It Is a Life Journey: A Roadmap of Teens With Chronic Diseases in Transitioning to Independence

Living with epilepsy in adolescence and young adulthood transitioning from pediatric to adult hospital services: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

Transition is characterized by developing greater self-identity and growing independence, but adolescents dealing with chronic illnesses encounter health-related and situational changes during transition. Despite the many suggestions made in recent years, the shift from pediatric to adult care continues to pose difficulties for adolescents and young adults with epilepsy (AWE). The holistic perspective of AWE's experiences and needs during transition is not as well understood.

AIM

To synthesize the qualitative evidence related to AWE's experiences and needs transitioning from pediatric to adult hospital care.

METHODS

This systematic review adhered to the rigorous Joanna Briggs methodology for qualitative evidence synthesis. A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, PsycINFO, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, from their inception to April 2024. The findings were critically appraised and aggregated using meta-synthesis.

RESULTS

The search yielded a total of 3,985 studies, and twenty-one were included in the review. Two of the included studies were undertaken in a program where a transition clinic was established. The meta-synthesis reveals that the transition experience of AWE is more than a change from one clinic to another and is interwoven into a pattern of developmental, health-illness, situational, and organizational transition issues. Five synthesized findings were developed: 1) Feeling different from others and striving to address the impact of epilepsy in everyday life; 2) the transition from pediatric to adult care - a problematic intersection point; 3) the family's role - support or parental overprotectiveness 4) seeking knowledge and being familiar with epilepsy supported by healthcare professionals and technologies, and 5) development of independence and responsibility through involvement and support from healthcare professionals and parents.

CONCLUSION

During the transition from pediatric to adult hospital care, AWEs encounter a loss of familiarity, increased responsibility, and feelings of not belonging. Therefore, it is essential to create an environment where they can thrive beyond the limitations of their illness. Understanding, acceptance, and inclusivity should characterize this environment to support AWEs in facilitating the development of responsibility, independence, and confidence as they navigate transitions.

Characterizing the "HIV Care Adherence Journey" for Persons With HIV in the Philippines: Conceptual Foundation for Person-Centered Intervention

ABSTRACT

Promoting adherence to HIV care among persons with HIV (PWH) is a key component to addressing the rising HIV epidemic in the Philippines. HIV care adherence is a complex process that may change throughout an individual's life course or "journey" living with HIV. This qualitative study aimed to explore the HIV care adherence journey of PWH. Maximum variation sampling was used to select 12 PWH and 3 health care providers for in-depth online interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis. The four themes that emerged to describe the HIV care adherence journey are integration, relation, navigation, and manifestation. Each theme corresponds to a unique set of activities and goals related to PWH's lived experiences as they initiate, practice, and maintain care adherence. This study provides a preliminary framework to characterize the HIV care adherence journey as a dynamic, complex, and multifaceted phenomenon, which can help to inform holistic interventions to support PWH.

Being an adolescent with epilepsy during the transition from pediatric to adult hospital care: A qualitative descriptive study

BACKGROUND

The transition from pediatric to adult care is challenging for adolescent patients despite numerous recommendations in recent decades. However, the perspective of the patients is sparsely investigated.

AIM

To explore the experiences and needs of adolescents with epilepsy (AWE) during the transition from pediatric to adult hospital care.

METHODS

We conducted 15 semi-structured interviews with AWEs aged 13-20 years and 10 h of field observations of consultations. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymized, and entered into NVivo (version 12, QSR International) with the transcribed field notes. Data were analyzed using systematic text condensation.

RESULTS

Three themes were identified: (1) Navigating epilepsy in everyday life; (2) The difficult balance between concealment and openness about epilepsy; and (3) Being seen as an individual and not an illness. AWEs' needs in transition are closely associated with their experiences and perceptions of illness, treatment, consultations, and seizures. Notably, AWEs reveal a significant concern about being overlooked beyond their medical condition in appointments.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the vulnerability and challenges of AWEs transitioning to adult care. Overall, AWEs seek understanding, acceptance, and autonomy in managing their epilepsy and transitioning to adult care. Their experiences underscore the importance of holistic support and communication in healthcare settings. A concerted effort from healthcare professionals (HCP) is necessary to foster the recognition of AWEs as individuals with distinct personalities, needs, and capabilities.

Pediatric to Adult Transition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Consensus Guidelines for Australia and New Zealand

BACKGROUND

The incidence of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is rising, and there is an increasing need to support adolescents when they transition to adult care. Evidence supports the use of a structured transition process but there is great variation across Australasia. The study aim was to develop evidence and expert opinion-based consensus statements to guide transitional care services in IBD.

METHODS

A modified UCLA-RAND methodology was employed to develop consensus statements. An IBD expert steering committee was formed and a systematic literature review was conducted to guide the drafting of consensus statements. A multidisciplinary group was formed comprising 16 participants (clinicians, nurses, surgeons, psychologists), who anonymously voted on the appropriateness and necessity of the consensus statements using Likert scales (1 = lowest, 9 = highest) with a median ≥7 required for inclusion. Patient support groups, including direct input from young people with IBD, informed the final recommendations.

RESULTS

Fourteen consensus statements were devised with key recommendations including use of a structured transition program and transition coordinator, mental health and transition readiness assessment, key adolescent discussion topics, allied health involvement, age for transition, and recommendations for clinical communication and handover, with individualized patient considerations. Each statement reached median ≥8 for appropriateness, and ≥7 for necessity, in the first voting round, and the results were discussed in an online meeting to refine statements.

CONCLUSIONS

A multidisciplinary group devised consensus statements to optimize pediatric to adult transitional care for adolescents with IBD. These guidelines should support improved and standardized delivery of IBD transitional care within Australasia.

Continuation of Pediatric Care after Transfer to Adult Care Among Autistic Youth Overlap of Pediatric and Adult Care

The transition from pediatric to adult health care is a vulnerable time period for autistic adolescents and young adults (AYA) and for some autistic AYA may include a period of receiving care in both the pediatric and adult health systems. We sought to assess the proportion of autistic AYA who continued to use pediatric health services after their first adult primary care appointment and to identify factors associated with continued pediatric contact. We analyzed electronic medical record (EMR) data from a cohort of autistic AYA seen in a primary-care-based program for autistic people. Using logistic and linear regression, we assessed the relationship between eight patient characteristics and (1) the odds of a patient having ANY pediatric visits after their first adult appointment and (2) the number of pediatric visits among those with at least one pediatric visit. The cohort included 230 autistic AYA, who were mostly white (68%), mostly male (82%), with a mean age of 19.4 years at the time of their last pediatric visit before entering adult care. The majority (n = 149; 65%) had pediatric contact after the first adult visit. Younger age at the time of the first adult visit and more pediatric visits prior to the first adult visit were associated with continued pediatric contact. In this cohort of autistic AYA, most patients had contact with the pediatric system after their first adult primary care appointment.

Standards for the care of people with cystic fibrosis; establishing and maintaining health

This is the second in a series of four papers updating the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) standards for the care of people with CF. This paper focuses on establishing and maintaining health. The guidance is produced using an evidence-based framework and with wide stakeholder engagement, including people from the CF community. Authors provided a narrative description of their topic and statements, which were more directive. These statements were reviewed by a Delphi exercise, achieving good levels of agreement from a wide group for all statements. This guidance reinforces the importance of a multi-disciplinary CF team, but also describes developing models of care including virtual consultations. The framework for health is reinforced, including the need for a physically active lifestyle and the strict avoidance of all recreational inhalations, including e-cigarettes. Progress with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapy is reviewed, including emerging adverse events and advice for dose reduction and interruption. This paper contains guidance that is pertinent to all people with CF regardless of age and eligibility for and access to modulator therapy.

Reporting and conducting patient journey mapping research in healthcare: A scoping review

AIM

To identify how patient journey mapping is being undertaken and reported.

DESIGN

A scoping review of the literature was undertaken using JBI guidance.

DATA SOURCES

Databases were searched in July 2021 (16th-21st), including Ovid's Medline, Embase, Emcare and PsycINFO; Scopus; Web of Science Core Collection, the Directory of Open Access Journals; Informit and; ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

REVIEW METHODS

Eligible articles included peer-reviewed literature documenting journey mapping methodologies and studies conducted in healthcare services. Reviewers used Covidence to screen titles and abstracts of located sources, and to screen full-text articles. A table was used to extract data and synthesize results.

RESULTS

Eighty-one articles were included. An acceleration of patient journey mapping research was observed, with 76.5% (n = 62) of articles published since 2015. Diverse mapping approaches were identified. Reporting of studies was inconsistent and largely non-adherent with relevant, established reporting guidelines.

CONCLUSION

Patient journey mapping is a relatively novel approach for understanding patient experiences and is increasingly being adopted. There is variation in process details reported. Considerations for improving reporting standards are provided.

IMPACT

Patient journey mapping is a rapidly growing approach for better understanding how people enter, experience and exit health services. This type of methodology has significant potential to inform new, patient centred models of care and facilitate clinicians, patients and health professionals to better understand gaps and strategies in health services. The synthesised results of this review alert researchers to options available for journey mapping research and provide preliminary guidance for elevating reporting quality.

Transition care for adolescents and young adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A descriptive summary of qualitative evidence

The review presents a summary of available evidence about transition care of ADHD patients from all service users' perspectives. Common barriers, and suggestions for improvement ADHD of transition care, were extrapolated from qualitative research, including case notes studies, and were exposed. A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase, PsychInfo and Web of Science databases for articles published up to October 2021 was conducted to summarize recent evidence on the experiences of all stakeholders involved in the transition process. Reviews, other chronic conditions and different meaning of transition were excluded. Authors extracted data and assessed study quality independently. Findings were discussed taking into consideration barriers and suggestions from all service users' perspectives. Findings from 23 studies with different context and methods were collected and summarized. Most of the studies were conducted in UK, using interviews and questionnaires, and addressed to the physicians. The lack of information about ADHD as a condition and about transition process were the barriers most reported, while joint working and sharing transition protocols were the suggestions pointed out by all stakeholders. Despite different perspectives, all stakeholders exposed similar needs. The review reveals an evident need for defining and evaluating the effectiveness of transition programmes from child to adult ADHD services.

Health Care Transition in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes and an A1C >9%: Qualitative Analysis of Pre-Transition Perspectives

OBJECTIVE | To explore expectations for transition to adult care and experiences with transition planning among adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes and an A1C >9% at a tertiary care U.S. pediatric center. METHODS | We conducted semi-structured interviews in a purposive sample of patients 14-23 years of age who had had type 1 diabetes for at least 1 year and had an A1C >9%. A multidisciplinary team conducted iterative thematic analysis with deductive and inductive coding aided by NVivo software. RESULTS | Fourteen subjects participated (nine adolescents and five young adults, mean age 17.1 ± 3.2 years, 57% male, 79% Caucasian, 14% Hispanic, diabetes duration 8.2 ± 4.6 years, mean A1C 10.0 ± 0.8% for adolescents and 10.1 ± 0.7% for young adults). Qualitative analysis yielded four key themes. The first was lack of formal preparation; participants of all ages demonstrated a lack of preparation for transition and ignorance about the process, describing it as coming "out of the blue." The second was a desire for delayed and gradual transition; participants wanted to defer being "serious" about transition to a later/uncertain date, with a preference to "wait until I'm older" among all ages. Participants described ideal transition as a gradual process, taking place "a little at a time." The third was attachment to pediatric providers; participants demonstrated a nearly universal attachment to and "familiarity" with their pediatric diabetes care providers and expressed worries about an "uncomfortable" transition to adult providers. The fourth was concern about an impersonal adult care setting: participants perceived adult care as "formal," "scarier," and "tougher," with increased criticism about poor control; participants expressed fear that adult providers would not "know me" or appreciate "my diabetes journey." CONCLUSION | We demonstrated a lack of transition preparation and anxiety about transition and adult care among youth with type 1 diabetes and elevated A1C. Our results may help guide early, iterative pediatric transition counseling, with a special focus on addressing attachment and fears about adult diabetes care.