Advances in medical care have significantly improved the life expectancy for young people with health conditions, with more than 90% now surviving into adulthood. Thus, an increasing number of adolescents with health conditions and disabilities are preparing for transition into productive adult lives. Health care providers have an important role to play in this transition, both in regards to the specific transition of youth from pediatric to adult health-care and in transition activities focused on broader areas such as education, daily living, and employment. Community Solutions, a project funded by the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, recently conducted a survey study to clarify what the role of health providers should be in assisting youth with disabilities and SHCN during transition, both from the perspective of families as well as providers themselves. The survey was completed by 753 families who had an adolescent child with a disability and/or SHCN and 155 physicians. The results suggest that families and providers have relatively divergent views regarding the extent to which providers are and should be assisting in various transition activities. Overall, providers described themselves as significantly more involved in transition activities than did parents. Additionally, parents seemed to have a more restricted view of the provider's role than did provider's themselves. During the paper presentation, the findings from the study will be reviewed and participants will learn about strategies health care providers can use to better support families and youth with SHCN during transition, based upon the recommendations of survey participants
Learning Objectives: Participants will learn about the potential role of health care professionals during the transition of youth with SHCN and disabilities, along with strategies that providers can use to better support youth as they move into adulthood.
Keywords: Children With Special Needs, Adolescent Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Community Solutions, a project of the Oregon Institute on Disability and Development's Center on Self-Determination at Oregon Health Sciences University, conducted the study that will be reviewed. Community Solutions is funded by the US Maternal and Chil
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am a Co-Principal Investigator on the Community Solutions Project and I employed through Oregon Health Sciences University.