 7.2. Applicability
  • 7.3. Updating the Guideline
  • References for Chapter 7
• ANNEX 1. External Experts and WHO Staff Involved in the Preparation of this Guideline
• ANNEX 2. Existing Recommendations for Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs)
• ANNEX 3. Scoping Review: WHO Self-Care Definitions
• ANNEX 4. Glossary
• ANNEX 5. Summary of Declarations of Interest (DOI) from the Guideline Development Group (GDG) Members and how they were Managed
• ANNEX 6. Priority Questions and Outcomes for the Interventions Identified for this Guideline
• ANNEX 7. List of Reviews Published in a Special Supplement of the BMJ: Self Care Interventions for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
• ANNEX 8. Guideline Development Group (GDG) Judgements Related to the New Recommendations
• WEB ANNEX. Grade Tables

Suggested citation:

WHO consolidated guideline on self-care interventions for health: sexual and reproductive health and rights. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

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