malihe davoudi - Ph.D. Student in Nursing, Community Health, Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Reza Boostani - Professor of Neurology, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Zahra Sadat manzari - Associate Professor, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Background: HTLV-۱-associated myelopathy is associated with constant stress, so it is very important to cope with this disease. To improve the coping of patients with this disease, it is necessary to deeply identify its barriers.Aim: The present study was conducted with aim to explain the barriers to cope with HTLV-۱-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis.Method: This qualitative content analysis approach was performed on ۱۷ patients with HTLV-۱-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, who referred to Ghaem hospital clinic. Data were collected by conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews in a private room of the clinic. The Graneheim and Lundman's qualitative content analysis method was used for analyzing.Results: In this study, ۵ subcategories and ۲ main categories (internal barriers to coping with the disease, challenges with socioeconomic barriers) were developed. The main theme abstracted was also "chains of stagnation and regression of passing the disease".Implications for Practice: Considering that health care professionals' knowledge about HTLV-۱-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and patients' experiences is very little, the results of this study can be a basis to design a suitable and context-based care framework to improve the coping responses of patients.

Adaptation, HTLV-I-Associated Myelopathy, Human T-lymphotropic virus ۱, spastic paraparesis