Patient navigator programmes for children and adolescents with chronic diseases

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Healthcare
• Chronic Disease Management
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Global rise in chronic diseases among children and adolescents, mirroring adult trends.
• Chronic conditions significantly impact child well-being, family, and healthcare systems.
• Traditional adult chronic care models are insufficient for unique pediatric needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effectiveness of patient navigator programs for children and adolescents with chronic diseases.
• To assess the impact of patient navigators on quality of life and healthcare utilization.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified through comprehensive database searches.
• Included 17 RCTs with 2895 participants comparing patient navigators to standard care.
• Meta-analysis used where study durations and outcome measures were comparable; risk of bias and certainty of evidence assessed.

Main Results:

• Evidence regarding patient navigators' effects on quality of life (child, parent, caregiver) and healthcare utilization (hospital admissions, ED visits) is very uncertain due to low-certainty evidence.
• Data on missed school days were sparse, and meta-analysis of resource use was not possible due to heterogeneity.
• All included studies reported potential cost savings or quality-adjusted life year improvements in the patient navigation arm.

Conclusions:

• Insufficient evidence currently supports patient navigator programs for pediatric chronic diseases.
• The existing evidence is of very low certainty and likely to change with further research.
• Further high-quality studies are necessary to establish the effectiveness of patient navigators in this population.