This study describes, interprets and discusses communicative aspects of physician-patient relations in the treatment of adolescents with chronic organic illnesses. Fifteen physicians (generalists and specialists), 18 adolescents (13 with cystic fibrosis and five with other chronic organic diseases), 16 mothers and two fathers, were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed according to three characteristic phenomenological steps: qualitative description, logical induction and interpretation. The results discuss the difficulties in communicating bad news and the implications of mistakes in such procedures, which may endanger the adhesion to treatment. The conclusions highlight the psychologist part in the health team, offering better conditions to the psychological development of these patients, helping in physician-patient communication and co-operating on treatment adhesion.
physician-patient relation; chronic organic disease; adolescence