BMJ  2005;330:963-964 (23 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7497.963-b

Letter

Managing chronic diseases

Care of children with chronic illness teaches some lessons

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Campbell and McGauley share insights from forensic psychiatry about the relationship between doctor and patient in chronic illness.1 Their observations have relevance to a new and emerging issue in chronic care: the transition of young adults with chronic conditions from child centred (paediatric) to adult oriented health care.

Some young adults and families experience "culture shock" when transferring from paediatric to adult care.2 Paediatrics is seen as supportive and compassionate, whereas adult care is perceived as formal, businesslike, distant, rigid in therapeutic approach, and less interested in patients' perspectives. Campbell and McGauley's description of "negative" attitudes of the adult system towards patients with "incurable" conditions supports this notion of a difference in the culture of paediatrics and adult medicine. They also give guidance to adult providers who take over care of young adults regarding the importance of building a positive relationship with their patient; eliciting patients' perspectives on . . . [Full text of this article]

John Reiss, associate professor of paediatrics

Institute for Child Health Policy, PO Box 100147, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0147, USA jgr@ichp.ufl.edu


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Relevant Article

Doctor-patient relationships in chronic illness: insights from forensic psychiatry
Colin Campbell and Gill McGauley
BMJ 2005 330: 667-670. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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