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



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.



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.



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.
Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, King's College London, London, UK.
A E
AE
While
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
E
E
Heery
Centre for Effective Services, Dublin, Ireland.
A M
AM
Sheehan
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
I
I
Coyne
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D060305:Transition to Adult Care; D055815:Young Adult
congenital heart disease; cystic fibrosis; diabetes; gender; health-related quality of life; long-term illness; maternal overprotection; psychosocial development; transfer; transition