Cystic fibrosis and career counselling

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects mostly lungs but also other organs. Modern treatment has transformed once fatal disease of childhood into the chronic disease of adulthood. Hence more patients enter the job market. Very few adolescents with cystic fibrosis receive some formal career guidance. There is still no professional career guidance for them in Slovenia.

Literature on workability of patients with cystic fibrosis was reviewed. Following the articles and Slovenian and foreign manuals the guidelines on career counselling of young patients with cystic fibrosis is proposed, as well as the suggestions for professional qualification of these patients.

The results of the studies present that workability of patients with cystic fibrosis is associated to forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) (p < 0.05), the achieved educational level more than 3 years of faculty study (p < 0.001-p < 0.013), self-assessment of quality of life (p = 0.005), age (p = 0.01), and the number of admissions to the hospital (p = 0.001).

The interactions among work, quality of life and survival require that healthcare workers strive to help their patients with cystic fibrosis to succeed in their professional lives. The young patients should achieve the highest level of education possible and follow their wishes in line with the realistic possibilities.