El proceso de transición de servicios pediátricos a adultos: visión de adolescentes hospitalizados portadores de enfermedades crónicas

Abstract

IntroductionChronic illnesses during adolescence are a big challenge for the patient, his or her family, and health care providers. The transition from paediatric health services to adult health services involves a programmed and planned transfer process of adolescent sufferers of chronic illnesses, in order to maintain a high quality of life and bio-psycho-social development. There is currently no transition model. The objective of the study is to understand the transition process from the perspective of hospitalised adolescents to collaborate towards the design of a model that meets the needs studied. Patients and methodSemi-structured interviews with 13 adolescent sufferers of chronic illnesses, hospitalised in two healthcare centres in Santiago, Chile, in one analytical-relational study, supported by qualitative methodology. ResultsIn the analysis, 5 major themes stand out: experience of living with the illness, the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, the concept of limited autonomy to the pharmacology, the absence of the transition process as such, and the identification of barriers and needs for an adequate transition. ConclusionsThis study is new in Chile in that it explores the phenomenom of the transition of adolescents with chronic illnesses. It emphasises the need to reinforce the concept of self-care and autonomy from early stages of care, and the importance of early planning of a healthy transition process, in accordance to the detected needs of the adolescents themselves.