Community health worker support to adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease: A multi-method analysis on transition-related support

Health Care Transitions Pub Date : 2026-01-01 Epub Date: 2026-05-21 DOI:10.1016/j.hctj.2026.100137

Jayanne Forrest BS , Claudio Galea BS , Caren Steinway DrPH, LMSW, MPH , Olivia Teng MSPH , Jack Chen MBS , Sophia Jan MD, MSHP , Banu Aygun MD , Abena Appiah-Kubi MD, MPH , Nataly Apollonsky MD , Donna Boruchov MD , Omar Niss MD , Biree Andemariam MD , Katherine Wu MPH , Emmanuel Nortey MPH , Kim Smith-Whitley MD , Symme Trachtenberg MSW , Tanisha Belton DrPH, MPH

{"title":"Community health worker support to adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease: A multi-method analysis on transition-related support","authors":"Jayanne Forrest BS , Claudio Galea BS , Caren Steinway DrPH, LMSW, MPH , Olivia Teng MSPH , Jack Chen MBS , Sophia Jan MD, MSHP , Banu Aygun MD , Abena Appiah-Kubi MD, MPH , Nataly Apollonsky MD , Donna Boruchov MD , Omar Niss MD , Biree Andemariam MD , Katherine Wu MPH , Emmanuel Nortey MPH , Kim Smith-Whitley MD , Symme Trachtenberg MSW , Tanisha Belton DrPH, MPH","doi":"10.1016/j.hctj.2026.100137","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Transitioning to adult care is challenging for adolescent and young adults (AYA) with sickle cell disease (SCD), often leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Community health workers (CHWs) may offer patient-centered support during this vulnerable transition.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a multi-method descriptive analysis of CHW encounter documentation from the CHW arm of the COMETS randomized clinical trial, which compared CHW support, mobile health, and enhanced usual care in improving health-related quality of life among transitioning AYA with SCD. Quantitative analyses characterized participant engagement and progression of participant-identified, transition-related goals during a 6-month intervention period. Qualitative analyses examined CHW documentation to contextualize how CHWs supported development of self-management and self-advocacy skills among AYA with SCD.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 120 participants (median age 18.7 years; 52% female; 92% Black or African American), 95% were successfully contacted within a median of 5 days. Participants set an average of 2.5 goals during the six-month intervention period, with 70% achieved by the end of the program. Qualitative analysis of CHW documentation revealed primary themes of transition readiness (48%), lifestyle improvements (21%), and hospitalizations or medical emergencies (19%).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This multi-method descriptive analysis demonstrates that CHWs can provide effective, scalable support for AYA with SCD during the transition to adult care. Future studies should explore the value and applicability of this model to other chronic pediatric conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100602,"journal":{"name":"Health Care Transitions","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100137"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Health Care Transitions","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949923226000103","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/5/21 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Transitioning to adult care is challenging for adolescent and young adults (AYA) with sickle cell disease (SCD), often leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Community health workers (CHWs) may offer patient-centered support during this vulnerable transition.

Methods

We conducted a multi-method descriptive analysis of CHW encounter documentation from the CHW arm of the COMETS randomized clinical trial, which compared CHW support, mobile health, and enhanced usual care in improving health-related quality of life among transitioning AYA with SCD. Quantitative analyses characterized participant engagement and progression of participant-identified, transition-related goals during a 6-month intervention period. Qualitative analyses examined CHW documentation to contextualize how CHWs supported development of self-management and self-advocacy skills among AYA with SCD.

Results

Among the 120 participants (median age 18.7 years; 52% female; 92% Black or African American), 95% were successfully contacted within a median of 5 days. Participants set an average of 2.5 goals during the six-month intervention period, with 70% achieved by the end of the program. Qualitative analysis of CHW documentation revealed primary themes of transition readiness (48%), lifestyle improvements (21%), and hospitalizations or medical emergencies (19%).

Conclusion

This multi-method descriptive analysis demonstrates that CHWs can provide effective, scalable support for AYA with SCD during the transition to adult care. Future studies should explore the value and applicability of this model to other chronic pediatric conditions.

查看原文本刊更多论文

社区卫生工作者对患有镰状细胞病的青少年和年轻人的支持：对过渡相关支持的多方法分析

对于患有镰状细胞病（SCD）的青少年和年轻人（AYA）来说，过渡到成人护理是具有挑战性的，通常会导致发病率和死亡率增加。社区卫生工作者（CHWs）可以在这个脆弱的过渡期间提供以患者为中心的支持。方法：我们对COMETS随机临床试验中CHW组的CHW遭遇文献进行了多方法描述性分析，比较了CHW支持、移动医疗和增强常规护理在改善过渡性AYA合并SCD患者健康相关生活质量方面的作用。定量分析表明，在为期6个月的干预期间，参与者的参与度和参与者确定的过渡相关目标的进展情况。定性分析检查了CHW文件，以了解CHW如何支持患有SCD的AYA的自我管理和自我倡导技能的发展。结果在120名参与者中（平均年龄18.7岁，52%为女性，92%为黑人或非裔美国人），95%的人在平均5天内成功联系。在为期六个月的干预期间，参与者平均设定了2.5个目标，其中70%在项目结束时实现。CHW文献的定性分析揭示了转变准备（48%）、生活方式改善（21%）和住院或医疗紧急情况（19%）的主要主题。结论多方法描述性分析表明，儿童健康护理中心可以为患有SCD的AYA提供有效的、可扩展的支持，帮助他们过渡到成人护理。未来的研究应探索该模型在其他儿科慢性疾病中的价值和适用性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Health Care Transitions

自引率

0.00%

发文量