# The Feasibility of a Medical Student Mentoring Program to Improve Transition of Care Among Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease

> **NIH NIH F30** · RBHS -CANCER INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY · 2020 · $50,520

## Abstract

Project Summary
The highest rates of mortality, acute care encounters, and re-hospitalizations for patients with sickle cell
disease (SCD) occur among 18–30 year olds, after the transfer from a pediatric to an adult healthcare provider.
Barriers to successful transition from pediatric to adult care include a lack of support, minimal transition
planning, providers' lack of time to address transition issues, and disparities in care related to the racial
background of the patients. However, effective transition programs for individuals with SCD are lacking. The
proposed project aims to address this gap by developing and evaluating the feasibility of a novel
transition mentoring program to improve the transition readiness and health outcomes of adolescents
and young adults (AYA) with SCD. Guided by the Social-Ecological Model of Adolescent and Young Adult
Readiness to Transition (SMART) framework, the intervention will target patient self-management skills,
knowledge, and confidence in navigating the adult healthcare system through the specialized peer support
offered by a medical student mentor familiar with the pediatric and adult hematology clinics. Medical students
were chosen as mentors because they uniquely have specialized knowledge of the healthcare system and
serve as similar-aged “peers” who can offer developmentally appropriate support to the patient.
 In Phase 1, we will conduct individual interviews to identify patient barriers, expectations, fears, and
perspectives about transitioning to adult care to be addressed by the medical student mentoring
program (Aim 1). These interviews will inform the mentoring intervention content. In Phase 2, we will
conduct a pilot feasibility study of the medical student mentoring program (Aim 2) and examine
acceptability, usability, and satisfaction with the intervention by AYA with SCD and mentors. We will examine
the impact of the intervention on patient outcomes (transition readiness, health-related quality of life, and
medication adherence) and medical student outcomes (attitudes towards chronic illness and empathy)
(Exploratory Aim). We expect that the program will provide benefit for both the AYA patients and the medical
student mentors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9996771
- **Project number:** 5F30HL142311-03
- **Recipient organization:** RBHS -CANCER INSTITUTE OF NEW JERSEY
- **Principal Investigator:** Adrienne Viola
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $50,520
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-10 → 2023-09-09

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9996771

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9996771, The Feasibility of a Medical Student Mentoring Program to Improve Transition of Care Among Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease (5F30HL142311-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9996771. Licensed CC0.

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