Around 3.5 million people are active in 70,000 – 100,000 self-help groups ( SHGs ) in Germany. Around two thirds of the self-help groups focus on health-related topics in the areas of illness and disability. These topics cover almost the entire spectrum of physical illnesses and disabilities, from allergic and asthmatic diseases to cardiovascular diseases and the many tumor and cancer diseases.

When “classifying” self-help into “health-related”, “psychosocial” and “social”, it is important to be aware of this: The work of SHGs can never be about a clear demarcation of the individual subject areas. This is because many health-related self-help groups are also active on many social issues and base their work on a broader understanding of health.

Psychosocial and social self-help groups also deal with health-related aspects within their own focus topic.