A commentary on the healthcare transition policy landscape for youth with disabilities or chronic health conditions, the need for an inclusive and equitable approach, and recommendations for change in Canada.
Linda Nguyen, Claire Dawe-McCord, Michael Frost and 17 others
PMID 38192636WHAT IT FOUND
Youth with disabilities and clinicians recommend flexible age limits for transfer to adult care, rather than a fixed cutoff.
They advise starting transition planning years early and including social and educational supports, not just medical ones.
Key findings
01Participants recommended that the age of transfer to adult care be flexible, as chronological age does not necessarily match developmental readiness.
02Transition planning should begin years before transfer to allow time for youth to build necessary competencies and self-management skills.
03Supports must address holistic needs including education, employment, and finances, rather than focusing solely on healthcare.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
This is a commentary based on a single dialogue with ten participants, not a systematic review or trial. The recommendations reflect the views of this specific group and do not provide evidence that these policies improve health outcomes. The participants were from four Canadian regions, so the findings may not apply to other healthcare systems.
Declared interests
The authors declared financial support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these recommendations as evidence-based clinical guidelines. They are policy suggestions derived from a small group discussion and have not been tested for effectiveness in improving patient outcomes.