International Self-Care Day: July 24
What is self-care?
Self-care is about improving health and well-being. Self-care is the ability to care for one’s self to achieve health and well-being or manage chronic illnesses with core elements of self‐care maintenance, self‐care monitoring, and self‐care management.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-care as “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 worker.” Self-care integrates a holistic view of health and acknowledges individuals as an active participant in their health decisions. Self-care respects and acknowledges cultural variations in approaches to prevention, treatment and healing. Self-care practices exist in some sort of form in every society.
What are self-care interventions?
Interventions for self-care include evidence-informed tools to support self-care activities to meet a range of health needs. Depending on the intervention, they can be used with or without the supervision of a medical provider.
According to the International Self-Care Foundation, self-care is made up of seven pillars: knowledge and health literacy, mental wellbeing, physical activity, healthy eating, risk avoidance, good hygiene, and the responsible use of products, services, diagnostics and medicines. Self-care delivery and access are not limited to healthcare organizations, especially in a time of digital innovation. Virtual services, online counseling, and hybrid settings are available for people looking for help.
Benefits of self-care
Further research is needed to better understand the impact of self-care interventions on outcomes, especially across chronic disease conditions, however, self-care interventions focused on self-monitoring blood pressure may lower systolic blood pressure and improve medication adherence in people with hypertension. Self-care that’s focused on lifestyle modifications may improve outcomes in persons with coronary artery disease. Targeting heart failure may improve quality of life, decrease mortality, and reduce hospital readmissions.
Practicing self-care also:
May improve blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes
May improve confidence and the ability to successfully manage one’s health
Is linked to improvements in mental wellbeing, self esteem, and self worth
May improve efficiencies in health care resource management
May help to address healthcare disparities
When tied to a healthy lifestyle, self-care behaviors may lower the risk of disease. Example: maintaining a normal weight, being smoke-free, engaging in routine physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and limiting or abstaining from alcohol
Remember to:
Be knowledgeable about your health status and risk for future conditions
Understand when to seek medical care
Follow the advice of your healthcare provider
Be kind to yourself, practice self-compassion
Take time for yourself – build quality in your life, healthy food, quality sleep, and time to connect with loved ones
