Assessing Readiness for Transition From Pediatric to Adult Gender Affirming Care

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Gender-Affirming Care
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare is crucial for adolescents.
• Optimizing this transition for transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) youth requires further understanding.
• The Transition Readiness and Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) is validated for other pediatric groups but not yet for TGNB youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot the TRAQ in TGNB patients.
• To describe transition readiness patterns in TGNB youth.
• To identify factors associated with transition readiness in this population.

Main Methods:

• The TRAQ was implemented in routine care at a pediatric gender program.
• A retrospective chart review analyzed TRAQ responses against demographic and clinical data.
• Data from 153 adolescents (mean age 19 years) were collected.

Main Results:

• The TRAQ showed good internal reliability (Cronbach alpha = 0.926) in TGNB youth.
• Patients scored highest in provider communication and health tracking, lowest in medication management and appointment keeping.
• Older age and attending appointments independently were associated with higher TRAQ scores.

Conclusions:

• The TRAQ is a reliable tool for assessing transition readiness in TGNB youth.
• Findings highlight specific areas for support, such as medication management and appointment adherence.
• Future research should focus on longitudinal tracking, intervention development, and post-transition outcomes.