Health-related quality of life of young people with long-term illnesses before and after transfer from child to adult healthcare

作者：While A E^*; Heery E; Sheehan A M; Coyne I

来源：Child: Care, Health and Development , 2017, 43(1): 144-151.

DOI：10.1111/cch.12410

• health-related quality of life
• long-term illness
• congenital heart disease
• diabetes
• cystic fibrosis
• transfer
• transition
• gender
• maternal overprotection
• psychosocial development

Background The numbers of children with long-term illnesses surviving into adulthood and transferring from child to adult services has increased dramatically in the last 30 years. This study aimed to examine health-related quality of life pre- and post-transfer from child to adult healthcare for young people with three long-term illnesses.
Methods A total of 217 young people with cystic fibrosis, congenital heart defects or diabetes attending child and adult hospital services in Dublin, Ireland completed a questionnaire survey. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of five dimensions of health-related quality of life pre- and post-transfer.
Results Post-transfer young people with congenital heart disease and diabetes reported significantly lower physical well-being than their pre-transfer counterparts. Pre-transfer young people with cystic fibrosis reported significantly lower physical well-being than those with diabetes, but there was no significant difference post-transfer. Pre-transfer females reported lower scores than males on the Psychological Well-being and Autonomy and Parent Relation dimensions; however, these differences disappeared post-transfer. Higher maternal overprotection scores were associated with significantly lower scores on the Psychological Well-being, Autonomy and Parent Relation, and Social Support and Peers dimensions, regardless of transfer status.
Conclusions Disease group, gender and maternal overprotection were predictors of health-related quality of life pre-and post-transfer from child to adult healthcare. Transition programmes should promote self-management and discourage parental overprotection.

• 出版日期2017-1