Health Care Transitions for Children with Sickle Cell Disease: Interventions, Perspectives of Health Care Providers and Caregivers

Abstract

The incapacitating episodic complications associated with the Sickle Cell disease (SCD) limit the opportunities of those SCD patients in education, societal roles, career options, and quality of life, leading to an increase in under-5 mortality. The United Nations included the reduction of newborns and children under-5 mortality among the Sustainable Development Goals. Healthcare providers and caregivers are often involved in the process, have their own perceptions, and challenges. This paper aimed to review relevant studies regarding aspects of health care providers, caregivers, and intervention programs toward strengthening the health care transition in children with SCDs. Literature searched was conducted into PubMed to identify relevant studies. Several intervention programs have been developed and tested, including the transtheoretical model, self-efficacy, theory of planned behavior, and bioecological model, among others. The available literature demonstrates the efficacy of psychosocial, therapeutics, and technological interventions for overcoming SCD-related complications. It was found that the use of wireless and information technology in health care transitions for children with SCD has been gaining more attention. More well-designed studies and holistic approaches are needed to improve the health care transition in children with SCD.

Keywords

• transition care
• sickle cell disease
• pediatric care
• transition care intervention
• providers