Translation and validation of the STARx questionnaire in transitioning Chinese adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions

Background Adolescent/young adults (AYAs) with chronic conditions must undergo healthcare transition (HCT) preparation until their mid-twenties. Valid HCT readiness measures are lacking in China. Methods The present study translated, back-translated, and adapted the Self-Management and Transition to Adulthood with Rx = Treatment (STARx) Questionnaire. We examined the psychometric properties of this tool in a relatively large in-patient sample of AYAs with various chronic health conditions at a Chinese tertiary general hospital. Results We enrolled 624 AYAs aged 10–25 years (19.66 ± 3.64) with various chronic health conditions. The Chinese version of the STARx Questionnaire demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.83) and reliability with a two-week test-retest (ICC = 0.88, p < .001). Furthermore, the Chinese version revealed a three-factor structure (self-management, disease knowledge, and provider communication) consistent with the revised English version of the STARx Questionnaire. In terms of discriminant validity, the total score of the Chinese STARx Questionnaire showed a significant positive correlation with age but no gender differences were found. In terms of predictive validity, the Chinese STARx Questionnaire was significantly correlated with shorter length of hospitalization and higher frequency of emergency room visit, but the correlations became insignificant after controlling for age. Conclusions The results suggest that the Chinese version of the STARx Questionnaire is a robust HCT readiness tool in AYAs with chronic conditions and clinicians may find it useful to develop individualized interventions.