{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,3]],"date-time":"2026-10-03T07:39:56Z","timestamp":1791013196469,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"22","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,12]],"date-time":"2022-11-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1668211200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001321","name":"National Research Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["138089"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["138089"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001321","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Globally, adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) experience poor health outcomes such as low retention in care, ART non-adherence and viral non-suppression. These outcomes coincide with the period during and after their transition from pediatric to adult healthcare. This study aimed to systematically describe the compendium of transition interventions and synthesize the effects of such transition interventions on adherence to ART, retention in care and viral load suppression. Seven databases and Google Scholar were searched and the review findings were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items Stipulated for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The risk of bias and the strength of evidence were assessed using the National Institutes of Health quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies. Seven studies (two cross-sectional, two retrospective cohort and three prospective cohort studies), with sample sizes ranging from 13 to 192, were included in the narrative synthesis. There was high-quality evidence that these interventions\u2014Individualized care plans, communication, psychological support, and health and sexual education and mHealth\u2014improved adherence, retention in care and viral load suppression at post-transition over the short and long term. In contrast, group transition intervention produced weak quality evidence. Hence, transition interventions including a combination of the high-quality evidenced interventions mentioned above can improve treatment outcomes for adolescents on ART.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph192214911","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,14]],"date-time":"2022-11-14T02:29:32Z","timestamp":1668392972000},"page":"14911","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Transition Interventions for Adolescents on Antiretroviral Therapy on Transfer from Pediatric to Adult Healthcare: A Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9459-0106","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olubukola","family":"Jegede","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1032-1847","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Brian","family":"van Wyk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"United Nations Children\u2019s Fund (UNICEF) (2021, August 30). HIV and AIDS in adolescents. UNICEF. Available online: https:\/\/data.unicef.org\/topic\/adolescents\/hiv-aids\/."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2021, August 30). Adolescents and Hiv: Responding to the Unique Needs of Teenagers in Resource-Limited Settings, Available online: www.cdc.gov\/globalhivtb\/who-we-are\/resources\/keyareafactsheets\/adolescents-and-hiv.pdf."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Badejo, O.A., Menson, W.N., Sam-Agudu, N.A., Pharr, J., Erekaha, S., Bruno, T., Nwanne, G., Ogunsola, O., Ilozumba, J., and Busari, O. (2018). Pediatric to adult healthcare transitioning for adolescents living with HIV in Nigeria: A national survey. PLoS ONE, 13.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0198802"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jerene, D., Abebe, W., Taye, K., Ruff, A., and Hallstrom, I. (2019). Adolescents living with HIV are at higher risk of death and loss to follow up from care: Analysis of cohort data from eight health facilities in Ethiopia. PLoS ONE, 14.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0223655"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"579","DOI":"10.1177\/2325957417729749","article-title":"\u201c\u2026 like because you are a grownup, you do not need help\u201d: Experiences of transition from pediatric to adult care among youth with perinatal HIV infection, their caregivers, and health care providers in the Dominican Republic","volume":"16","author":"Ibanez","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Int. Assoc. Provid. AIDS Care"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"570","DOI":"10.1016\/1054-139X(93)90143-D","article-title":"Transition from child-centered to adult healthcare systems for adolescents with chronic conditions: A position paper of the Society for Adolescent Medicine","volume":"14","author":"Blum","year":"1993","journal-title":"J. Adolesc. Health"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20049","DOI":"10.7448\/IAS.18.1.20049","article-title":"Contemporary issues on the epidemiology and antiretroviral adherence of HIV-infected adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: A narrative review","volume":"18","author":"Adejumo","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Int. AIDS Soc."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-4642(18)30022-1","article-title":"The age of adolescence","volume":"2","author":"Sawyer","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet Child Adolesc. Health"},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"e039972","article-title":"Adolescent transition to adult care for HIV-infected adolescents in Kenya (ATTACH): Study protocol for a hybrid effectiveness-implementation cluster randomised trial","volume":"10","author":"Njuguna","year":"2020","journal-title":"Br. Med. J. Open"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pedn.2016.04.002","article-title":"Transitioning HIV-positive adolescents to adult care: Lessons learned from twelve adolescent medicine clinics","volume":"31","author":"Tanner","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Nurs."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Committee on Pediatric AIDS (2013). Transitioning HIV-infected youth into adult health care. Pediatrics, 132, 192\u2013197.","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2013-1073"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"521","DOI":"10.1097\/01.JNC.0000552939.89108.22","article-title":"HIV health care transition readiness: Embracing the opportunity and challenge","volume":"30","author":"Jones","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Assoc. Nurses AIDS Care"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2431-14-4","article-title":"A systematic review of the psychometric properties of transition readiness assessment tools in adolescents with chronic disease","volume":"14","author":"Zhang","year":"2014","journal-title":"BMC Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21528","DOI":"10.7448\/IAS.20.4.21528","article-title":"Transition from paediatric to adult care of adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges, youth-friendly models, and outcomes","volume":"20","author":"Dahourou","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Int. AIDS Soc."},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"CD009794","article-title":"Transition of care for adolescents from paediatric services to adult health services","volume":"4","author":"Campbell","year":"2016","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e19","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pedn.2015.05.022","article-title":"Systematic review of the impact of transition interventions for adolescents with chronic illness on transfer from pediatric to adult healthcare","volume":"30","author":"Chu","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Nurs."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpeds.2017.05.066","article-title":"Outcome evidence for structured pediatric to adult health care transition interventions: A systematic review","volume":"188","author":"Gabriel","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.1097\/COH.0000000000000302","article-title":"Interventions to improve treatment, retention and survival outcomes for adolescents with perinatal HIV-1 transitioning to adult care: Moving on up","volume":"11","author":"Judd","year":"2016","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. HIV AIDS"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.1992.03490020088036","article-title":"A comparison of results of meta-analyses of randomized control trials and recommendations of clinical experts: Treatments for myocardial infarction","volume":"268","author":"Antman","year":"1992","journal-title":"J. Am. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1749-6632.1993.tb26342.x","article-title":"The science of reviewing research a","volume":"703","author":"Oxman","year":"1993","journal-title":"Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, and US Department of Health and Human Services (2021, December 12). Study Quality Assessment Tools, Available online: https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health-topics\/study-quality-assessment-tools."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1007\/s10654-019-00576-5","article-title":"A 24-step guide on how to design, conduct, and successfully publish a systematic review and meta-analysis in medical research","volume":"35","author":"Muka","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur. J. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"652","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jana.2015.05.003","article-title":"Transitioning HIV-infected children and adolescents into adult care: An Italian real-life experience","volume":"26","author":"Righetti","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Assoc. Nurses AIDS Care"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"322","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2020.00322","article-title":"The Transition of Care From Pediatric to Adult Health-Care Services of Vertically HIV-Infected Adolescents: A Pilot Study","volume":"8","author":"Continisio","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e41","DOI":"10.1097\/QAI.0000000000001902","article-title":"Impact of a youth-focused care model on retention and virologic suppression among young adults with HIV cared for in an adult HIV clinic","volume":"80","author":"Griffith","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Acquir. Immune Defic. Syndr."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e29","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pedn.2015.06.013","article-title":"Transitioning adolescents and young adults with HIV infection to adult care: Pilot testing the \u201cMovin\u2019Out\u201d transitioning protocol","volume":"30","author":"Maturo","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Nurs."},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"1","article-title":"Fr\u00e5n barnklinik till vuxenklinik via specialmottagning","volume":"111","author":"Westling","year":"2014","journal-title":"L\u00e4kartidningen"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21500","DOI":"10.7448\/IAS.20.4.21500","article-title":"The Happy Teen programme: A holistic outpatient clinic-based approach to prepare HIV-infected youth for the transition from paediatric to adult medical care services in Thailand","volume":"20","author":"Lolekha","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Int. AIDS Soc."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20651","DOI":"10.7448\/IAS.18.1.20651","article-title":"Transition of Thai HIV-infected adolescents to adult HIV care","volume":"18","author":"Hansudewechakul","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Int. AIDS Soc."},{"key":"ref_30","unstructured":"(2022, February 01). World Bank Country and Lending Groups. 2022. World Bank Data Help Desk. Available online: https:\/\/datahelpdesk.worldbank.org\/knowledgebase\/articles\/906519."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1590\/2176-9451.19.4.027-029.ebo","article-title":"How sample size influences research outcomes","volume":"19","author":"Faber","year":"2014","journal-title":"Dent. Press J. Orthod."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Wingo, P.A., Higgins, J.E., Rubin, G.L., Zahniser, S.C., and Centers for Disease Control (1994). An Epidemiologic Approach to Reproductive Health, World Health Organization. No. WHO\/HRP\/EPI\/1994."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S79","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chest.2020.03.013","article-title":"Randomized controlled trials","volume":"158","author":"Zabor","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chest"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"305","DOI":"10.1097\/PRS.0b013e318219c171","article-title":"The levels of evidence and their role in evidence-based medicine","volume":"128","author":"Burns","year":"2011","journal-title":"Plast. Reconstr. Surg."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.4103\/0974-1208.82352","article-title":"An overview of randomization techniques: An unbiased assessment of outcome in clinical research","volume":"4","author":"Suresh","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Hum. Reprod. Sci."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.1111\/tmi.12278","article-title":"Four-year retention and risk factors for attrition among members of community ART groups in Tete, Mozambique","volume":"19","author":"Decroo","year":"2014","journal-title":"Trop. Med. Int. Health"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e221","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsxm.2017.04.161","article-title":"The agenda for zero discrimination in health care","volume":"14","author":"Cabal","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Sex. Med."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"Biersteker, S., De Santis, J.P., Garcia, A., and Messick, B. (2016). Outcomes of Transition to Adult HV Care in Perinatally HIV-Infected Young Adults, Florida International University."}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/19\/22\/14911\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:17:08Z","timestamp":1760145428000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/19\/22\/14911"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,12]]},"references-count":38,"journal-issue":{"issue":"22","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph192214911"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph192214911","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,12]]}}}