Psychosocial outcomes and transition readiness in uveitis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Describing relationships between psychosocial outcomes and readiness for transition in adolescent and young adult patients with uveitis – a pilot study
IRAS ID
225764
Contact name
Daniel P Hawley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Uveitis describes chronic inflammation of the eye which can lead to permanent damage and blindness if left untreated. It frequently occurs in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and often does not cause any symptoms in the early stages. Studies examining the psychosocial outcomes (e.g., anxiety, social support) in adolescents and young adults with uveitis are scarce. This is surprising since such psychosocial factors are likely to have a significant influence on patients' readiness to transition from paediatric to adult health services. Consequently, we propose a pilot study that aims to collect self-report questionnaire data from patients with uveitis aged 10-25 years in order to examine the relationship between psychosocial outcomes and readiness for transition.
We recently collaborated with representatives from the national consumer group in designing a questionnaire comprising a range of validated psychosocial measures. Consumer representatives ranked 19 potential psychosocial measures in terms of acceptability and usefulness, which informed the design of the final questionnaire (currently being used in a separate study assessing relationships between psychosocial outcomes and transition readiness in adolescents and young adults aged 10-25 years with JIA).
This study will be undertaken in the Sheffield uveitis service, which has an established seamless transition pathway from paediatric to adult services. Thirty-five patients with uveitis aged 10-25 years spread across the paediatric and adult sites will be invited to participate in this study. A parent/guardian of participants based at the paediatric site will also be invited to take part.
In addition to questionnaire data, this study will collect data from adolescent and young adult patient focus groups in order to provide additional insights into the psychosocial outcomes and transition-related concerns of adolescents and young adults with uveitis.
The findings from this research will be important in better understanding how psychosocial factors influence transition readiness in patients with uveitis.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/YH/0237
Date of REC Opinion
25 Aug 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion