Doctoral Student Co-Authors Article on Spina Bifida
Ogbebor Omoike, student in East Tennessee State University College of Public Health’s doctoral program, is co-author of an article in the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. The article, “The reliability and validity of a newly developed spina bifida-specific transition readiness assessment questionnaire: Transition readiness assessment questionnaire-supplement (TRAQ-SB)” reports preliminary evidence to support a new condition-specific measure of transition readiness that is theoretically grounded in the Stages of Changes framework.
Lead author of the article is Kiana Johnson of the Quillen College of Medicine. Additional co-authors include Brandon Rocque and Katherine Barnes of the University of Alabama and David Wood of the Quillen College of Medicine.
Spina bifida is a neural tube defect that is usually apparent at birth and occurs when the backbone that protects the spinal cord does not fully close during development. The neural tube is the structure in a developing embryo that eventually becomes the baby's brain, spinal cord and the tissues that enclose them. Spina bifida can cause physical and intellectual disabilities that range from mild to severe mostly based on the size and location of the opening in the spine and the nerves affected.
The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire-Spina Bifida (TRAQ-SB) supplement is a newly developed tool used to measure independence and skill acquisition related to spina bifida. Similar to the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ), the TRAQ-SB uses a 5-point Likert response set.
Working with a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in the care of children with spina bifida, the authors developed twelve items pertaining to main aspects of SB self-management. The items were reviewed and revised through several iterations by the team and patients. The items were then fielded at a spina bifida Specialty Clinic, where 90 consecutive patients between the ages of 12 and 25 were administered the 20-item TRAQ and a 12-item TRAQ-SB questionnaire.
Results of the researchers’ analyses indicated that the TRAQ-SB demonstrated good internal reliability and criterion validity as evidenced by strong correlation with age and the validated TRAQ measure. The TRAQ-SB tool can be useful to incorporate transition readiness assessment and self-management training into routine care for adolescents with spina bifida.