Studies indicate that teens with cystic fibrosis are more likely to anxiety and depression
Adolescence and teen years are critical formative years and navigating CF during this time can lead to a greater risk of anxiety and depression.

Psychological Burden of Cystic Fibrosis on Adolescent Patients

A major comprehensive study of CF patients found that 29% of adult patients had elevated symptoms of depression.
Another study found that CF patients diagnosed with depression were hospitalized three times more than non-depressed patients.

Psychological Burden of Cystic Fibrosis on Adult Patients

The TIDES study found that 34% of mothers and 25% of fathers had elevated symptoms of depression
48% of mothers and 36% of fathers reported symptoms of anxiety
The study also found that if either parent had a higher depression measure, then the adolescent was 4.8 times more likely to have a higher depression measure

Psychological Burden of Cystic Fibrosis on Parent Caregivers

Often times, treatments for adults may not be as efficient as treatments for adolescents and vice versa. As such, the lived experiences of patients of different age demographics with the same chronic condition can vary widely. So, the need to examine the realities and burdens faced by both groups separately is important in understanding the overall psychological burden of cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder that affects cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. In affected individuals, these secretions are much thicker than they should be, causing blockages in passageways of the body.

Cystic Fibrosis

Symptoms vary between affected individuals, and can change over a person's lifetime. Those with milder symptoms are sometimes not diagnosed until teenage or adulthood, and commonly experience atypical symptoms.

Cystic Fibrosis Symptoms

Cystic fibrosis is caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The resulting protein is not able to regulate the movement of salt in and out of cells as well, causing thick mucus in the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive symptoms, and increased salt levels in sweat. The different ways a mutation can develop will affect the severity of the symptoms that present. Children need to inherit the mutation from both parents in order to have cystic fibrosis; if they only inherit from one parent, they will be asymptomatic carriers.

Cystic Fibrosis Causes

Cystic fibrosis has no cure, but can be treated to manage the effects of presenting symptoms. Medications can be used to thin mucus and control respiratory and digestive symptoms. Newer medications can target the mutated genes, allowing for better performance of inhibited proteins, lessening the severity of symptoms. Other treatments include airway clearance techniques, pulmonary rehabilitation, and certain surgeries.

Cystic Fibrosis Treatment

Vaeth, S. V., & Martins, L. M. (n.d.). Teens, cystic fibrosis and emotional health. The Cystic Fibrosis Center at Stanford. https://med.stanford.edu/cfcenter/teens/CysticFibrosisandEmotionalHealth_000.html

reference for cystic fibrosis and teen mental health

Quittner, A. L., Saez-Flores, E., & Barton, J. D. (2016). The psychological burden of cystic fibrosis. Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine, 22(2), 187–191. https://doi.org/10.1097/mcp.0000000000000244

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