Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

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 healthcare provider. The scope of self-care as described in this definition includes health promotion; disease prevention and control; self-medication; providing care to dependent persons; seeking hospital/specialist/primary care if necessary; and rehabilitation, including palliative care. It includes a range of self-care modes and approaches.

Self-care interventions represent a significant push towards new and greater self-efficacy, autonomy and engagement in health for self-carers and caregivers. At the same time, a key consideration in the development of health policy and guidance is that the availability of self-care interventions should not lead to care being disconnected from health services.

The purpose of this guidance is to develop a people centred, 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.