Health Care Transition for Young Adults

Regarding healthcare transition, these concepts are especially important:

• Transition does not always mean transfer of care, but rather greater autonomy
  in healthcare decisions and greater independence in caring for one's own medical needs.
• Healthcare transition is connected to attainment of a sense of identity,
  separate from one's parents and one's health condition. 
• Self-advocacy and empowerment facilitate the transition process and can be
  learned.

There are also special issues to consider, including:

• Difficulty finding providers beyond the pediatric years, who are willing to take on rare and complex cases
• Fear of parents to let go 
• Reluctance of young people to
  disappoint the parents who have cared for them so well, while at the same time
  wanting to forget they have a health condition and refusing treatment