Exploring parental cystic fibrosis disclosure to well children

Abstract

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disease that affects multiple organ systems and requires exceptional medical care and treatment (O'Haver, 2007;Williams et al., 2009). The severity of this condition progresses from birth into adulthood, primarily affecting the individual's respiratory and digestive systems (Cammidge et al., 2016).CF is also associated with endocrine deficiencies, such as CF-related diabetes, poor growth and pubertal development, osteoporosis, and male infertility (Siwamogsatham et al., 2014). Due to the direct impact on lung function and the co-morbidities, the life expectancy for an individual with CF is approximately 46 years in the United States, with most