To HIV-infected peers:
‘What we will face in adult clinic’
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The atmosphere is different, not as easy-going. Most of the adult healthcare providers look serious with limited time to talk to us, and there is a long queue
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We feel worried about who and what we will face
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We must take more responsibility as it's not a one-stop service; we may need to be absent from class to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART)
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Sometimes, we may get different ART formulation/dosages from what we have previously received
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No one will remind us if we forget an appointment
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If you have social security insurance, you will be immediately moved to an adult clinic and admission will be at an adult ward
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Some adults who come to the adult clinic may ask us questions, i.e. what happened or are we HIV-positive like them
‘How we could prepare’
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Although the adult clinic's atmosphere is different, treatment is the same; we just need to be more responsible
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Some adolescents like the adult clinic while others do not and need more time to adjust
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Build a relationship with adult healthcare providers, and learn their rules
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If an appointment time conflicts with other things, we should find a volunteer or healthcare provider to help pick up medication for us
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We need to know about our own health (i.e. CD4, ART formulation, dose and side-effects)
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We should prepare how to communicate with an adult doctor (i.e. what blood tests are for and what the results mean)
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If we do not feel comfortable talking to adult patients who ask about our HIV status, we don't need to say anything
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To paediatric healthcare providers:
‘We need your help in preparing us and we need to be able to get in touch’
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We need at least 4–6 months to prepare us before transition
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For our first visits to the adult clinic, we may feel more comfortable if you come with us
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Introduce us to staff and show us the location of the adult clinic to relieve our anxiety
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Suggest that we remember/learn our personal health information
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Help build our skills in talking to other adults who ask our HIV status
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We would like to come back to the paediatric clinic to visit, as it is familiar and we miss our friends and staff there who have cared for us since we were young
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Taking medication inaccurately already causes us stress. Please don't threaten us with the adult clinic if we don't take our medication accurately
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To adult healthcare providers:
‘We need an opportunity to learn’
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We are learning to take responsibility for ourselves. Please don't criticise us and say that we are spoiled from the paediatric clinic. We have enough anxiety coming to the adult clinic
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If there are activities arranged for young people, it can help us learn to be more responsible for ourselves
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Please have staff available to ask if we have problems
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If we have class or work, please let us postpone appointments without difficulty
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If medication can be distributed in the clinic area, it will be more convenient
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Please consider an adolescent clinic (for young people aged 18–25 years), so that we can adjust more easily and get to know one another
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We do not want to see adult healthcare providers’ stress or tension. When healthcare providers are stressed, people who come to the clinic will also be stressed
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