Youth Peer Support and Self-Management: Preparing for health care transition from paediatrics to adult services
Deanna Darwall 1,2, Jane Ho1,2, Gretel Butler1, Jourdan Hancock11The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, Randwick and Westmead , NSW, Australia2University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW, Australia
Abstract
Developmentally appropriate health care recognises the biopsychosocial developmental stages of young people. This includes the need to empower young people by embedding health education and promotion in consultations.
Evidence suggests that peer-led interventions, moderated by clinicians, give young people the opportunity to share information, health values and behaviours among peers. This process supports young people to increase their health literacy, improve their physical, mental and social health, whilst improving their self-management skills and independence. We propose this methodology will in turn enhance transition experiences.
The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network Youth and Transition Department are piloting a co-designed, peer-led self-management program providing condition-specific transition information to enhance self-management, health literacy, psychosocial wellbeing, and independence for young people living with heart failure and transplant as they prepare for health care transition from paediatric to adult settings.
The pilot program has been co-designed with young people aged 14-24yrs accessing clinical services at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. It is facilitated by two senior allied health clinicians, supporting young people to independently manage their health conditions in preparation for transition with a supportive psychosocial framework.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of this peer-support methodology in enhancing self-management skills, health literacy, psychosocial outcomes, medication adherence and other condition specific health outcomes has been undertaken through patient reported and clinician reported measures completed pre and post intervention.
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