Know DBS: patient perceptions and knowledge of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD) that can significantly improve motor symptoms and quality of life. Despite its effectiveness, little is known about patient perceptions of DBS.

Objectives: To evaluate patient perceptions of DBS for PD, focusing on understanding, satisfaction, and factors influencing their outlook.

Pain and quality of life in persons with spinal cord injury: Mediating effects of mindfulness, self-efficacy, social support, and functional independence.

Objective: To identify mediating roles of mindfulness, self-efficacy, social support, and functional independence in the relationship between pain and quality of life (QOL) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using a sample of 272 persons with SCI living in the United States. The participants completed self-report standardized questionnaires on a Qualtrics survey.

Staying hidden: The burden of stigma in PD.

Background: Despite the myriad motor and non-motor challenges associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis, the hidden issue of stigma may be among the most influential factors negatively affecting quality of life. A number of qualitative studies have been published assessing various aspects of stigma in PD, and quantitative studies assert that most people with PD experience stigma during the course of their disease. Stigma is associated with poorer mental and physical health, poorer quality of life, decreased levels of hope, self-esteem and self-efficacy.

Early-onset Parkinson's disease: An assessment of unmet psychosocial needs.

Background: Early onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD) affects people in the prime of their lives, typically between 21 and 50 years of age, which results in a variety of challenges that are unique compared to those diagnosed later in life. A better understanding of the unmet needs of this population is critical to delivering bespoke care and improving their quality of life.

Objectives: To assess the unmet needs of people with early onset Parkinson's disease.

A Wellness Prescription for Parkinson's: Mid to Late-Stage Disease.

The mid- to late-stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) bring increasing disability that may challenge independence and lower quality of life. Many people with PD struggle to remain hopeful and cope with an uncertain future due to the progression of the disease. Although disability in PD is due chiefly to motor impairment, nonmotor symptoms and psychosocial distress are also major contributors that are amenable to treatment.

A Prescription for Wellness in Early PD: Just What the Doctor Ordered.

Background: Being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease is a life-changing event and a critical time to help patients cope and move forward in a proactive way. Historically, the main focus of Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment has been on the motor features with limited attention given to non-motor and mental health sequelae, which have the most impact on quality of life. Although depression and anxiety have been described at the time of PD diagnosis, demoralization, intolerance of uncertainty, decreased self-efficacy, stigma and loneliness can also present and have negative effects on the trajectory of the disease.

Childhood Trauma and Parkinson Disease: Associations of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Disease Severity, and Quality of Life.

Background And Objectives: Childhood trauma has been shown to be associated with adverse health outcomes that can last a lifetime. The effects of trauma have not been evaluated in a Parkinson disease (PD) population. The goal of this study was to survey individuals with PD to evaluate whether the intensity of childhood trauma is associated with individual symptoms, overall disease severity, or quality of life.

The association between hope and employment among individuals with multiple sclerosis: A hierarchical logistic regression model.

Background: Most people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are employed at the time of their diagnosis; however, due to the unpredictable nature of MS, most exit the workforce shortly thereafter. A plethora of research has examined factors that negatively affect employment outcomes for people with MS. However, little is known about how hope, a modifiable positive psychology factor, affects employment.

The relationship between meaning in life and apathy in people with Parkinson's disease: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Apathy remains a common and problematic neuropsychiatric feature associated with Parkinson's disease resulting in reductions in health-related quality of life, and effective treatments remain elusive. Meaning in life (MIL) has been implicated in a variety of positive health outcomes, and this study assesses the relationship between apathy and MIL while hoping to identify a potential new interventional target.

Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 237 PwPD completed surveys to evaluate MIL and a variety of non-motor symptoms (NMS), and a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to evaluate relationships of interest.

Social isolation, loneliness and mental health sequelae of the Covid-19 pandemic in Parkinson's disease.

People living with Parkinson Disease (PwP) have been at risk for the negative effects of loneliness even before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Despite some similarities with previous outbreaks, the Covid-19 pandemic is significantly more wide-spread, long-lasting, and deadly, which likely means demonstrably more negative mental health issues. Although PwP are not any more likely to contract Covid-19 than those without, the indirect negative sequelae of isolation, loneliness, mental health issues, and worsening motor and non-motor features remains to be fully realized.

Resilience as a Moderator in the Relationship between Disability Related Stress and Community Participation in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis.

Resilience can be defined as one's ability to maintain or return to relatively stable psychological and physical functioning despite stressful life events and adversity. For people with multiple sclerosis (MS), building resilience has been shown to contribute to enhanced positive rehabilitation and mental health outcomes. However, there is no literature examining the role of resilience influencing the relationship between disability-related stress and community participation in individuals with MS.

Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Positive personality resources have demonstrated the ability to positively impact health outcomes.

Objective: To examine the psychometric properties of the original Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-24) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: A sample of 114 individuals with PD completed the PCQ-24, and via a latent factor modeling framework exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties in people with PD.

A Population-Based Investigation of Health-Care Needs and Preferences in American Adults With Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Comprehensive and effective multiple sclerosis (MS) health care requires understanding of patients' needs, preferences, and priorities.

Objective: To evaluate priorities of patients with MS for their MS care.

Methods: Participants included 3003 Americans with MS recruited through the National MS Society and the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis patient registry.