Young adults with congenital heart disease heading to college: Are college health centers and providers prepared?

Abstract

Background: An estimated 1.4 million adults in the United States have congenital heart disease (CHD). As this population grows and many pursue postsecondary education, these adults' health care needs and concerns should be at the forefront for providers, particularly nurse practitioners, at college health centers. Purpose: To understand how college health centers and providers identify and manage the care of students with chronic conditions to further support their health care transition, with a focus on students with CHD. Methodology: Qualitative key informant interviews were performed with providers at five college health centers to understand the processes in place and the challenges health care providers on college campuses face when caring for students with CHD. Results: Most of the college health centers did not have formalized processes in place to care for these students. Although many felt that they had the capabilities in their health centers to manage these students' maintenance/preventive care needs, fewer felt comfortable with their urgent or emergent care needs. The onus was often on students or parents/guardians to initiate these transitions. Conclusions: This study highlights some challenges to providing care to students with chronic conditions like CHD. More collaborative relationships with specialists may be critical to ensuring that all the care needs of chronic disease students are met on college campuses. Implications: Nurse practitioners, who often staff these clinics, are well positioned to support this transition onto campuses and lead the development of processes to identify these students, ease care management transitions, and ensure easy provider communication that allow students with chronic diseases to thrive on campus.