SHI_Final_Accepted_Version.pdf (419.19 kB)
Life on a slippery slope: perceptions of health in adults with cystic fibrosis
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 20:51 authored by Karen LowtonKaren Lowton, Jonathan GabeThis paper focuses on how adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) attending a specialist CF centre in the UK perceive their health. In common with many other genetic diseases, CF is traditionally conceptualised as a fatal childhood disease, yet the average survival age for those with CF has been steadily rising over the past half century. Thus it is now predicted that those born in 1990 will live on average for 40 years. To date, however, most sociological work has focused on children or adolescents affected by CF rather than on adults between the ages of 18 and 40, the focus of the study reported here. The paper shows that these adults' varying perceptions of health are related to the effects of CF, its treatment, and the context in which adults are placed. Four concepts of health are identified (health as 'normal', controllable, distressing and a release) along with certain styles, ways of coping and related strategies. Through these analytic distinctions the paper aims to make a contribution to the sociological understanding of lay concepts of health in adults with childhood or genetic disease.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Sociology of Health and IllnessISSN
0141-9889Publisher
Blackwell PublishingExternal DOI
Issue
4Volume
25Page range
289-319Department affiliated with
- Sociology and Criminology Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2015-05-20First Open Access (FOA) Date
2016-03-22First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2015-05-19Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC