Effect of Awareness Program on Stress and Anxiety among Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Abstract

Background: Parkinson's disease is a common degenerative neurological illness that reduces life expectancy and causes loss of independence. Aim: To evaluate the effect of awareness program on stress and anxiety among Parkinson's disease patients. Study design: A quasi-experimental research design was usedto fulfill this study using a pre-test and post-test one-group design. Setting: The study was conducted in the neurology outpatient setting at Sohag University Hospital. Subjects: the study included a convenient sampling technique of 100 patients with Parkinson's disease. Tools of data collection:Three tools were used for data collection; Tool (I): Structured interview questionnaire: This tool was made up of the following three parts: Part 1:Personal data of the studied patients: It contained information on the age, gender, education level, and place of residence of the patients, Part 2: Structured multiple-choice questionnaire (pre and post) to assess the patients' knowledge regarding Parkinson's disease, and Part (3): Patients' practice questionnaire (pre and post), Tool II: Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), and Tool III:The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results:There was a statistically significant difference in the total score of the knowledge and practices after the awareness program application among Parkinson's disease patients. Astatisticallysignificant difference and reduction were found between stress mean scores and anxiety at (P=0.001) pre and post-awareness program application. Conclusion: Theawareness program application has a significant improvement in knowledge and practice with a reduction in mean post-test stress and anxiety among Parkinson's disease patients.  Recommendations: It is stronglyadvised to apply continuous training for Parkinson's disease patients about the importance of the awareness program application regarding stress and anxiety management strategies to be able to use them as a part of routine care.