[Psychosocial adjustment of young adult to hemophilia: living like a normal person].
OBJECTIVE
To explore how young adults in their 20s adjust to hemophilia.


METHODS
Grounded theory method guided the data collection and analysis. A purposeful sample of 15 young adults with hemophilia participated during the period of 2000-2001. The data were collected by semi-structured individual interviews, focus group interviews, and participant observations. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Constant comparative analysis was employed to analyze the data.


RESULTS
"Living like a normal person" emerged as the basic social-psychological process. Two dimensions of the self were identified: normal self and abnormal self. "Living like a normal person" means conscious effort to focus on normal self rather than abnormal self. Five subcategories were identified : 1) pretending as if he is not hemophiliac; 2) relieving the burden; 3) maintaining best physical conditions; 4) becoming independent; and 5) reconciliating with their mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that young adults with hemophilia strive for living a life as a normal person. But there is a question whether it is good for their ultimate quality of life. The results indicate that our society needs to be more tolerant to differences that hemophiliacs have.
College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Korea. donam@snu.ac.kr
Myungsun
M
Yi
Won-Ok
WO
Kim
Hyun-Sook
HS
Kang