More than a job: Career development of individuals with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis and its employment corollaries have received little attention despite the fact that complications of CF represent numerous theorized barriers to optimal career outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to conduct grounded theory research that results in an understanding of the employment experiences of people with CF and ultimately a substantive grounded theory of career development applicable to individuals with this disease. METHODS: This study utilized the grounded theory method of qualitative inquiry. A purposive sample of ten young adults with CF participated in in-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews. Analysis of the interview transcripts followed the constant comparative approach to coding, which identified core themes and sub-themes and culminated in a conceptual framework of variables influencing employment and career development. RESULTS: An ecologically-based grounded theory of career development was developed. Major themes that influenced employment and career development were illness appraisal, occupational compromise, persistence, and altruism. Two patterns of career development outcomes emerged - the uninterrupted and the interrupted. CONCLUSIONS: A complicated interaction of numerous ecological variables (individual characteristics, personal contextual factors, mediating factors, and the environment) collectively influenced career development. The presence of CF alone did not guarantee negative effects on career development.

Cystic fibrosis and the workplace: a review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a comprehensive literature review pertaining to cystic fibrosis (CF) and employment. METHODS: We performed extensive searches of the Pub Med and the EBSCOhost electronic databases to discover articles pertaining to CF and employment. RESULTS: Nine journal articles published between 1979 and 2009 pertaining to CF and employment aspects were reviewed and analyzed. Strengths and limitations of the studies are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided. CONCLUSIONS: There is limited psychosocial research in the area of CF and its employment aspects. The findings from this literature review indicate that maintaining employment depends on multiple variables. Further research on CF and employment is necessary to improve vocational outcomes. Understanding the interplay of CF and employment informs the rehabilitation knowledge base and is essential in order for professionals involved in employment outcomes such as rehabilitation counselors to deliver vocational services.