TY - JOUR
AU - G. Dimitropoulos
AU - M. Nicula
AU - A. Krishnapillai
AU - A. Austin
AU - M. Singh
AU - J. Lee
AU - C. Webb
AU - S. Scott
AU - A. C. V. de Almeida
AU - C. Bergmann
AU - Vander Steen
AU - M. Kimber
AU - C. Mushquash
AU - L. Norman
AU - J. Sauerwein
AU - A. Keshen
AU - A. Boachie
AU - A. Toulany
AU - A. Levinson
AU - A. Federici
AU - B. Allemang
AU - C. Ford
AU - D. K. Katzman
AU - E. Tam
AU - G. McVey
AU - H. Steiger
AU - J. Scarborough
AU - J. S. Coelho
AU - J. Thannhauser
AU - J. Geller
AU - K. Darnay
AU - J. Henderson
AU - K. Bright
AU - K. Soper
AU - L. Isserlin
AU - L. Booij
AU - M. Brouwers
AU - M. Laliberté
AU - M. Jericho
AU - N. Obeid
AU - S. Smith
AU - S. Grewal
AU - S. MacEachern
AU - S. Findlay
AU - W. Preskow
AU - W. Spettigue
AU - A. Maharaj
AU - L. Wozney
AU - S. Iyer
AU - M. Norris
AU - H. Vallianatos
AU - S. Jones
AU - E. Lacroix
AU - M. Ferrari
AU - C. Steinegger
AU - T. Loewen
AU - J. Gusella
AU - A. LeClerc
AU - N. Johnson
AU - S. Phillips
AU - M. Patton
AU - Z. Punjwani
AU - K. Greer
AU - N. Bhatnagar
AU - J. Couturier
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) are severe mental illnesses with high rates of mortality, morbidity, and reduced quality of life. Their onset occurs during adolescence and early adulthood, coinciding with the critical transition from pediatric to adult care. To address the lack of guidelines to support ED transitions in Canada, this study developed evidence-based guideline recommendations. METHODS: Scoping review methodology was employed using comprehensive searches across seven databases, supplemented by forward and backward citation chaining to identify records on youth and young adults (YYAs) (16-25 years) with EDs and/or mental health conditions transitioning from pediatric to adult care. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to evaluate the quality of the evidence for applicable studies. Using a modified Delphi method, the evidence was reviewed by a guideline development panel and consensus was achieved in a single round of voting. RESULTS: After de-duplication, 14,350 records from all sources were screened, with 1817 studies undergoing full-text review. A total of 419 studies were included. Of these, 199 were primary research studies which fell under one or more of the following categories: descriptive (n = 86), qualitative (n = 75), predictors (n = 48), transition interventions (n = 21), measurement tools (n = 8), and key outcomes (n = 3). The certainty of the evidence for specific interventions and tools was generally low. RECOMMENDATIONS: The panel issued strong recommendations for integrated, collaborative transition approaches involving YYAs, families, and providers, and for the use of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) to support transition planning. Additional recommendations are included, with an emphasis on future research focused on long-term outcomes such as care continuity and treatment retention. CONCLUSION: This research addressed the absence of a cohesive approach to transitions for YYAs experiencing EDs and/or mental health conditions, highlighting evidence variability and the need for a unified approach. These guidelines propose actionable steps for improving care transitions for YYAs with EDs and/or mental health conditions by promoting collaborative care models, prioritizing outcome-focused research, and using measurement tools.; Young people with eating disorders (EDs) and/or other mental health conditions often face challenges when moving from pediatric to adult care, both in mental health and physical health realms. This transition typically occurs during adolescence or early adulthood which is a critical developmental period when continuation of care and support is essential. In Canada, there are no clear guidelines to help navigate this process. To address this gap, our team developed six recommendations based on a comprehensive scoping review of existing research. In these recommendations, we emphasize the importance of a collaborative approach that involves young people, families, and healthcare providers to ensure continuity and coordination of their care during the transition. In addition, research should prioritize the study of long-term outcomes, such as whether young people stay in treatment, leave early, or achieve successful transitions. Tools like the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) can help assess how prepared someone is for this change, but these tools need more testing to ensure they work well for people with EDs. These guidelines aim to improve care during this transition and to ensure that young people with EDs and/or other mental health conditions are prepared and supported as they move into adult healthcare services.; eng
AD - Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. gdimit@ucalgary.ca.; Department of Psychiatry, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. gdimit@ucalgary.ca.; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; Department of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.; Eating Disorder Provincial Service, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Health and Wellness, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Center for Psychology and Emotion Regulation, Midland, ON, Canada.; Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.; University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Ontario Ministry of Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.; National Eating Disorder Information Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.; Research Centre Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.; Eating Disorders Continuum, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.; Waterloo Regional Health Network, Kitchener, ON, Canada.; Provincial Specialized Eating Disorders Program for Children and Adolescents, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.; Student Wellness Services, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Provincial Adult Tertiary and Specialized Eating Disorders Program, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, Community, and Education, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Heroes in Mind, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, Advocacy, and Research Consortium (HiMARC), College of Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.; Calgary Eating Disorder Program, Alberta Children's Hospital, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa and Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada.; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.; Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; Eating Disorders Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.; , Frayme, Ottawa, ON, Canada.; Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; National Initiative for Eating Disorders, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Centre for Research in Family Health, Izaak Walton Killam (IWK) Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada.; ACCESS Open Minds, Montreal, QC, Canada.; Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.; Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa and Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada.; Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.; Eating Disorders Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS, Canada.; Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.; Lived Experience Advisor, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Eating Disorder Program, McMaster Children's Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Alberta Strategy for Patient Oriented Research Support Unit, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. coutur@mcmaster.ca.; Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. coutur@mcmaster.ca.
AN - 40722124
BT - J Eat Disord
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
CP - 1
DA - Jul 28
DO - 10.1186/s40337-025-01343-6
DP - NLM
ET - 20250728
IS - 1
JF - J Eat Disord
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) are severe mental illnesses with high rates of mortality, morbidity, and reduced quality of life. Their onset occurs during adolescence and early adulthood, coinciding with the critical transition from pediatric to adult care. To address the lack of guidelines to support ED transitions in Canada, this study developed evidence-based guideline recommendations. METHODS: Scoping review methodology was employed using comprehensive searches across seven databases, supplemented by forward and backward citation chaining to identify records on youth and young adults (YYAs) (16-25 years) with EDs and/or mental health conditions transitioning from pediatric to adult care. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to evaluate the quality of the evidence for applicable studies. Using a modified Delphi method, the evidence was reviewed by a guideline development panel and consensus was achieved in a single round of voting. RESULTS: After de-duplication, 14,350 records from all sources were screened, with 1817 studies undergoing full-text review. A total of 419 studies were included. Of these, 199 were primary research studies which fell under one or more of the following categories: descriptive (n = 86), qualitative (n = 75), predictors (n = 48), transition interventions (n = 21), measurement tools (n = 8), and key outcomes (n = 3). The certainty of the evidence for specific interventions and tools was generally low. RECOMMENDATIONS: The panel issued strong recommendations for integrated, collaborative transition approaches involving YYAs, families, and providers, and for the use of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) to support transition planning. Additional recommendations are included, with an emphasis on future research focused on long-term outcomes such as care continuity and treatment retention. CONCLUSION: This research addressed the absence of a cohesive approach to transitions for YYAs experiencing EDs and/or mental health conditions, highlighting evidence variability and the need for a unified approach. These guidelines propose actionable steps for improving care transitions for YYAs with EDs and/or mental health conditions by promoting collaborative care models, prioritizing outcome-focused research, and using measurement tools.; Young people with eating disorders (EDs) and/or other mental health conditions often face challenges when moving from pediatric to adult care, both in mental health and physical health realms. This transition typically occurs during adolescence or early adulthood which is a critical developmental period when continuation of care and support is essential. In Canada, there are no clear guidelines to help navigate this process. To address this gap, our team developed six recommendations based on a comprehensive scoping review of existing research. In these recommendations, we emphasize the importance of a collaborative approach that involves young people, families, and healthcare providers to ensure continuity and coordination of their care during the transition. In addition, research should prioritize the study of long-term outcomes, such as whether young people stay in treatment, leave early, or achieve successful transitions. Tools like the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) can help assess how prepared someone is for this change, but these tools need more testing to ensure they work well for people with EDs. These guidelines aim to improve care during this transition and to ensure that young people with EDs and/or other mental health conditions are prepared and supported as they move into adult healthcare services.; eng
PY - 2025
SN - 2050-2974 (Print); 2050-2974
SP - 158
ST - Transitions for youth and young adults with eating disorders and/or other mental health conditions: a Canadian guideline
T1 - Transitions for youth and young adults with eating disorders and/or other mental health conditions: a Canadian guideline
T2 - J Eat Disord
TI - Transitions for youth and young adults with eating disorders and/or other mental health conditions: a Canadian guideline
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1186/s40337-025-01343-6
VL - 13
VO - 2050-2974 (Print); 2050-2974
Y1 - 2025
ER -