Transitioning Adolescents and Young Adults With HIV Infection to Adult Care: Pilot Testing the “Movin’ Out” Transitioning Protocol

• Transition to adult care is challenging for adolescents/young adults with HIV infection.
• Successful transition requires a structured, individualized, written plan for each client.
• Transition protocols such as the “Movin’ Out” Protocol may be useful in helping these clients transition to adult care.

BackgroundAdvances in care and treatment of adolescents/young adults with HIV infection have made survival into adulthood possible, requiring transition to adult care. Researchers have documented that the transition process is challenging for adolescents/young adults. To ensure successful transition, a formal transition protocol is needed. Despite existing research, little quantitative evaluation of the transition process has been conducted.PurposeThe purpose of the study was to pilot test the "Movin' Out" Transitioning Protocol, a formalized protocol developed to assist transition to adult care.MethodA retrospective medical/nursing record review was conducted with 38 clients enrolled in the "Movin' Out" Transitioning Protocol at a university-based adolescent medicine clinic providing care to adolescents/young adults with HIV infection.ResultsAlmost half of the participants were able to successfully transition to adult care. Reasons for failure to transition included relocation, attrition, lost to follow-up, and transfer to another adult service. Failure to transition to adult care was not related to adherence issues, X2 (1, N = 38) = 2.49, p = .288; substance use, X2 (1, N = 38) = 1.71, p = .474; mental health issues, X2 (1, N = 38) = 2.23, p = .322; or pregnancy/childrearing, X2 (1, N = 38) = 0.00, p = .627).ConclusionsDespite the small sample size, the "Movin' Out" Transitioning Protocol appears to be useful in guiding the transition process of adolescents/young adults with HIV infection to adult care. More research is needed with a larger sample to fully evaluate the "Movin' Out" Transitioning Protocol.