title: [Parents' needs and concerns at different stages of the life cycle].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  this study aimed to identify priority needs and concerns expressed by fathers in the performance of their role in three stages of the life cycle: adolescence, productive age, and mature age.
  
  
  METHODS
  this is an exploratory study with a qualitative approach, conducted with fourteen fathers residing in a municipality in the extreme south of Brazil. The data were collected between May and August 2011 by means of the in-depth interview. Through the technique of written discourse analysis and the array built upon Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory, we obtained three categories: fathers' needs/concerns, generated in their relationship with the world of work; needs/concerns that emerged from the relationship of care with the children; and fathers' concerns about the future of the children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  we identified that the concern with the future of the children was pointed out by fathers of all age groups investigated.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Bárbara Tarouco
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mara Regina Santos
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents; D055815:Young Adult