The impact of chronic skin disease in adolescence and the need for specialist adolescent services
De Vere Hunt IJ., Howard E., McPherson T.
Adolescence is a critical period in both physical and psychological development. Skin conditions are very common in this age group, and are known to impart a considerable psychological burden, with higher rates of both anxiety and depression in those with chronic skin disease. The Department of Health has identified the specialized needs of adolescents as they transition from paediatric to adult services as a key priority, with emphasis on providing ‘developmentally appropriate healthcare’. However, in spite of this, there are very few dedicated transitional clinics in the UK with appropriate psychosocial support. We have demonstrated in our own clinical practices that a dedicated teenage and young adult dermatology clinic with embedded specialist psychological support can deliver effective dermatological care to young people with a variety of skin conditions. We call for a greater focus on achieving developmentally appropriate care for adolescents across the UK to address the unmet transitional and psychological care needs in this population.