STARx Health Care Transition Readiness Scores among Arabic-Speaking Youth with Chronic Conditions

Background: We assessed Healthcare transition (HCT) readiness among Arabic-speaking youth with chronic conditions—an often-underrepresented group in HCT literature. Using the STARx Questionnaire our study examined 107 youths (mean age 13.3 years) with diverse chronic conditions, such as kidney issues, thalassemia, and diabetes mellitus. Methods: The 18-item self-administered STARx Questionnaire has been utilized in 15 countries to determine HCT. After Arabic translation/back translation from and to English, the questionnaire was administered at Zagazig Hospital in Egypt. Results: The HCT readiness assessment revealed an overall score of 54.30 out of 90, with a weak positive correlation between age and the STARx Questionnaire score (Linear regression line: r2=0.0398, p-0.0394, Figure 1). Further analysis using the STARx Questionnaire showed that the scores for the disease knowledge, self-management, and provider communication subdomains were 15±1/20, 15±2/25, and 12±2/20, respectively with a significant positive correlation with age. The percentages of possible maximum score in each domain were 75±6, 61±7, and 62±10, respectively. Significant sex differences emerged, with males having significantly lower scores in the following questions: “How easy or hard is it to take care of yourself?” (p=0.0364), “How often do you forget to take your medication?” (p=0.0025), “how often did you need someone to remind you to take your medicines?” (p=0.0032), and “how often did you take your medicines on your own?” (p=0.0316). Conclusion: In this Arabic-speaking cohort of youth with chronic conditions, the average HCT readiness score was 54/90 with the best domain in disease knowledge. As in other countries, we observed significant sex differences in self-management and medication adherence which require attention to improve long-term outcomes. Providers need to develop strategies to augment HCT readiness.