Be on TRAQ – Cross-cultural adaptation of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ 5.0) and pilot testing of the German Version (TRAQ-GV-15)

Abstract

Transfer from pediatric care into the adult health care system is known to be a vulnerable phase in the lives of youth with special health care needs (YSHCN). Recommendations from the literature favor assessment of transition readiness rather than simply pass over YSHCN from pediatric to adult-centered care by the age of 18. Nevertheless, no validated and disease neutral assessment instrument in German exists to date. Hence, our aim was to cross-culturally adapt and to pilot-test a German version of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ 5.0). We wanted to provide a tool that can be applied broadly during the health care transition (HCT) process of YSHCN.

Keywords

• autonomy
• health care self-management
• health care transition
• health literacy
• pediatric onset chronic illness
• youth