Effectiveness of a Transition Program for Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes in the Transition to Adulthood

Effectiveness of a Transition Program for Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes in the Transition to Adulthood

Effectiveness of a Person-Centred Transition Program to Empower Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes in the Transition to Adulthood: the STEPSTONES-DIAB Project

Karolinska University Hospital, Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation, Swedish Diabetes Foundation, Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care, The Swedish Research Council, Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research

The transfer of young people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to adult care occurs during a critical period of life, while many young people with T1D have unsatisfactory glycemic control. The preparation to take over responsibility for their health and self-care as well as increasing their participation in care are important aspects for strengthening people's own ability, an important component of person-centered care. STEPSTONES-DIAB aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a person-centred transition program for adolescents with T1D to empower them to become active partners in their care. The study is conducted at two hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden where 140 patients will be randomized to either a structured, person-centered transition program over a 2.5 -year period or to usual care. Outcome measures is empowerment, participation and responsibility in care, health status, glycemic control as well as the participants' experiences of care during transfer.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood. Each year, nearly 86 000 children around the world develop T1D. The annual mean incidence rates varies from 0.1-60/100000 with Sweden as one of the "top" incidence countries. Within diabetes care, most health care professionals agree that a lack of effective transfer from pediatric to adult care may contribute to insufficient continuity of health care and increased risk for adverse outcomes in young adults with T1D diabetes. In order to help the adolescent in the transitions to adulthood and adult care, transitions programs have been proposed as a complex intervention with the objective of maximizing lifelong functioning and potential through appropriate healthcare services. Therefore, research on transition and transfer, and on interventions that have the potential to improve both these clinical processes, is important. Patient empowerment is recognized as an essential element of transition interventions. Through the promotion of patient empowerment the adolescents can become active partners in their care and have the knowledge and capacity to make decisions that affect their life and health status. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a transition program for adolescents with type 1 diabetes within a randomized controlled trial. During the course of the study, participants will be part of a transition program or receive usual care before being transferred to adult care. The primary outcome is level of empowerment and secondary outcomes include health behavior as well as diabetes specific and transfer specific variables. The investigators will assess the effectiveness of the transition program by comparing the level of empowerment (primary outcome) between the participants who received usual care and those who participated in the transition program. A higher level of empowerment from the group part of the intervention is expected. The economic evaluation entails an impact budget assessment and a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Participants come from two clinics and will be randomly allocated to this group. Participants will go through a transition program which will last for 2 years. The intervention will be performed by specialist nurses (transition coordinators) who meet the participants at three occasions during the study period and participants will be offered to meet peers with type 1 diabetes during an adolescent day.

Participants allocated to this group will receive usual care, which includes regular follow-up visits in pediatric diabetes outpatient clinics. Usual care can vary across the two clinics, however, they all include meetings with a nurse and a physician.

A Person-Centred Transition Program to Empower Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes in the Transition to Adulthood: the STEPSTONES-DIAB Project

Behavioral: Transition program Participants will be part of a transition program that aim to prepare them for adult life and adult care wich includes eight key components: 1. A transition coordinator; 2. Education on diabetes, treatments, health behavior, dealing with school, friends; 3. Telephone availability; 4. Information about the adult diabetes service: 5. Guidance of parents; 6. Meeting with peers: 7. A person-centered transition plan; and 8. Preparation and transfer to adult diabetes service.

Participants allocated to this group will receive usual care, which includes regular follow-up visits in pediatric diabetes outpatient clinics. Usual care can vary across the two clinics, however, they all include meetings with a nurse and a physician.

Gothenburg Young Persons Empowerment Scale (GYPES) will be used to assess the level of empowerment. This scale was developed by the researchers involved in this study and has been tested in a previous cross sectional study in order to determine its psychometric properties in adolescents with congenital heart disease and type 1 diabetes.The five subscales measure: (a) self-perceived level of understanding of their disease (knowledge and understanding); (b) the capacity patients have to handle their disease (personal control); (c) the effect their illness has on their lives and sense of self (identity); (d) the capacity to make decisions along with the healthcare professional (shared decision-making); and (e) the ability to share their experiences and help others who are going through a similar situation (enabling others). The total score ranges from 15 to 75 points, with a higher score reflecting a higher level of empowerment.

Readiness for transition questionnaire RTQ (adolescent version). These questionnaires examine two aspects. First, the overall transition readiness is assessed, using two items ranging from 1 to 4. The sum of these two items results in a score ranging from 2 to 8. Second, the frequency of adolescent responsibility and parental involvement are reported in 10 different health behaviours, on a five-point Likert scale. Each variable results in a total score ranging from 10 to 40, and higher scores indicate higher adolescent responsibility or parental involvement, respectively.

Readiness for transition questionnaire RTQ (parent version). These questionnaires examine two aspects. First, the overall transition readiness is assessed, using two items ranging from 1 to 4. The sum of these two items results in a score ranging from 2 to 8. Second, the frequency of adolescent responsibility and parental involvement are reported in 10 different health behaviours, on a five-point Likert scale. Each variable results in a total score ranging from 10 to 40, and higher scores indicate higher adolescent responsibility or parental involvement, respectively.

Health Behaviour Scale. Health behaviours are measured with the Health Behavior Scale-CHD. Health behaviours are 'activities a person undertakes to maintain or improve health and prevent diseases'.30 This scale assesses alcohol consumption, tobacco use, dental care and physical activity. The scale has 15 items that help to calculate three summary risk scores: substance use (score 0-100), dental hygiene (score 0-100) and total health risk score (score 0-100). Higher risk scores represent unhealthier behaviours.

Health Behaviour Scale. Health behaviours are measured with the Health Behavior Scale-CHD. Health behaviours are 'activities a person undertakes to maintain or improve health and prevent diseases'.30 This scale assesses alcohol consumption, tobacco use, dental care and physical activity. The scale has 15 items that help to calculate three summary risk scores: substance use (score 0-100), dental hygiene (score 0-100) and total health risk score (score 0-100). Higher risk scores represent unhealthier behaviours.

DISABKIDS Chronic Generic Measure - DCGM-12 measure general quality of life and the level of distress caused by a chronic disease.The short-form of the DISABKIDS chronic generic module consists of 12 five-point Likert-scaled items assigned to the three domains: mental, social and physical. Higher scores represents better outcome.

DISABKIDS Diabetes Module (DM) consists of 13 five-point Likert scaled items and has two scales, an Impact and a Treatment scale. The Impact scale describes emotional reactions of needing to control every day life, and to restrict one's diet, the Treatment scale refers to carrying equipment and planning treatment. Higher scores represents better outcome.

Check your Health measures self-perceived physical and emotional health, social relationships, and general QoL on four vertical thermometer scales, ranging from 0 to 100, with 0 indicating low self-perceived health. Each scale indicates self-perceived health with diabetes and, on the same scale, self-perceived health without diabetes. The measured difference between self-perceived health with and without diabetes is defined as the burden of diabetes.

Glycaemic control measured as HbA1c (mmol/mol), using a capillary test and analysed using the DCA 2000 apparatus (Siemens Medical Solution Diagnostics, Mölndal, Sweden). Higher values represent av worse outcome.

Glycaemic control measured as HbA1c (mmol/mol), using a capillary test and analysed using the DCA 2000 apparatus (Siemens Medical Solution Diagnostics, Mölndal, Sweden). Higher values represent av worse outcome.

Number of severe hypoglycemic events requiring assistance from others. Higher numbers represent a worse outcome.

Time between last visit in pediatric care and first visit in adult care. Longer time between visits represents a worse outcome.

Number of months between the last visit in pediatric care, pre-transfer and the first visit in adult care, post-transfer, assessed up to 2 years

Inclusion Criteria: Literate Swedish-speaking Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (one year duration) Age: 16 years Exclusion Criteria: Conditions affecting cognitive abilities If other diagnosis are present, type 1 diabetes must be the primary diagnosis

Children's Outpatient Diabetes Clinics, Astrid Lindgrens Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital

Children's Outpatient Diabetes Clinics, Astrid Lindgrens Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital

Coded files will be available only for research purposes. Information will be given after a letter with the intention of the study has been submitted to the Steering Committee who will determine whether to approve or deny the application.

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