The following is a summary of “Quality of life and living with Parkinson’s disease: a qualitative exploration within an Irish context,” published in the August 2024 issue of Neurology by Cassidy et al.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, unpredictable condition significantly impacting QoL, with most studies focusing on quantitative measurements.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to qualitatively explore the multifaceted nature of self-reported QoL in PD.
They conducted semi-structured interviews using a qualitative descriptive approach with 18 patients of PD from a mixed methods study’s first phase, focusing on factors influencing health-related QoL. Participants were selected based on PDQ-39 SI scores, with 6 having high, 6 average, and 6 low QoL (n = 6 for each group). Audio recordings were transcribed and thematically analyzed following Braun and Clarke’s steps (familiarization, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing, defining, naming, and producing the report).
The results showed 4 main themes, “Living an Interrupted Life,” “Striving for ‘I’ in Independence,” “Unraveling Identities, Roles, and Relationships,” and “Reconfiguring Life.” The themes highlighted the experiences of individuals living with PD and the factors impacting the overall QoL.
Investigators concluded that PD significantly impacts QoL through fluctuating motor and non-motor symptoms and that independence, positive outlook, and social engagement positively influence well-being.
Source: bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-024-03769-y
