Beliefs About Pain in Pediatric Inflammatory and Noninflammatory Chronic Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: The Common Sense Self-Regulatory Model posits that beliefs about pain influence coping behaviors and subsequent physical and mental health outcomes in children/young people with chronic musculoskeletal conditions. It was unclear how and what beliefs had been investigated in this population, and whether there were similarities and differences in beliefs held about pain by those experiencing inflammatory versus noninflammatory musculoskeletal conditions. This scoping review addressed this gap. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted using four databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and CINAHL) in November 2021. Primary studies exploring key stakeholders' (including children, parents, and/or healthcare professionals) beliefs about pain underlying pediatric chronic musculoskeletal conditions were synthesized. RESULTS: Eighteen articles were identified. Cross-sectional designs were predominantly used to explore beliefs (n = 6). The majority used questionnaires to assess beliefs (n = 12). Beliefs common across musculoskeletal conditions were that children/young people felt their pain was not understood by others, and pain affected their physical functioning. Differences included children/young people and parents thinking they had some ability to control pain, and causal beliefs relating to underlying disease activity. These pain beliefs were more likely to be held in relation to inflammatory diagnoses. In contrast, children/young people and parents were more likely to view pain as uncontrollable, with more uncertainty regarding underlying causes, relating to noninflammatory diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: Methods used to explore pain beliefs were inconsistent. Studies identified similarities and differences which appear to be closely related to the underlying diagnosis. Findings justify further exploration to identify potentially modifiable targets to improve pain outcomes in this population.

"My gut feeling is ": An Ethnographic Study Exploring Interprofessional Communication About Children and Adolescents With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Paediatric Rheumatology.

Interprofessional communication about inflammatory and non-inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions is an important component of assessment and management in paediatric rheumatology. Chronic pain is a feature of some of these conditions which likely influences the extent and type of communication about pain. Research investigating interprofessional communication about paediatric pain is limited but has found that communication is inclusive of the biopsychosocial context of children/adolescents as well as their families. The aim of this ethnographic study was to explore interprofessional communication about children and adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain in paediatric rheumatology. We observed forty-five healthcare professionals recruited from 3 UK paediatric rheumatology teams during thirty multi-disciplinary team meetings. Contemporaneous field notes created during observations were analysed using grounded theory procedures. Core processes identified in interprofessional communication involved describing, making sense of, and managing children/adolescents with pain and their families. Topic areas discussed within these core processes included healthcare professional perceptions about children's and parents' personality characteristics, as well as healthcare professionals' familiarity with families. Underlying diagnoses and possible attributions of pain aetiology were also discussed. Interprofessional narratives included consideration of the potential anxieties and uncertainties about pain within families. Healthcare professionals communicated about strategies for managing expectations about pain. These findings characterise the nuances in interprofessional communication about pain and can be used to inform future work aimed at understanding and optimising the impact of interprofessional communication on clinical decisions and pain outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: This study characterises the processes (series of actions), the function (purpose) and the content (topic areas) of interprofessional communication about paediatric pain in rheumatology settings. These findings should be used to inform interventions targeting both the appropriateness and effectiveness of this communication.

Addressing education and employment outcomes in the provision of healthcare for young people with physical long-term conditions: A systematic review and mixed methods synthesis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and synthesise the experiences and benefits of addressing vocational issues in the provision of healthcare for young people (YP) with long-term conditions (LTCs). METHODS: We searched 10 bibliographic databases. Restrictions were applied on publication date (1996-2020) and language (English). Two reviewers independently screened records against eligibility criteria. Articles reporting relevant qualitative and/or quantitative research were included. Quality appraisal was undertaken following study selection. Qualitative data were synthesised thematically, and quantitative data narratively. A cross-study synthesis integrated qualitative and quantitative findings. RESULTS: 43 articles were included. Thematic synthesis of qualitative studies (n = 23) resulted in seven recommendations for intervention (psychological support; information/signposting; skills training; career advice; healthcare-school/workplace collaboration; social support; flexible/responsive care). The narrative synthesis summarised results of 17 interventions (n = 20 quantitative studies). The cross-study synthesis mapped interventions against recommendations. Transitional care was the intervention type that most comprehensively met our proposed recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from YP perspectives highlights that vocational development is an important area to address in healthcare provision. Robust intervention studies in this area are lacking. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our evidence-based recommendations for intervention can support health professionals to better address vocational issues/outcomes. With minimal adaptations, transitional care interventions would be particularly well suited to deliver this.

Growing up with chronic pain: a systematic review of the evidence in transitional care for young people with chronic pain.

Objective: Paediatric chronic pain presents a significant individual and societal burden, with an estimated prevalence of 11-38%. A large proportion of adolescents with chronic pain will have unresolved pain that continues into adulthood and thus requires transitional care. The aim of this review was to investigate the current evidence for the core components of effective transitional care interventions designed for young people with chronic pain. Methods: Studies were identified by searching the Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases. A search strategy using terms such as 'Adolescent', 'Persistent long-term pain' and 'Transition' (or variations of such words) was implemented. Inclusion criteria were sample population age 10-24 years, a confirmed diagnosis of a condition characterized by chronic pain, any healthcare setting, any service provider, published peer reviewed and English language. Results: Ninety-eight articles were identified by the search and 14 were selected after abstract screening. Two independent reviewers screened the articles, followed by a senior reviewer. Of the 14 articles, full-text review found that none of the articles looked specifically at evidence with respect to core components of effective transitional care designed for young people with chronic pain. Conclusion: Chronic pain is a feature of many long-term health conditions. It remains unknown as to whether there are any pain-specific aspects of transitional care. How pain management is addressed in existing transitional care provision and the relationship of pain to outcomes needs further research. If effective interventions can be provided during these crucial years, the trajectory of these young people can potentially be improved into adulthood.

Is time a healer? How quality of life changes over time reported by parents of children and young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and young people with JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis) over 3 years following diagnosis. METHODS: Data on children and young people recruited to the Childhood Arthritis Prospective Study (CAPS) were selected if >5 years of age at diagnosis. HRQoL was assessed at diagnosis (baseline), 1 year and 3 years using the proxy-reported Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) completed by a parent or guardian. The CHQ measures aspects of HRQoL including physical functioning and mental health. Analyses included descriptive statistics, comparison with a US reference population and analysis of CHQ scores longitudinally and by gender and age of onset. RESULTS: Using CHQ data from parents/guardians of 182 CAPS study participants [median age 9.6 years (interquartile range 7.2-12.2)], all HRQoL domains significantly improved over the 3 year follow-up, except general health perceptions. Physical health domains showed greater improvement than psychosocial domains, although psychosocial scores were generally higher than physical scores throughout. Although similar at diagnosis, at 1 year females had significantly worse HRQoL than males in physical functioning (P = 0.03), bodily pain (P = 0.03), mental health (P = 0.00), social-emotional (P = 0.02) and social-physical (P < 0.001). Differences largely remained at 3 years. Age at onset was not significantly associated with HRQoL. CONCLUSION: Children and young people with JIA have low HRQoL across domains compared with the reference population. This improves within 3 years of diagnosis, with the greatest improvement within the first year. Early developmentally appropriate clinical intervention is recommended to reduce both psychosocial and physical impact of JIA. The lower HRQoL scores of females require further investigation.

'That's what makes me better': Investigating children and adolescents' experiences of pain communication with healthcare professionals in paediatric rheumatology.

BACKGROUND: Pain communication should be an integral part of clinical consultations, particularly in paediatric rheumatology where children and adolescents frequently present with chronic musculoskeletal pain. To date, literature exploring the nature of and extent to which pain communication occurs has focused on healthcare professionals as respondents, yielding inconsistent and incomplete findings. The aim of this study was to explore children and adolescents' experiences of pain communication in the context of paediatric rheumatology consultations. METHODS: Data were collected using semi-structured telephone interviews with children and adolescents recruited from three tertiary paediatric rheumatology centres in the United Kingdom. A framework analysis approach was used to explore the similarities and divergences in participant accounts. RESULTS: Twenty-six children and adolescents (aged 6-18 years, median = 14, 58% female) participated. Diagnoses included: juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Chronic Idiopathic Pain Syndromes, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome/Hypermobility. Four themes were identified: (1) Co-ordination of pain communication; (2) Barriers to pain communication; (3) Facilitators of pain communication; (4) Dissatisfaction with pain communication. These themes particularly encompassed the process of communication, disclosure of effective and ineffective approaches and the impact of communication. Participants expected questions about pain, felt cared about and found talking about pain natural. Challenges included augmenting the feeling of being different to peers and concerns about management plans changing as a result of pain conversations. CONCLUSIONS: Children and adolescents recalled a range of effective and ineffective pain communication approaches. Our study informs recommendations which highlight how healthcare professionals can improve their communication about pain with children and adolescents in the future. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings demonstrate that children and adolescents attending paediatric rheumatology expect to be and value being asked about their pain during consultations with healthcare professionals. Children and adolescents remember many of the processes involved, experiences of and the outcomes of pain communication. The current study reveals insights which can improve healthcare professional pain communication with children and adolescents. Our study introduces key recommendations for healthcare professionals to have more effective pain conversations in future.

Continuing specialist care into adulthood in young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records in England.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure (1) the proportion of children who continue to receive specialist care (rheumatology/ophthalmology) as adults, (2) the characteristics associated with continuing specialist care, and (3) the frequency of specialist care appointments in both paediatric and adult services. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of young people with JIA was identified from UK primary care electronic health records (Clinical Practice Research Datalink) between 1 April 2003 and 31 December 2018. To be included in the study, cases needed to have at least 1 year of registration at their general practice beyond age 18 and linkage to Hospital Episodes Statistics data for secondary care information. All specialist care outpatient visits were identified from Hospital Episodes Statistics outpatient data. RESULTS: There were 666 young people included in the study. Of these, 427 (64%) received specialist care beyond age 18, 90 (13%) had their last recorded contact at 16-17 years and 149 (22%) did not continue after 16 years. Older age at diagnosis, female gender, less deprivation and a childhood diagnosis of uveitis were associated with continuing specialist care beyond age 18. Of those continuing beyond 18, 35% (n = 153) were subsequently discharged by the study end date. Of all those discharged, 32% had a missed appointment recorded after the last attended visit, suggesting failure to attend. CONCLUSIONS: Two-thirds of young people with JIA continue to receive specialist care beyond age 18. This is useful information for children and young people with JIA and their families planning for their future, and for clinicians planning health-care services.

The Your Rheum story: involvement of young people in rheumatology research.

Until recently, young people too often fell into the gaps between services due to restrictive age criteria. Furthermore, their voice was too infrequently heard or was represented by proxies in the form of their caregivers or by adults recalling their youth. The lack of young person involvement in adolescent health research including the arena of paediatric and adolescent chronic disease has been highlighted in current literature. However, the involvement of young people at all stages of health research, from priority setting through to dissemination, is widely advocated. Furthermore, such involvement is considered to be important ethically and, most important of all, has been called for by young people themselves. Young people have clear views about research and these views potentially enhance our understanding of how young people form opinions about research. These opinions in turn informs researchers how to best engage young people (including recruitment and retention) in research. Such involvement of young people ensures that research questions, project methodologies and/or interventions are truly resonant with their lives. This paper describes the development of a national youth advisory group in UK rheumatology, an important addition to the evolving evidence base to support the involvement of young people in rheumatology research. The paper is written with two young people who are members of this group, providing them with an opportunity to learn more about a key component of research-writing papers for publication.

Quality improvement in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a mixed-methods implementation pilot of the CAPTURE-JIA dataset.

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of children and young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) do not achieve inactive disease during the first two years following diagnosis. Refinements to clinical care pathways have the potential to improve clinical outcomes but a lack of consistent and contemporaneous clinical data presently precludes standard setting and implementation of meaningful quality improvement programmes. This study was the first to pilot clinical data collection and analysis using the CAPTURE-JIA dataset, and to explore patient and clinician-reported feasibility and acceptability data. METHODS: A multiphase mixed-methods approach enabled prospective collection of quantitative data to examine the feasibility and efficacy of dataset collection and of qualitative data informing the context and processes of implementation. An initial paper pilot informed the design of a bespoke electronic data collection system (the Agileware system), with a subsequent electronic pilot informing the final CAPTURE-JIA data collection tool. RESULTS: Paper collection of patient data was feasible but time-consuming in the clinical setting. Phase 1 paper pilot data (121 patients) identified three themes: problematic data items (14/62 data items received >40% missing data), formatting of data collection forms and a clinician-highlighted need for digital data collection, informing Phase 2 electronic data collection tool development. Patients and families were universally supportive of the collection and analysis of anonymised patient data to inform clinical care. No apparent preference for paper / electronic data collection was reported by families. Phase 3 electronic pilot data (38 patients) appeared complete and the system reported to be easy to use. Analysis of the study dataset and a dummy longitudinal dataset confirmed that all eleven JIA national audit questions can be answered using the electronic system. CONCLUSIONS: Multicentre CAPTURE-JIA data collection is feasible and acceptable, with a bespoke data collection system highlighted as the most satisfactory solution. The study is informing ongoing work towards a streamlined and flexible national paediatric data collection system to drive quality improvement in clinical care.

The Role of Age in Delays to Rheumatological Care in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between age and symptom duration at initial presentation to pediatric rheumatology for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: In children and young people (CYP) enrolled in the Childhood Arthritis Prospective Study prior to March 2018, an association between age at presentation (< 5, 5-11, and > 11 yrs) and symptom duration was tested by multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: In 1577 CYP, 5- to 11-year-olds took 3.2 months longer and > 11-year-olds 6.9 months longer to reach pediatric rheumatology than < 5-year-olds. CONCLUSION: Adolescents take longer to reach pediatric rheumatology, potentially affecting their longer-term outcomes given the window of opportunity for JIA treatment.

Data protection, information governance and the potential erosion of ethnographic methods in health care?

With the most recent developments to the European General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) introduced in May 2018, the resulting legislation meant a new set of considerations for study approvers and health-care researchers. Compared with previous legislation in the UK (The Data Protection Act, 1998), it introduced more extensive and directive principles, requiring anybody 'processing' personal data to specifically define how this data will be obtained, stored, used and destroyed. Importantly, it also emphasised the principle of accountability, which meant that data controllers and processors could no longer just state that they planned to adhere to lawful data protection principles, they also had to demonstrate compliance. New questions and concerns around accountability now appear to have increased levels of scrutiny in all areas of information governance (IG), especially with regards to processing confidential patient information. This article explores our experiences of gaining required ethical and regulatory approvals for an ethnographic study in a UK health-care setting, the implications that the common law duty of confidentiality had for this research, and the ways in which IG challenges were overcome. The purpose of this article was to equip researchers embarking on similar projects to be able to navigate the potentially problematic and complex journey to approval.

Identifying the content and context of pain within paediatric rheumatology healthcare professional curricula in the UK: a summative content analysis.

BACKGROUND: The curriculum for professionals working in paediatric rheumatology should include pain but it is unclear to what extent this currently occurs. The aim of this study was to identify pain-related curriculum content and the context in which pain is presented in educational and training documentation for healthcare professionals in this clinical speciality. METHODS: Core curricula documents from UK based professional organisations were identified in partnership with healthcare professionals. Documents were analysed using a summative content analysis approach. Key pain terms were quantified and weighted frequencies were used to explore narrative pain themes. Latent content was interpreted qualitatively to explore the context within which pain terms were positioned. RESULTS: Nine curriculum documents were identified and analysed from doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists specialising in paediatric rheumatology. Pain themes represented a mean percentage of 1.51% of text across all documents. Pain was rarely presented in the context of both inflammatory and non-inflammatory condition types despite being a common feature of each. Musculoskeletal pain was portrayed simply as a 'somatic' symptom, rather than as a complex phenomenon involving biological and psychosocial processes. Content around the assessment and management of pain was vague and inexplicit. CONCLUSION: Current educational and training documentation in paediatric rheumatology do not include core pain topics. Curricula for these healthcare professionals would benefit from updates in contemporary pain theories and examples of in-context, evidence-based pain practices. This should be a priority starting point for optimising patient pain care in paediatric musculoskeletal healthcare.

Developmentally appropriate transitional care during the Covid-19 pandemic for young people with juvenile-onset rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: the rationale for a position statement.

BACKGROUND: The importance of developmentally appropriate transitional care in young people with juvenile-onset rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease is well recognised. The Paediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS) / European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Taskforce has developed international recommendations and standards for transitional care and a growing evidence base supports the positive benefits of such care. However, there is also evidence that universal implementation has yet to be realised. In 2020, against this background the COVID-19 pandemic arrived with significant impact on all our lives, young and old, patient, public and professional alike. The unfortunate reality of the pandemic with potential for unfavourable outcomes on healthcare provision during transition was acknowledged by the PReS working groups in a position statement to support healthcare professionals, young people and their caregivers. AIM: The aim of this review is to present the literature which provides the rationale for the recommendations in the PReS Position Statement. The following areas are specifically addressed: the prime importance of care coordination; the impact of the pandemic on the various aspects of the transition process; the importance of ensuring continuity of medication supply; the pros and cons of telemedicine with young people; ensuring meaningful involvement of young people in service development and the importance of core adolescent health practices such as routine developmental assessment psychosocial screening and appropriate parental involvement during transitional care.

Common Functional Ability Score for Young People With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: As young people enter adulthood, the interchangeable use of child and adult outcome measures may inaccurately capture changes over time. This study aimed to use item response theory (IRT) to model a continuous score for functional ability that can be used no matter which questionnaire is completed. METHODS: Adolescents (ages 11-17 years) in the UK Childhood Arthritis Prospective Study (CAPS) self-completed an adolescent Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and a Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Their parents answered the proxy-completed CHAQ. Those children with at least 2 simultaneously completed questionnaires at initial presentation or 1 year were included. Psychometric properties of item responses within each questionnaire were tested using Mokken analyses to assess the applicability of IRT modeling. A previously developed IRT model from the Pharmachild-NL registry from The Netherlands was validated in CAPS participants. Agreement and correlations between IRT-scaled functional ability scores were tested using intraclass correlations and Wilcoxon's signed rank tests. RESULTS: In 303 adolescents, the median age at diagnosis was 13 years, and 61% were female. CHAQ scores consistently exceeded HAQ scores. Mokken analyses demonstrated high scalability, monotonicity, and the fact that each questionnaire yielded reliable scores. There was little difference in item response characteristics between adolescents enrolled in CAPS and Pharmachild-NL (maximum item residual 0.08). Significant differences were no longer evident between IRT-scaled HAQ and CHAQ scores. CONCLUSION: IRT modeling allows the direct comparison of function scores regardless of different questionnaires being completed by different people over time. IRT modeling facilitates the ongoing assessment of function as adolescents transfer from pediatric clinics to adult services.

Young Minds: Mental Health and Transitional Care in Adolescent and Young Adult Rheumatology.

Consideration of the mental health and emotional wellbeing is an important component of health care for all young people, irrespective of setting. Mental health disorders are common during adolescence and young adulthood and young people with rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are not exempt. For such young people, risks of poor outcomes are related to both mental health as well as their RMD. Times of change during adolescence and young adulthood-transitions-are potentially vulnerable life stages for young people with RMD and warrant specific attention in health care provision. Such transitions include those occurring at puberty, during education, training, and employment, socially with moves away from the parental home, as well as from child to adult-centered health services. There is great potential for rheumatology professionals to support young people with RMD at these transitions in view of their frequent encounters and ongoing therapeutic relationships. In this review, we aim to assess the impact of mental health on RMD during adolescence and young adulthood with particular reference to transitional care provision and how rheumatology professionals can be involved in addressing mental health issues during this time of change.

Adolescents' experiences of fluctuating pain in musculoskeletal disorders: a qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain experience daily fluctuations in pain. Although not all fluctuations are bothersome, pain flares are a distinct type of symptom fluctuation with greater impact. Since literature on the experience of pain flares is non-existent, the aim of this review was to (i) synthesise the qualitative literature on adolescents' experiences of fluctuating pain in musculoskeletal disorders in order to (ii) identify knowledge gaps to inform future research on pain flares. METHODS: Electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO), grey literature and reference lists were searched from inception to June 2018 for qualitative studies reporting adolescents' experiences of pain. Comprehensiveness of reporting was assessed using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Health Research. Studies were analysed using thematic synthesis. RESULTS: Of the 3787 records identified, 32 studies (n = 536) were included. Principal findings were synthesised under three key themes: 1) symptom experience, 2) disruption and loss, and 3) regaining control. The first theme (symptom experience) describes adolescent's perception and interpretation of pain fluctuations. The second theme (disruption and loss) describes the physical, social and emotional constraints faced as a result of changes in pain. The third theme (regaining control) describes coping strategies used to resist and accommodate unpredictable phases of pain. Each theme was experienced differently depending on adolescents' characteristics such as their developmental status, pain condition, and the duration of the pain experience. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain live with a daily background level of symptoms which frequently fluctuate and are associated with functional and emotional difficulties. It was not clear whether these symptoms and challenges were experienced as part of 'typical' fluctuations in pain, or whether they reflect symptom exacerbations classified as 'flares'. Further research is needed to explore the frequency and characteristics of pain flares, and how they differ from their typical fluctuations in pain. The review also highlights areas relating to the pain experience, symptom management and health service provision that require further exploration to support more personalised, tailored care for adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Characterizing pain flares in adolescent inflammatory and non-inflammatory musculoskeletal disorders: A qualitative study using an interpretative phenomenological approach.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with musculoskeletal disorders experience acute exacerbations in pain, colloquially called "pain flares" in adult literature. This study aimed to explore adolescents' lived experience of pain flares, including what pain flares are, why they occur, how they are managed and what lasting effects they have on adolescents. METHODS: A sample of 10 adolescents diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis or chronic idiopathic pain syndrome were recruited from a tertiary hospital in the UK. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and visual aids, and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Four broad themes were identified which describe as a journey of change from participants: (a) daily life with pain, where adolescents report a level of pain that is "normal" for them which they can tolerate and continue their daily routines around; (b) pre-flare period, where adolescents begin to notice pain increasing beyond normal levels and employ preventative strategies to reduce the risk of symptoms developing into a flare; (c) flare period, where adolescents describe the symptoms, frequency, duration, impact and their attempts to manage flares; to their (d) post-flare period, where symptoms begin to return to baseline levels and adolescents take actions to regain the level of normality experienced in daily life. CONCLUSION: This study has identified a number of components of the pain flare experience. Findings show that pain flares are more than an increase in pain intensity; they are multi-layered and require other features to change. These findings help to differentiate pain flares from typical fluctuations in pain.

Delivering developmentally appropriate health care: Roles for psychologists as members of the multi-disciplinary health care team.

There is increasing global attention on the health and wellbeing needs of young people. Preventive and proactive approaches will likely lead to the clearest dividends for young people, their own children and wider society. A brief overview of the international context for young people's health care is given. As well as influencing policy, there are important roles for the health care team, including psychologists, to influence the organisations they work within, advocating for the needs of young people and their families. This is the focus of this article. The concept of developmentally appropriate health care (DAH) for young people is explored. It could help when planning services and approaches that respond to the needs of young people. Building relationships is likely to be key, to connect with young people to help them make health and wellbeing decisions, and provide individualised support. The 'connectedness' research could also be helpful in looking beyond the health care evidence. A key challenge for psychologists and their multi-disciplinary health care colleagues, in practice and research, is to move away from a reliance on binary, easier-to-measure health and wellbeing outcomes and, instead, find ways to promote and measure developmental outcomes that are meaningful to young people and their families.

Facilitating transition of young people with long-term health conditions from children's to adults' healthcare services - implications of a 5-year research programme.

BACKGROUND: During transition from children's to adults' healthcare, young adults with long-term conditions may show delays in psychosocial development compared to their peers without long-term conditions, and deterioration of their conditions' medical control. METHODS: This paper integrates the findings, already published in 10 separate papers, of a 5-year transition research programme. IMPLICATIONS: There is an important role for funders (commissioners) of adults' services to fund transitional healthcare, in addition to funders of children's services who currently take responsibility.It is important that healthcare provider organisations adopt an organisation-wide approach to implementation to ensure that good practice is adopted in children's and adults' services, not just adopted by enthusiasts in some specialties. This includes provision of 'developmentally appropriate healthcare' which recognises the changing biopsychosocial developmental needs of young people.Three features of transitional healthcare were associated with improved outcomes: appropriate parent involvement, promotion of young people's confidence in managing their health and meeting the adult team before transfer. These should be maintained or introduced as a priority.Child and adult healthcare providers should routinely explore with a young person how they approach transition and personalise their clinical approach thereafter.These implications are relevant for a range of stakeholders, including funders of transitional healthcare, organisations providing transitional healthcare and clinical practitioners.