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. 2024 Jan 2;22(1):7.
doi: 10.1186/s12969-023-00943-3.

Towards a standardized program of transitional care for adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis for Turkey: a national survey study

Betül Sözeri  1 , Nihal Şahin  2 , Ceyhun Açarı  3 , Pinar Ozge Avar Aydın  4 , Ozge Baba  5 , Esra Bağlan  6 , Sevcan Bakkaloğlu  7 , Sibel Bakırcı  8 , Yelda Bilginer  9 , Burcu Yücel Bozkaya  10 , Şengül Çağlayan  1 , Mustafa Çakan  11 , Figen Çakmak  12 , Taner Coşkuner  1 , Ferhat Demir  13 , Fatma Gül Demirkan  14 , Şeyda Doğantan  15 , Hatice Adıgüzel Dündar  16 , Emine Duygu Ersözlü  17 , Sercan Gücenmez  18 , Oğuz Gürler  19 , Rana İşgüder  20 , Adem Küçük  21 , Mukaddes Kalyoncu  5 , Levent Kılıç  22 , Sara Şebnem Kılıç  23 , Hakan Kısaoğlu  24 , Ayşenur Paç Kısaarslan  25 , Zehra Kızıldağ  20 , Duygu Kurtuluş  26 , Semanur Özdel  6 , Kübra Öztürk  27 , Pelin Şenol  7 , Ayşe Tanatar  14 , Sema Nur Taşkın  28 , Fatma Tuncer Kuru  29 , Serkan Türkuçar  30 , Kadir Ulu  1 , Erbil Ünsal  20 , Ayten Yazıcı  31 , Deniz Gezgin Yıldırım  7 , Selçuk Yüksel  32 , Özgür Kasapçopur  33 , Seza Özen  9 , Nuray Aktay Ayaz  14 , Hafize Emine Sönmez  34
Affiliations

Towards a standardized program of transitional care for adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis for Turkey: a national survey study

Betül Sözeri et al. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. .

Abstract

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a prevalent childhood chronic arthritis, often persisting into adulthood. Effective transitional care becomes crucial as these patients transition from pediatric to adult healthcare systems. Despite the concept of transitional care being recognized, its real-world implementation remains inadequately explored. This study aims to evaluate the thoughts and practices of healthcare providers regarding transitional care for JIA patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among pediatric and adult rheumatologists in Turkey. Based on the American Academy of Pediatrics' six core elements of transitional care, the survey included 86 questions. The respondents' demographic data, attitudes towards transitional care, and practical implementation were assessed.

Results: The survey included 48 rheumatologists, with 43.7% having a transition clinic. The main barriers to establishing transition programs were the absence of adult rheumatologists, lack of time, and financial constraints. Only 23.8% had a multidisciplinary team for transition care. Participants agreed on the importance of coordination and cooperation between pediatric and adult healthcare services. The timing of the transition process varied, with no consensus on when to initiate or complete it. Participants advocated for validated questionnaires adapted to local conditions to assess transition readiness.

Conclusions: The study sheds light on the challenges and perspectives surrounding transitional care for JIA patients in Turkey. Despite recognized needs and intentions, practical implementation remains limited due to various barriers. Cultural factors and resource constraints affect the transition process. While acknowledging the existing shortcomings, the research serves as a ground for further efforts to improve transitional care and ensure better outcomes for JIA patients transitioning into adulthood.

Keywords: Adolescent; Arthritis; Chronic disease; Juvenile; Transition to adult care.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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