ADOLESCENT TO ADULT TRANSITION CARE FOR CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION

Abstract

Chronic health conditions (CHCs) are long-term physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional disorders that require continuous medical care and may limit an individual's daily functioning over an extended period. In children and adolescents, CHCs encompass a wide range of conditions, including congenital heart disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, epilepsy, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, sickle cell disease, and childhood cancers. Unlike acute illnesses, chronic conditions require lifelong monitoring, multidisciplinary healthcare services, pharmacological treatment, rehabilitation, and psychosocial support to optimize health outcomes and quality of life (Li et al., 2025).

The global prevalence of chronic health conditions among children and adolescents has increased steadily over recent decades due to epidemiological transitions and advances in healthcare. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are becoming increasingly important during adolescence, replacing infectious diseases as major contributors to morbidity in many countries. Approximately 15% of adolescents worldwide are estimated to live with a chronic health condition, although prevalence varies depending on the definition used and the conditions included. Broader definitions that include chronic respiratory diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and other long-term conditions may yield even higher estimates.