Difficult news: meanings attributed by family members of children with cystic fibrosis

This article studied some of the meanings that difficult news assumes when transmitted by health professionals to relatives of young cystic fibrosis patients undergoing treatment at a public hospital located in the south zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the result of qualitative research and analysis of ten narratives collected during two months in 2010. These meanings are not understood by professionals and interfere with the evolution of the illness, the coping process and the care given to the children. It has been observed that the content of the news is perceived differently depending on: The clarity with which it is transmitted to each family member; The forthright way it is conveyed without the preparation of the listener; The consideration of the context in which people live and the consequences involved; The presence of a family member when the news is delivered; and the fragmentation of information. Results indicate the need to make professionals aware of the importance of communication aspects in clinical meetings and the inclusion of this training process in the medical curriculum as well as during physicians' professional lives. It seems that in delivery of the news the family expects a balance between technical efficiency and conversational tact from professionals.