VIVER COM FIBROSE CÍSTICA: A VISÃO PESSOAL DO ADOLESCENTE BRASILEIRO

The present study examined the psychological challenges of adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) in Brazil. A semi-structured interview with open-ended questions [(i) What is it like for you to have CF?; (ii) Do you have any special needs because you have CF? (iii) How do you envision your future?] was conducted with 42 CF adolescents’ patients. We investigated how adolescents faces CF, identified their needs, and how they envision the future. The results show that the adolescents’ emotions included fear of death, embarrassment, and anger. Other concerns included the loss of freedom, falling behind at school, a loss of friends, equality and acceptance, and the future perspectives. These feelings and concerns were influenced by the disease and may affect coping with CF. Few studies have examined adolescents’ adjustment to living with CF in South America; understanding how to live with CF in adolescence contributes to new psychological interventions for patients and families, stimulate new research, and assist healthcare professionals and others who work and care specific to CF adolescents.