Transition readiness in middle and older adolescents with asthma and associated factors: a descriptive study

Abstract

Objective

Asthma is the leading chronic health condition in adolescents, yet little is known about adolescents’ readiness to transition into adult-focused care. This study examines transition readiness in middle and late adolescents with asthma.

Methods

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2019 with 41 adolescents (16–20 years old) with asthma. Transition readiness was measured with the 20-item Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ), which comprises five subscales.

Results

Slight majorities of the sample comprised females (58.5%) and minority adolescents (56%). The sample’s overall mean score on the TRAQ was 3.89 (±0.63; possible range 1–5). Managing daily activities was associated with talking with providers subscale (r = 0.36; p < 0.01), but not with other TRAQ subscales. Females reported greater scores for managing medications than did males, with mean = 4.2 vs. 3.6 (t = −2.15, p = 0.04). Transition readiness did not differ by race or health insurance type. However, scores on arranging transportation to medical appointments were lower among minority adolescents than whites (4.17 vs. 4.8, t = 2.56, p = 0.01). Better asthma control was associated with higher scores on talking with providers (r = –0.42; p < 0.01), but not with other subscale domains.

Conclusions

Overall transition readiness is suboptimal in middle to late adolescents with asthma. Adolescents’ capacity to manage daily activities is not a valid indicator of transition readiness in disease self-management. It is important to consider gender, race, and asthma control in understanding transition readiness in adolescents with asthma.

Keywords:

• Adolescents
• asthma
• transition readiness
• self-management
• gender difference
• race difference
• asthma control

Acknowledgements

Authors would like to acknowledge Alexandrea Bentham, Caroline Horrigan-Mauer, and Onwaniqua Heard for their efforts in recruitment and data collection for this study. Our deepest gratitude to all adolescents who participated in the study.

Declaration of interest

All authors declare no conflict of interest to disclose.

Author contributions

Dr. Rhee contributed substantially to the acquisition, analysis, interpretation of data for the work, and drafting of the manuscript. Ms. Choi contributed substantially to the analysis and interpretation of data, and critically revising the work for important intellectual content. Dr. Tumiel-Berhalter contributed substantially to the acquisition of data and critically reviewing and revising the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors have provided final approval of the version of this manuscript to be submitted.

Additional information

Funding

Time to conduct the study was partially supported by the National Institute of Health/National Institute for Nursing Research (Grant number: R01NR014451, PI. Dr. Rhee). The funding source had not been involved in study design, data collection/analysis/interpretation, writing of the report or decision to submit the article for publication.