D2.477 - Nationwide Survey of Healthcare Transition from Paediatric to Adult Services for Allergic Diseases in Japan

Most paediatric allergic diseases persist into adulthood. As such, the handover from paediatric to adult-focused care must be structured for those with allergic disease. Despite the growing awareness of this need for a structured handover, empirical data on the current healthcare transition practices for people with allergic diseases in Japan are lacking. Our aim in this study was thus to assess the institutional systems and transition practices for those with major allergic conditions.

We conducted a nationwide, cross-sectional, web-based survey of members of the Japanese Society of Allergology and Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The respondents provided information on institutional healthcare transition systems and their experiences with transferring patients with bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, or food allergy from paediatric to adult care. Data from 272 medical institutions, including 112 general hospitals, 43 university hospitals, 8 children’s hospitals, and 109 clinics, were analysed.

Of the included institutions, 68% transferred patients to adult care for bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis, while significantly fewer institutions (51%) transferred patients for food allergy (p < 0.05). Implementing healthcare transition was associated with university or children’s hospitals and the presence of paediatric allergists or certified allergy educators on staff. Notably, 29% of the institutions reported back-referral: patients returned to their original paediatric facility after an attempted transfer.

Healthcare transition for those with allergic diseases in Japan remains in the developmental stage, showing wide variability among allergic disease types. Transition programmes for food allergies are particularly underdeveloped, highlighting the urgent need to establish adult care systems capable of managing patients with complex food allergies. Further research is warranted to identify specific barriers to smooth healthcare transition and for developing standardised, disease-specific transition protocols.