Person-centred transition programme to empower adolescents with congenital heart disease in the transition to adulthood: a study protocol for a hybrid randomised controlled trial (STEPSTONES project)

INTRODUCTION: When a young person grows up, they evolve from an independent child to an empowered adult. If an individual has a chronic condition, this additional burden may hamper adequate development and independence. Transition programmes for young persons with chronic disorders aim to provide the necessary skills for self-management and participation in care. However, strong evidence on the effects of these interventions is lacking. Therefore, as part of the STEPSTONES project (Swedish Transition Effects Project Supporting Teenagers with chrONic mEdical conditionS), we propose a trial to assess the effectiveness of a structured, person-centred transition programme to empower adolescents with congenital heart disease in the transition to adulthood. METHODS/DESIGN: STEPSTONES will use a hybrid experimental design in which a randomised controlled trial is embedded in a longitudinal, observational study. It will be conducted in 4 paediatric cardiology centres in Sweden. 2 centres will be allocated to the randomised controlled trial group, assigning patients randomly to the intervention group (n=63) or the comparison group (n=63). The other 2 centres will form the intervention-naïve control group (n=63). The primary outcome is the level of patient empowerment, as measured by the Gothenburg Young Persons Empowerment Scale (GYPES). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the Regional Ethical Board of Gothenburg, Sweden. Findings will be reported following the CONSORT statement and disseminated at international conferences and as published papers in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02675361; pre-results.