Abstract
Most health and medical care is provided by families and individuals to themselves. Self-care has become a salient public issue because of the emergence of chronic diseases as leading causes of death and disability; a new awareness of the limitations of conventional medical care; and social changes which emphasize greater personal control. Challenges arise in definition of professional roles in relation to organized self-care efforts, economic implications, and de velopment of appropriate social policies. A negative potential exists for exploitation by interests which would limit move ments for more equitable and higher quality health services, but should not obscure the positive potential for a strengthened partnership in health between the lay and pro fessional worlds.
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