Transition of Adolescents with Chronic Neurologic Disorders into Adult Health Care

Abstract

Transition of care from pediatric to adult services is a complex process. Factors influencing the success of health care transition of adolescents with chronic neurological disorders are poorly understood. Young adults with chronic neurological disorders who had been cared for in an Interdisciplinary Pediatric Center participated in this study. Using the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short-form (PSQ-18) we investigated whether satisfaction of these patients with their medical care in adult services was depending on the severity and complexity of their condition. They were assigned to a group of severely disabled patients (group 1; intellectual disability or learning disability plus motor handicap or degree of disability≥80, n=11) or a group 2 of patients with milder impairment (N=39). We used descriptive and t-statistics to compare both groups. Patients of group 1 reported slightly lower satisfaction with their present medical care in adult services (M=3.25; 95%-KI=[2.96-3.55]) compared to patients of group 2 (M=3.59; 95%.KI=[3.37-3.81]; p=0.084). Satisfaction with transition was significantly lower in group 1 (M=2.65; 95% KI=[2.29-3.01]) than in group 2 (M=3.11; 95% KI=[2.89-3.33], p=0.045). The difference of mean values of 0.46 reflects a moderate effect size (Hedges' g=0.68). Health care transition of adolescent patients with chronic neurological disorders is significantly more successful in patients with minor impairment compared to patients with severe complex neurological conditions.