title: Transition care for adolescents and families with chronic illnesses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the attitudes of adolescents and parents toward transition care and to identify factors and barriers associated with transition decision.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at a pediatric out-patient clinic using a self-administered questionnaire to evaluate the perspective of adolescent chronic patients on transition care for common chronic diseases. Despite its importance as emphasized in medical literature, transition care for adolescent patients with chronic illnesses is under-developed in Hong Kong.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 137 adolescents aged 16-19 years, and 67 parents completed the survey; 85.3% of adolescents and 82.5% of parents were willing to transfer to adult care. "Adolescent's perception of his/her own responsibility towards chronic illness" was positively associated with willingness to transfer to adult care (OR = 3.84; 95% CI, 1.41-10.45; p = .008), whereas "Detailed explanation by doctors" encouraged transition decision for adolescents (OR = 12.20; 95% CI, 1.22-122.33; p = .033). "Do not want to change" was the only significant barrier for transition for both adolescents (OR = .08; 95% CI, .01-.50; p = .007) and parents (OR = .07; 95% CI, .02-.36; p = .001). However, less than 10% of subjects had ever received any transition information from doctors or other healthcare workers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study in Asia region evaluating attitudes of adolescents and parents on transition care. The majority of adolescents and parents accept transition care from pediatrics to adult service, but only a small proportion has ever received transition information from doctors. Our findings should be useful to healthcare providers in planning transition care programmes for adolescent patients with chronic illnesses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Tseung Kwan O, Kowloon, Hong Kong. lilianwong@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Lilian H L
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Frank W K
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Fiona Y Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Eliza L Y
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Kwai Fun
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Huen
authors.forename: Eng-Kiong
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Yeoh
authors.forename: Tai-Fai
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Fok
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires