Office of Primary Care and Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program

Allyson Bazarsky, M.D., assistant professor of neurological sciences

(NOVEMBER 21, 2023) Allyson Bazarsky, M.D., assistant professor of neurological sciences, was mentioned in an MDedge article on the 2023 Scottsdale Headache Symposium.

For adolescents with migraine or other recurring types of headaches, planning and structuring a transition from pediatric to adult health services is recommended for a potential of better outcomes, according to headache specialists who treat adults and children. “Unsuccessful transition of care” into adulthood is a factor associated with poorer outcomes, making it an appropriate target for optimizing outcomes.

Bazarsky validated the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) for headache about six years ago, when she was a fellow working with Hope O’Brien, M.D., of the Headache Center of Hope at the University of Cincinnati. This tool, which can be used to evaluate whether young patients feel prepared to describe their own health status and needs and advocate on their own behalf, is not specific to headache, but the principle is particularly important in headache because of the importance of the patient’s history.

“TRAQ is available online. It’s free. You can download it as a PDF,” Dr. O’Brien said. In fact, several age-specific versions can now be found readily on a web search for TRAQ questionnaire.

Ultimately, TRAQ helps the clinician to gauge what patients know about their disease, the medications they are taking, and the relevance of any comorbidities, such as mood disorders. It also provides insight about the ability to understand their health issues and to communicate well with caregivers.

Transition from pediatric to adult health care should be seen as a process over time, rather than something to be implemented a few months before a patient turns 18. If education about the disease and its triggers is started relatively early in adolescence, the transition will not only be easier, but patients might have a chance to understand and control their disease at an earlier age.