Abstract
The period of emerging adulthood presents numerous challenges for individuals living with type-1 diabetes. Inquiry into this period of transition has often been narrowly focused on healthcare transition, with calls for more holistic ontologies to be adopted. The everyday challenges of the transition into independent living is an important transition that fewer studies have explored, but particularly from the perspective of health professionals. This study explores health professionals' perspectives on the transition into independent living with those living with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
A purposive sample of two nurses and one general practitioner were recruited from a university health clinic in New Zealand. Participants were interviewed using semi-structured, open-ended questions to gain this unique perspective. Thematic analysis was used to organise and make sense of the findings.
Three themes were generated through an inductive process of analysis. Engagement, acceptance and disruption were seen as broad factors underpinning the process of transition. The challenge of engaging with emerging adults was seen as an important barrier in the support of students with the everyday challenges of diabetes. Health professionals felt this impeded the development of independence in self-care and was related to the broad theme of acceptance. Acceptance of an individual's diagnosis was influenced by attitude and the propensity to associate oneself with their illness, as well as the history and trajectory of illness. Disruption to this process of acceptance and engagement with support was caused by a range of external environmental and social circumstances associated with the context of university.
The findings of this study suggest that future academic inquiry and clinical practice should focus on improving engagement, including the perception of the individual-healthcare provider relationship. This would aid in improving engagement with health professionals, as well as the ability for health professionals to focus on the everyday challenges facing emerging adults. The difficulty in engaging with this population may also mean a focus on safety needs to be prioritised, through the provision of important health information and education through indirect means.