Outpatient-based transition services for youth

There is a paucity of information on the process of transition from pediatric to adult services for young people with chronic disease/disability. Adolescents and young adults have differing needs from children and older adults, and ideally transition services should take these needs into account. Diabetes provides a useful model to examine the process of transition and to seek views of young people. A study of 70 young adults with diabetes is reported. It is suggested that the ideal time for a transfer from a pediatric to an adult service is between 17 and 20 years, but this will vary considerably depending on developmental needs. Specialist physicians remain the most important professionals in the view of the young diabetics, who valued the physician as one to whom they can relate and get to know well by seeing regularly. The role of educational programs and help with psychosocial problems at this age are discussed in the light of conflicting evidence in the literature.