'Le regard des autres': the experience of walking in social environments as a person with Parkinson's disease.

Objective: To examine the experience of people with Parkinson's disease when walking in different social situations, and improve understanding of how this affects participation in meaningful activity.

Methods: A convenience sample of fourteen people with Parkinson's disease and a history of gait dysfunction was recruited. In-depth interviews and direct observations were conducted in the participants' home environments.

"The whole perimeter is difficult": Parkinson's disease and the conscious experience of walking in everyday environments.

This study sought to characterize the way patients with Parkinson's disease consciously perceive and respond to their surroundings while walking in everyday situations. A qualitative research program designed around an ecological data collection protocol was employed. A convenience sample of 14 patients with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and a history of gait difficulties were recruited.