This descriptive and exploratory research aimed to know the conceptions, attitudes and behaviors about work as reported by 16 chronic renal insufficiency patients and their relatives. Data were collected from April to August 2000 through semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that work is valued by all families as a source of health and financial resources, besides being important for individuals' character formation; that most CRI patients do not carry out any remunerated activities and, when they do, they count on the help and understanding of the boss and relatives. We conclude that CRI and its treatment do not directly or absolutely impede the realization of this kind of activity, but entail important limitations. We consider it is necessary for health professionals to join in the search for support by relatives and society, so that these people can be inserted in the labor market when they want to and are in the right conditions.
work; chronic renal insufficiency; family