The current managed health care system creates an environment in which social workers need to be knowledgeable about low-cost interventions. Self-help groups have the potential to be beneficial to social workers' clients. Surprisingly, little is known about the characteristics and activities of many groups and the extent to which groups receive guidance and support from professionals and established national and local organizations. Whereas many social workers are aware of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), there are thousands of other types of groups that could be helpful to their clients. This study examines the member and group characteristics, professional involvement, and local and national affiliations of 253 self-help groups. Results suggested that many groups have shared leadership, recruit group members, receive assistance from professionals, and receive guidance from national and local organizations. Results are discussed in terms of how social workers can assist and use self-help groups in the current managed health care system.

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Persons with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (PWCs) completed and returned by mail a brief survey of open- and closed-ended items designed to assess their utilization and preferences for a variety of services. A total of 984 middle-aged adults diagnosed with Chronic Fatique Syndrome (CFS) from across North America returned the survey. During the past 12 months, many of these PWCs reported utilization of a primary care physician, gynecologist, CFS specialist, and self-help group to assist in their recovery from CFS. Most PWCs believed it was important to educate both health-care practitioners and the general public about CFS. In terms of their desire for specific recovery needs, factor analysis of responses indicated that these PWCs preferred self-help/social support services and general advocacy services in the treatment of their illness. The implications of these results for developing rehabilitation programs for PWCs are discussed.

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a new challenge to health care professionals. During the last decade, scientists have (a) created diagnostic criteria for CFS, (b) devised CFS assessment approaches, (c) collected CFS epidemiological data, and (d) formulated CFS treatment approaches. The CFS diagnostic criteria identify a subpopulation of individuals with this disorder, and those individuals might have a greater tendency to have psychiatric comorbidity. In addition, the initial CFS epidemiological data collected might have underestimated the prevalence of this disorder. If current estimated prevalence rates of CFS are inaccurate, these estimates could have detrimental public policy implications. Health care professionals need to assume a larger role in defining this syndrome, in developing more sensitive research strategies for collecting data with CFS samples, in conceptualizing more complex theories for understanding this disease, in conducting more rigorous CFS epidemiological research, and in devising more comprehensive treatment approaches for CFS.