Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Jul 26;5(1):20220004.
doi: 10.1515/jtm-2022-0004. eCollection 2023 Jan.

Navigating liminal spaces together: a qualitative metasynthesis of youth and parent experiences of healthcare transition

Katherine South  1 , Christine DeForge  2 , Carol Anne Celona  3 , Arlene Smaldone  2   4 , Maureen George  2
Affiliations
Review

Navigating liminal spaces together: a qualitative metasynthesis of youth and parent experiences of healthcare transition

Katherine South et al. J Transit Med. .

Abstract

Transition from pediatric to adult care for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic illness affects the entire family. However, little research has compared AYA and parent experiences of transition. Using Sandelowski and Barroso's method, the aim of this metasynthesis was to summarize findings of qualitative studies focusing on the transition experiences of AYAs and their parents across different chronic physical illnesses. PubMed, EMBASE and CINAHL were searched followed by forward and backward citation searching. Two authors completed a two-step screening process. Quality was appraised using Guba's criteria for qualitative rigor. Study characteristics and second order constructs were extracted by two authors and an iterative codebook guided coding and data synthesis. Of 1,644 records identified, 63 studies met inclusion criteria and reflect data from 1,106 AYAs and 397 parents across 18 diagnoses. Three themes were synthesized: transition is dynamic and experienced differently (differing perceptions of role change and growth during emerging adulthood), need for a supported and gradual transition (transition preparation and the factors which influence it) and liminal space (feeling stuck between pediatric and adult care). While AYAs and parents experience some aspects of transition differently, themes were similar across chronic illnesses which supports the development of disease agnostic transition preparation interventions. Transition preparation should support shifting family roles and responsibilities and offer interventions which align with AYA and family preferences.

Keywords: adolescent; chronic illness; healthcare transition; metasynthesis; parent; young adult.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
PRISMA diagram.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:
Quality appraisal of Guba’s essential criteria.
Figure 3:
Figure 3:
Saturation table.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Betz C, Coyne I, Hudson S. Health care transition: the struggle to define itself. Compr Child Adolesc Nurs. 2021;39:1–15. doi: 10.1080/24694193.2021.1933264. - DOI - PubMed
    1. McManus M, White P. Transition to adult health care services for young adults with chronic medical illness and psychiatric comorbidity. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2017;26:367–80. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2016.12.010. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Blum RW, Garell D, Hodgman CH, Jorissen TW, Okinow NA, Orr DP, et al. Transition from child-centered to adult health-care systems for adolescents with chronic conditions. A position paper of the Society for Adolescent Medicine. J Adolesc Health. 1993;14:570–6. doi: 10.1016/1054-139x(93)90143-d. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Van Staa A, Jedeloo S, van Meeteren J, Latour J. Crossing the transition chasm: experiences and recommendations for improving transitional care of young adults, parents and providers. Child Care Health Dev. 2011;37:821–32. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01261.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. White PH, Cooley WC. Supporting the health care transition from adolescence to adulthood in the medical home [Internet] . 2018. www.aappublications.org/news [Accessed 14 Jun 2021] - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources