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The International Association for the Study of Pain

The Past, Present, and Future of Health Care Transition in Adolescents and Young Adults with Chronic Pain

Panel Discussion

Panel Discussion

11:15 am

04 October 2023

Room 506

Session Description

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic pain are an underserved population, with little research conducted and few clinical services available to patients in this age group. Additionally, there are currently no standards of care to facilitate health care transition (HCT) in AYAs with a primary chronic pain condition. This panel will briefly summarize literature on other AYA chronic illnesses where pain is a salient feature to highlight transition risk factors and HCT interventions that may apply to chronic pain. We will explain why HCT is fundamentally different in persons with chronic pain. The panel will then highlight existing and upcoming research in the field of healthcare transition in AYAs with chronic pain. The final segment of the panel will describe two of the few existing transition programs for AYAs with chronic pain, which may serve a model for future transition services and standards of care in this population.  We will describe development and implementation of an AYA Transition Clinic housed within a pediatric pain center. Furthermore, the development of an Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment program specifically tailored for AYAs. We hope to stimulate fruitful dialogue about the future of AYA treatment and research. 

Moderators

Resources