Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2015) 37 S29.5 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.37.S29.5

ECE2015 Symposia Management of endocrine transition (5 abstracts)

Management of endocrine transition: type 1 diabetes

Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein


University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.


Transition from childhood through adolescence towards adulthood is a gradual process characterized by progressive independence, but also increased responsibility for health care. Specifically, for adolescents with chronic diseases, necessitating long-term medical care, the transition from pediatric to adult care is further characterized by the separation of the well-known environment of a Children’s Hospital towards an adult health care system, mainly accompanied by a separation of the familiar health professionals’ team to a new non-familiar one. For emerging young adults with diabetes the transition to adult care may have a direct negative impact on their glycemic control impairing their long-term prognosis and risk for micro- and macro-vascular complications. There is evidence for a high percentage of drop outs during transition that may further aggravate glycemic control of these young adults. Therefore, the transition to the adult care should be carefully prepared through a longer period of time that should be individualized according to the personality characteristics and psychosocial needs of each emerging adult. The transition should occur smoothly towards adult health care providers who might assure not only evidence-based medical care to young patients with diabetes but should also satisfy their psychosocial needs. Special attention should be laid for the early identification of specific patients’ groups at risk, such as young women with diabetes and eating disorders or young men prone to delinquency or drug addiction. The transition of care should be carefully organized by the direct contact of the pediatric and the adult endocrinologist/diabetologist so that the patient realizes that there is a common attitude of the two health care providers. Moreover, an open option should be offered to the young adult to return to the pediatric care to discuss his experiences in the new environment before the care should be entirely transferred to the new health professionals’ team.

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