A discussion of healthcare support for adolescents and young adults with long-term conditions: Current policy and practice and future opportunities

Background: Adolescence and young adulthood can be a period of significant and unique life changes in which competing demands and challenges distract from disease self-management. Specific challenges related to the way individual services are configured can also limit the support available. This paper presents a discussion of healthcare service support for adolescents and young adults, using type 1 diabetes as an exemplar.

Design: Discussion paper.

Results: A wide variety of issues at the biopsychosocial level of the individual, health services policy and practice pose challenges to effective health support for adolescents and young adults. Intersectoral, multilevel and multicomponent opportunities are available to engage and empower young people to be part of change and accountability mechanisms and to transform the support available and outcomes achievable. A priority research agenda can benefit patients, families and their communities.

Conclusion: Future policy and practice development may assist clinicians, service providers and managers, policymakers, non-governmental organizations and community groups to deliver more effective and efficient support to vulnerable adolescent and young adult populations.