‘More Autonomy, More Burnout:’ Healthcare Transition Experiences of College Students Living With Chronic Illness

Abstract

Every year, an increasing number of college students are living with a chronic medical condition. While much scholarly attention has been paid to the unique structural, psychosocial, and financial difficulties young adults face when transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare, little is known about the healthcare transition experiences of college students living with chronic illness, who are simultaneously transitioning healthcare systems and transitioning to university life. To begin addressing this gap in the literature, I conducted a review of the literature examining pediatric-to-adult healthcare transition for adolescents and young adults followed by a series of interviews with college students in Nashville, Tennessee living with a chronic medical condition beginning in childhood. The literature review summarizes the state of the literature in emerging adulthood, college student development, and healthcare transition-readiness for adolescents and young adults with chronic medical conditions. Through the series of twelve interviews, I present a new perspective on transitioning to college with a chronic illness. I argue that the individualization and social development unique to the university environment and the consolidation of resources through student support networks can protect against several psychosocial challenges related to healthcare transition. Still, however, the process of transitioning to the college space acts as a confounding structural barrier to healthcare transition, exacerbating documented barriers to medical care for young adults with chronic illness. Further, I suggest that this paradoxical effect gives rise to recommendations for both healthcare systems and universities to better prepare young adults with chronic medical conditions for the realities of adult care and university life