Parent-to-Child Transition in Managing Cystic Fibrosis: A Research Synthesis

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Health Services Research
• Mixed Methods Research

Background:

• Cystic Fibrosis (CF) management involves multiple treatments requiring adherence.
• Parental roles in CF care transition to children over time.
• Existing CF research often focuses narrowly on single treatments or age groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize qualitative and quantitative findings on CF management transition from parent to child.
• To identify factors influencing adherence across treatments and over time.
• To integrate research on the evolving roles in pediatric CF care.

Main Methods:

• Mixed research synthesis of 17 reports from 16 studies.
• Utilized an existing grounded theory as a framework for synthesis.
• Integrated findings from both qualitative and quantitative research designs.

Main Results:

• Confirmed the existing grounded theory framework for CF care transition.
• Identified three additional factors influencing parent-to-child transition of CF management.
• Demonstrated the complexity of adherence across multiple CF treatments and developmental stages.

Conclusions:

• The transition of CF care management from parents to children is a complex, multi-faceted process.
• Understanding influencing factors is crucial for optimizing adherence and outcomes in pediatric cystic fibrosis.
• Further research should explore the identified factors to support successful care transitions.