Cystic fibrosis in adult life: a study of coping patterns.

Despite comparable degrees of physical disability, some patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) cope more successfully than others with the difficulties of competitive adult life. This study found substantial differences between a coping and non-coping sample of adult CF patients. Non-copers had twice as many hospital admissions as copers over a year, even though their ventilatory function was better. The non-coping sample compared unfavourably with the copers in four main spheres of psychosocial functioning--their vocational records; level of family support; awareness of anomalies in sexual function; and knowledge about CF.