Addressing the unmet needs of transitional care in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Abstract

Objectives We aimed to comprehensively analyze the available literature to identify the unmet requirements in transitional programs tailored specifically for patients diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods According to published guidance on narrative reviews, a systematic review of the literature on transitional care in rheumatology was conducted. Pertinent documents were collected from reputable databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, and MEDLINE/PubMed. The search encompassed literature published from the databases' inception until January 2023. Results In this study, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on a total of 34 studies. Among these, 12 studies focused on assessing the readiness of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic JIA. Additionally, 18 studies examined the effectiveness of structured transition programs in terms of adherence and satisfaction. Finally, 4 studies investigated disease-related outcomes in this population. Conclusion The need for transitioning children with rheumatic diseases to adult rheumatology care for continued care is clearly evident. However, the absence of established best practice guidelines presents a challenge in facilitating this transition effectively. Although several scoring systems have been proposed to ensure organized and seamless transfers, a consensus has not yet been reached. Furthermore, the socioeconomic and cultural variations across countries further complicate the development of universal guidelines for transitioning children with rheumatic diseases. To address these concerns, our objective in conducting this literature review was to emphasize the significance of this issue and identify the specific requirements based on the unmet needs of the transition process.