Project Description

Principal-Investigator: Korus, M.
Co-Investigator(s): Stinson, J, (Co-PI) Anthony, S, Chen, I, Gold, A, Pollock, S.
Funded by: The Kidney Foundation of Canada; 2012-2014

Solid organ transplants are performed on approximately 140 children and adolescents under the age of 18 in Canada each year. Organ replacement is the standard of care to treat end stage organ failure with improving graft and patient survival. However, non-adherence is a significant problem and there are disturbing rates of rejection in adolescents and young adults. Therefore, an acceptable and usable self-management and transitional care program that helps to improve self-management and transition skills in adolescent transplant patients may have an effect on long-term graft survival and ability to successfully transition to an adult centre. This funding will help develop ten modules that focus specifically on renal transplants.

The overall aim of this project is to build and evaluate usability of an Internet-based psycho-educational intervention called “Teens Taking Charge: Managing My Transplant Online”. This clinical intervention is designed to provide knowledge, promote development of disease management and transition skills, and provide social support.