Contribution of Self-help to the Mental Health of Laryngectomees in Hong Kong

Abstract

‘Helping people to help themselves’ has always been a motto of social work intervention. This paper reviews existing literature on the contribution of self-help groups. The case example of the ‘New Voice Club’ in Hong Kong, a self-help organization for laryngectomees, will be used to illustrate how self-help organizations can contribute to the mental health of chronically ill patients. Self-help groups can offer patients suffering from chronic illness emotional and social support, which helps them to regain a sense of dignity and self-respect. These are crucial to the mental health of chronically ill patients and their family members.