Patients Suffering from a Chronic, Irreversible Illness: A Novel Study on the Psychological Intervention out of the Hospital

Objective: Patients with chronic, untreatable diseases have emotional needs that are often unaddressed by conventional care services within the healthcare systems. The situation of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is paradigmatic as there are few, if any, studies focusing on psychological interventions for these patients. This chapter describes a study that identifies and quantifies emotional distress, quality of life, spirituality, and key dimensions of health-related well-being after brief psychotherapy treatments at an outpatient clinic.

Psychological Profile of Patients Diagnosed With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis