Pulmonary fibrosis through patients' eyes: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of illness perceptions and acceptance.

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, life-limiting lung disease that causes substantial morbidity. While there is growing recognition of the importance of symptom management and quality of life, little is known about how individuals with IPF perceive their illness, manage emotional responses, and form beliefs about their condition.

OBJECTIVES

The main aim was to explore how people with IPF perceive and anticipate their illness. A secondary aim was to identify key factors-both facilitators and barriers-that affect these perceptions and influence expectations about the healthcare process.

DESIGN

A qualitative approach using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed.

METHODS

Thirty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 men, and 8 women (mean age 70.4 years, SD = 7.6). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to IPA, facilitating a deeper understanding of how individuals make sense of and reflect on their experiences.

RESULTS

The analysis revealed a complex psychological landscape, shaped by profound emotional struggles, evolving illness representations, and diverse responses to diagnosis. Participants oscillated between suffering (25 individuals, 81%) and acceptance (9 individuals, 29%), conceptual clarity (7 individuals, 23%) and confusion (24 individuals, 77%), resilience and despair. Future outlooks ranged from hopeful anticipation of medical progress (11 individuals, 35%) to a resigned uncertainty (15 individuals, 48%), underscoring the deeply personal and often conflicting ways in which the illness is processed and endured.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide valuable clinical insights to inform more patient-centered care strategies. They also emphasize the need for tailored psychological support to address the emotional complexity of living with IPF.