MEASURES OF TRANSITION READINESS IN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

The transition from pediatric to adult healthcare for adolescents with chronic illness has emerged as a critical period in long-term health outcomes. Suitable transition readiness measures are necessary for healthcare professionals to assess the readiness to transition of their patients and improve transition outcomes. Currently, there is no consensus about well-validated transition readiness measurements. The goal of this thesis was to systematically review the literature for transition-readiness tools for adolescents with chronic health illnesses published in peerreviewed journals. Forty-eight articles, representing 19 different tools, were included in the review. Ten of the tools were disease-specific; nine were disease-neutral. Eight measures were “well-established assessments” (Cohen criteria). Overall, the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire remains the best well-validated measure of transition readiness available. In conclusion, even after the release of the national practice guidelines and ongoing policy development, there continues to be only slow movement towards achieving a “gold standard” measure of transition readiness.