Transition from child to adult services for young people with cerebral palsy in Ireland: influencing factors at multiple ecological levels
Aim: To explore the factors that influence the process of transitioning from child to adult services in Ireland among young people with cerebral palsy, their parents, and service providers.
Method: This study followed a qualitative descriptive approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 54 participants, including young people with cerebral palsy aged 16 to 22 years (n = 13), their parents (n = 14), and service providers (n = 27). Data were analysed using the Framework Method. Findings were categorized using an ecological model across four levels: individual, microsystem, mesosystem, and exosystem.
Results: Limited awareness, preparation, and access to information hindered successful transition. Microsystem factors such as family knowledge, readiness, resilience, and health professional expertise influenced transition experience. Mesosystem factors encompassed provider-family interaction, interprofessional partnerships, and interagency collaboration between child and adult services. Exosystem factors included inadequate availability and distribution of adult services, limited referral options, coordination challenges, absence of transition policies, staffing issues, and funding allocation challenges.
Interpretation: Transition is influenced by diverse factors at multiple ecological levels, including interactions within families, between health professionals, and larger systemic factors. Given the complexity of transition, a comprehensive multi-level response is required, taking into account the interactions among individuals, services, and systems.
Funding
Health Research Board and the Central Remedial Clinic, Grant/Award Number: APA-2019-004
Open access funding provided by IReL.
History
Comments
The original article is available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/Published Citation
Fortune J. et al. Transition from child to adult services for young people with cerebral palsy in Ireland: influencing factors at multiple ecological levels. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2024;66(5):623-634.Publication Date
17 October 2023External DOI
PubMed ID
37849380Department/Unit
- Public Health and Epidemiology
- School of Population Health
Publisher
BlackwellVersion
- Published Version (Version of Record)