title: Mutual-help group for patients: taking steps toward change.
abstract: The growing movements in behalf of consumers' rights and self-help in health care were the impetus for the formation of a hospital group program for patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. The authors use case examples and summaries to describe the steps by which these patients began to offer each other help, which in turn led to both personal and institutional change.
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000786:Anger; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends*; D012949:Social Work, Psychiatric