Due to the increased life expectancy of sickle cell disease (SCD) patients over the past fifty years, there is a need to prepare adolescents with SCD for adulthood. Kinney and Ware (1996) describe that the transition from pediatric to adult care can be one of the most “traumatic” experiences for adolescent patients with SCD. For the past year, I have been working with the physicians and medical staff in the Duke-UNC Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center to create the Duke Sickle Cell Disease Transition program to address the psychosocial needs of these adolescent patients. The program primarily consists of an education program that provides patients with information about sickle cell disease, how to utilize the adult clinic's services, and how to take responsibility for their medical care. My focus this summer is to continue going over the education material with patients while they are in the clinic for their regular appointments. I will also be working to create a sustainability plan for the program so that it can continue after I graduate and when the hospital staff I am currently working with are no longer there.
I would like to thank my faculty mentor, Dr. Deborah T. Gold, PhD for all of her support throughout this project. I would also like to thank our community partners, Vivian Lewis, a Certified Child Life Specialist in the Duke Children's Health Center, and Elaine Whitworth, the adult health educator in the Duke-UNC Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center and director of the Bridges Pointe Foundation, Inc. In addition, thank you to the the Office of Service-Learning, the Deans' Summer Research Fellowship, the FOCUS Program, and DukeEngage for your continued support for this project.
Kinney, T. R., & Ware, R. E. (1996). Sickle cell disease: The adolescent with sickle cell anemia. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America, 10, 1255-1264.
-Grant Smith
Trinity '08
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