Threat to life as a predictor of the choice of coping strategies, the level of adherence to treatment and quality of life in adult patients with cystic fibrosis

This work is devoted to studying of psychological aspects of cystic fibrosis, severe chronic genetic disease with a high probability of lethal outcome, consisting in a violation of functioning of all exocrine glands of the body and the development of concomitant obstructive and inflammatory processes. Actuality and novelty of the study caused by the absence at the moment in the Russian literature of data describing the psychological aspects of this disease in adulthood. At the same time cystic fibrosis despite the medical advances remains a incurable and one of the most common among of hereditary diseases and its optimal treatment require psychological support and rehabilitation of patients taking into account the their nosological features. All sample of adult patients with cystic fibrosis (n = 86) was divided into two subgroups in terms of the severity of the perception of the disease as threats to life and health. Group 1 (n = 46) – patients with cystic fibrosis who perceive their disease as a moderate threat to life and health; group 2 (n = 40) – patients with cystic fibrosis who perceive their illness as an expression of a threat to life and health. In selected subgroups were compared indicators choice of coping strategies, the level of adherence to treatment and quality of life. It was established that in the group patients perceive of cystic fibrosis as a high threat the studied parameters indicate to less adaptation to the disease, than in the group patients perceive of cystic fibrosis as a moderate threat to life and health. Thus, the perception of cystic fibrosis as a threat to life and health is an important factor to be considered in the development of psychological support, implementation of the tasks of socialization and of general therapeutic management of these patients in adulthood.