The classification of self-care interventions is health systems focused and aims to promote an accessible and bridging language for researchers, policy-makers, donors and health programme managers in five key areas:

synthesizing evidence and research;
promoting advocacy and communication;
conducting national inventories and landscape analyses;
articulating needs based on identified health system challenges;
formulating operational considerations for implementation guidance.
The classification aligns with a people-centred approach to health and well-being outlined in the WHO conceptual framework for self-care interventions and Guideline on Self-Care Interventions for Health and Well-being.

This ‘living’ document will evolve as new models of self-care interventions and evidence-based best practices become available. It has been developed following an extensive consultative process guided by a panel of global experts.