Abstract
AbstractObjectiveTransfer from pediatric care into the adult health care system is known to be a vulnerable phase in the lives of youth with special health care needs (YSHCN). Recommendations from the literature favor assessment of transition readiness rather than simply pass over YSHCN from pediatric to adult-centered care by the age of 18. Nevertheless, no validated and disease neutral assessment instrument in German exists to date. Hence, our aim was to cross-culturally adapt and to pilot-test a German version of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ 5.0). We wanted to provide a tool that can be applied broadly during the health care transition (HCT) process of YSHCN.MethodsThe development included translating and adapting TRAQ 5.0 to German and conducting a pilot-study with 172 YSHCN between the ages of 14 and 23.ResultsCross-cultural adaptation resulted in the TRAQ-GV-15. Exploratory factor analysis led to a 3 factor-structure. Internal consistency for the overall score was good with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.82. Age, in contrast to sex, had a significant effect on the TRAQ scoring. The administration of the TRAQ-GV-15 was well received and demonstrated good feasibility.ConclusionThe TRAQ-GV-15 is an easily applicable and clinically usable instrument for assessing transition readiness in German speaking YSHCN prior to HCT.
Highlights
The transfer from pediatric care to adult care carries a considerable health risk for youth with special health care needs
Transfer from pediatric care into the adult health care system is known to be a vulnerable phase in the lives of youth with special health care needs (YSHCN)
The TRAQ has demonstrated good reliability and validity [34], and we considered this tool as adequate for our actual needs
Summary
The transfer from pediatric care to adult care carries a considerable health risk for youth with special health care needs This phase is associated with missed medical appointments [4, 5], poor health outcomes [6] and lower overall quality of life [7, 8]. Experts are working on the implementation of standardized transition processes at pediatric clinics [27, 28]
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