Improving Transition Readiness for Teens With Epilepsy

Source: JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Summary

This study looked at how a mobile health program based on the transtheoretical model (TTM) could help adolescents with epilepsy become more ready to manage their health as they transition to adult care. Researchers involved 98 adolescents aged 12 to 18, dividing them into two groups: one that received the TTM-based program and another that received standard care. The program included group sessions and digital tools to support self-management and motivation over six months.

The key findings showed that the adolescents who participated in the TTM-based program had better self-management behaviors compared to those in the control group. By the end of the study, more participants in the intervention group had moved to advanced stages of self-management, while many in the control group remained in earlier stages. Both groups improved in areas like medication management and communication with healthcare providers, but the intervention group had even greater improvements.

These results are important because they suggest that a structured mobile health program can help adolescents with epilepsy prepare for adult healthcare more effectively. However, the study had some limitations, such as being conducted at a single center with a small number of participants and a short duration. More extensive research is needed to confirm these findings and understand how to best support adolescents with epilepsy during their transition to adult care.

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