German liver aid

The German Liver Aid Association is a patient organization operating throughout Germany and as a non-profit association registered. It sees itself as an information interface between doctors and liver patients. Its main aim is to help people to help themselves by advising patients and their relatives and by publishing informational documents in understandable language. Another aim of the association is to inform the population about possible causes, course, therapy and prevention of liver diseases. In the long term, this should help to refute prejudices and improve the bad reputation of liver diseases as "self-inflicted" diseases.

Committees and management

The board of directors

The association is managed by a voluntary board and represented externally. The board of directors also supervises the management and makes the decision regarding the use of the funds.

The scientific advisory board

In the case of medical questions, Deutsche Leberhilfe eV is supported by a scientific advisory board, which guarantees the correctness, topicality and seriousness of the medical information. The advisory board consists of specialists in hepatology and scientists from the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Board

Deutsche Leberhilfe eV has its main office in Cologne and is represented by Achim Kautz as managing director.

organization

Deutsche Leberhilfe eV is also supported by voluntary helpers and self-help group leaders who act as local contact points in the individual federal states.

membership

The association has around 1,900 members and 200 subscribers (as of February 2011).

Activities and tasks of the German Liver Aid eV

There are now over 100 different liver diseases known. Deutsche Leberhilfe eV offers advice on all liver diseases such as viral hepatitis, toxic, autoimmune and metabolic diseases of the liver.

Patient care and collaboration with doctors

Deutsche Leberhilfe eV offers the following services for patients and their environment:

Advice by email and phone
Referring those affected to other institutions or organizations
Passing on addresses to patients (doctors, self-help groups and rehabilitation clinics)
Support and development of local self-help groups
Creation and dissemination of topic-specific references
Information pamphlets for people with liver disease to make it easier for them to cope with their disease.
Organization of doctor-patient seminars for patients
Training for self-help advisors
Training courses or workshops for medical professionals to provide information about liver diseases, how to avoid them and how to treat them.

Publications

Deutsche Leberhilfe eV publishes the membership magazine "Lebenszeichen - Das Lebermagazin" four times a year, which is primarily aimed at patients and self-help groups. Topics include reports on new therapies and studies, field reports and reports on the association's political activities.

public relation

Another aim of the Deutsche Leberhilfe eV is to educate the public about the various liver diseases. This is done through our own publications as well as publications in the print media, in radio and television broadcasts. The focus is on information about causes, diagnosis and therapy options as well as preventive behavior. With its public relations work, Deutsche Leberhilfe eV wants to break down prejudices, achieve social acceptance and promote the prevention and early detection of liver diseases. Deutsche Leberhilfe eV is the organizer of World Hepatitis Day in Germany and co-organizer of the German Liver Day.

research

Deutsche Leberhilfe carries out its own research projects, which in particular investigate the effects of certain liver diseases on the patient's situation. Studies published to date shed light on the quality of life, the level of knowledge and the socio-economic situation of patients with hepatitis B and C as well as autoimmune hepatitis.

Political activities

national: Deutsche Leberhilfe eV is affiliated with the umbrella organization BAG Selbsthilfe eV and a member of the BAG Leber association. Leberhilfe is also a co-founder of the German Liver Foundation. The German Liver Aid Association demands the support and implementation of awareness campaigns about liver diseases from the federal government. international: Deutsche Leberhilfe eV is a founding member of the European umbrella organization European Liver Patients Association (ELPA), which was founded in Brussels in 2003 and advocates better prevention, early detection and better access to therapies for liver diseases in relation to the EU. Deutsche Leberhilfe eV is still a member of the World Hepatitis Alliance, which is globally active.

Web links

Publications

C. Niederau, G. Bemba, A. Kautz: Socioeconomic characteristics, quality of life, and state of knowledge of patients with hepatitis C viral infection in Germany - socioeconomic aspects in hepatitis C. In: Z Gastroenterol. 44 (4), 2006 Apr, pp. 305-317.
C. Niederau, C. Fischer, A. Kautz: Socio-economical aspects, quality of life and state of knowledge in hepatitis B patients. Socio-economical aspects in hepatitis B]. In: Z Gastroenterol. 45 (5), 2007 May, pp. 355-368.
C. Niederau, G. Bemba, A. Kautz: Changes in socio-economics, quality of life and knowledge of patients with chronic hepatitis C during the Hepatitis Competence Net Project. In: Z Gastroenterol. 46 (1), 2008 Jan, pp. 22-33.
C. Niederau, G. Bemba, A. Kautz, T. Bertram, R. Schweizer, I. van Thiel: Waiting time for and length of physicianc's consultation define the patient-physician interaction: results of a prospective study in 478 patients with chronic viral hepatitis. In: Z Gastroenterol. 48 (4), 2010 Apr, pp. 455-464. Epub 2010 Mar 29.
Daniel Herden, Ingo van Thiel, Achim Kautz, Gabriele Bemba, Hans-Peter Wohn, Thomas Bertram, Rudolf Schweizer, Claus Niederau: Prospective survey of 249 patients with autoimmune hepatitis. Poster. Annual meeting of the Society for Gastroenterology, April 2010.