What is self-care?
Self-care describes the role of individuals in preventing disease, managing their mental and physical health, and actively participating in their healthcare.
The concept was first recognised by WHO in 1983. WHO advocates for the value and potential contribution of self-care interventions within health systems, acknowledging its importance in times of major disruption, such as COVID-19. While self-care does not replace the healthcare system, it provides “additional choices and options for healthcare.” In a nutshell, self-care is healthcare.
Currently, self-care is not universally recognised and understood as a health intervention despite numerous evidence-based examples demonstrating its significant impact on health. These interventions include medicines, devices, diagnostics, and digital tools. Self-care actions also encompass practices, habits, and lifestyle choices. A wide array of ‘self-care tools’ exists, and the specific interventions vary from person to person and community to community, but all offer additional options and choices for healthcare.
Benefits of self-care for all
Self-care interventions provide greater choice, access, control, satisfaction, and affordable options to manage healthcare needs. Educating and enabling individuals to optimise their health by managing common conditions through preventative self-care strategies empowers them to become better self-managers of their own health, making appropriate choices for themselves and their families. This can have a cascading effect on community health.
Universal health coverage (UHC) ensures all people, everywhere, can access quality essential health services with financial protection. It is firmly rooted in the human right to health. WHO has recognised self-care as a legitimate tool in the pursuit of UHC as it can both improve health outcomes and reduce the current burden placed on healthcare systems.
For more information and practical tools for self-care advocates to better understand and recognise the enablers of self-care, click here.
The seven pillars of self-care
Knowledge and health literacy
Mental wellbeing
Physical activity
Healthy eating
Risk avoidance
Good hygiene
Rational use of products & services
Following the seven pillars of self-care leads to improved health, significant savings in healthcare costs, and enhanced productivity. Our mission is to educate and empower policymakers and healthcare providers to integrate these principles into everyday health management through the #SelfCareIs movement.
Model developed by the International Self-Care Foundation and SCARU.
About the self-care is healthcare campaign
Right now, health systems around the world are struggling, long-term ill health is on the rise, health disparities are growing, and the impact of COVID-19 is still being felt. By embracing self-care, we can help to create more sustainable and resilient healthcare systems, improve health outcomes, positively impact society, and empower individuals and communities.
This International Self-Care Month (and Day), we are launching a new campaign – Self-care is healthcare – that celebrates the value and potential of self-care while calling for urgent action from policymakers. We urge them to embrace self-care as a vital component of healthcare by fully embedding it in national health systems and policies.
Join the #SelfCareIs movement