Note: this is a past research project that is now complete.

Insiders' reflections about transition to adult healthcare

The term 'transition to adult healthcare' refers to a complex process that aims to prepare young people with chronic health conditions with the necessary attitudes, knowledge and skills to successfully engage in and navigate the significant changes that accompany adolescent development and the transfer from paediatric to adult care. This process includes the key principles of building autonomy around healthcare, promoting self-management skills and working towards confidential healthcare. It also prioritises continuity of care for young people as they are physically transferred from paediatric to adult healthcare.

This project is an exploratory study that focuses on young people's and parents' experiences of the transition process. It aims to recruit young people across a diverse range of pre-determined chronic health conditions that would be expected to require ongoing care in early adult life. 

This research project uses a questionnaire that has been developed purposefully for this study that asks young people and parents to comment retrospectively on their experiences of transition and transfer. The questionnaire includes both closed and open-ended questions and will be completed via telephone interview.

Two groups of key informants will be involved in the project: young people with chronic health conditions (N=200) requiring transfer to an adult specialty health service, and their parent(s)/primary caregiver(s) (n=200).

This project will provide important thematic data and statistical findings about the transition process, and will help inform the development of a self-management and transition/transfer intervention in the future.

Funders

Rotary Club of Melbourne
Chinese Australia New Year Ball Committee

Contact

Susan Sawyer

susan.sawyer@rch.org.au