Health Care Provider’s Perceptions of the Transition Between Pediatric to Adolescent and Adulthood: A Qualitative Inquiry

This study examines the current practices provided from pediatric to adult health care for children with special health care needs at FQHCs using the Six Core Elements of Health Care. Methods: A phenomenological approach was used to recruit and interview ten (10) health leaders from FQHCs. The participants were recruited through this letter sent to the Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Center. The researchers-initiated contact with the key informant to introduce them to the study. After consent was obtained, demographic information collected, and interviews were scheduled. During the semi-structured interview session, the key informant was asked questions related to their knowledge about the transition from pediatric to adult health care. Each interview lasted approximately 20 minutes, and analysis using ATLAS.ti version 8. Results: Ten (n=10) leaders participated in the study, of which three (n=3) were males and seven (n=7) females. Three main themes identified were Education and Training, Barriers to transitional practices, and Organizational Infrastructure hurdles. Discussion and Conclusion: Our current study finds that healthcare transition practices in FQHCs are not aligned with the six core elements of healthcare transition. Structured health care transition is likely when leadership and resources are accessible to achieve support for the required responsibilities

Female Breast Cancer Survivor’s Perspective of Support Systems in Trinidad and Tobago

Globally, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women. The Cancer Registry of Trinidad and Tobago indicated that 45.9% of the breast cancer cases belonged to the African ethnicity, 27.5% Asian Indian, and 14.7% mixed ethnicity. Research on female breast cancer survivors\u27 perspectives on support systems and care within the Caribbean region is limited. Therefore, this study aims to examine female breast cancer survivors\u27 perspective of support systems in Trinidad and Tobago. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 74 cancer survivors attending support groups. To be eligible, the participants had to be females 18 years or older, residents of Trinidad and Tobago diagnosed with breast cancer, and attending any support group session. The participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire with questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics, benefits of support groups, and perception of quality of care. All (n=74) participants indicated they were part of a support group at the facility or elsewhere. Most participants were between 46-65 years old. The three primary factors identified influencing initial participation in the support groups were feeling emotionally detached from family, having no family support, cancer education opportunities, and spiritual well-being. Providing support groups reduces stress and anxiety by creating a safe environment to maintain a healthier quality of life coping behavior and improve survival rate. More research is needed to provide continuous education on essential coping skills after a breast cancer diagnosis