Outcomes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Transitioning from Pediatric to Adult Care: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Purpose: Approximately 25% of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are diagnosed in childhood and the incidence is increasing. Thus, more patients will transition to adult care in the future. Within the literature, transition readiness has been deemed important to achieving a successful transition; however, it is unclear what outcomes define success. This scoping review aims to summarize the literature on outcomes surrounding transition from pediatric to adult care in patients with IBD.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted with the following steps: (1) identifying the research question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) study selection, (4) charting the data, (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting results, and (6) consultation with an additional researcher. Studies were identified from 5 databases and were included in part if (1) IBD was a disease of interest, (2) referred to transition as the movement and adjustment from pediatric to adult care, and (3) evaluated patient outcomes up to 5 years after first adult appointment and/or defined a successful or unsuccessful transition.

Results: Twenty-six peer-reviewed studies were included. Four studies defined transition success, while 2 studies defined an unsuccessful transition. Transition outcomes were categorized into these 6 themes: being comfortable in adult care (n = 4); health care utilization (n = 19); disease management (n = 15); knowledge (n = 5); quality of life (n = 6); self-efficacy (n = 7).

Conclusions: Most studies evaluated transition outcomes by themes of health care utilization (n = 19) and disease management (n = 15). Future research should focus on engaging patients along with providers in order to create a consensus on indicators of transition success.

FIGURE 1.

Study Selection.