Saturdays-in-Motion: Education and Empowerment through an Interdisciplinary Team Approach for Parkinson's Disease in Cali-Colombia

Beatriz E Muñoz; Valentina Quintana-Peña; Maria C Gonzalez; Jaime A Valderrama; Yor Jaggy Castaño-Pino; Domiciano Rincón; Andrés Navarro; Jorge L Orozco

doi:10.1155/2020/2497386

Saturdays-in-Motion: Education and Empowerment through an Interdisciplinary Team Approach for Parkinson's Disease in Cali-Colombia

Parkinsons Dis. 2020 Jul 15:2020:2497386. doi: 10.1155/2020/2497386. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Beatriz E Muñoz^{1

2}, Valentina Quintana-Peña³, Maria C Gonzalez⁴, Jaime A Valderrama^{2

3}, Yor Jaggy Castaño-Pino^{2

3}, Domiciano Rincón^{2

3}, Andrés Navarro^{2

3}, Jorge L Orozco^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia.
² Grupo de Investigación I2T, Cali, Colombia.
³ Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia.
⁴ Centro de Investigaciones Clínicas [CIC], Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia.

Abstract

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most prevalent age-related neurodegenerative disorders. The progression of PD produces an important disease burden in patients due to functional impairment, which also has repercussions on caregivers. In addition, it has become a challenge for health systems, especially in developing countries, which have limited resources. Multidisciplinary teams with a community approach have proved effective in high-income countries; however, there is no reported literature in low- and middle-income countries about this kind of initiative.

Objective: This paper aims to document the experience of patients, caregivers, and experts in a community approach as an innovative model in a middle-income country.

Methods: A quantitative descriptive research was conducted. The selection criteria were having a PD diagnosis, attending with a caregiver to Saturdays in Motion (SIM), or being a clinical expert invited to SIM. PD patients and their caregivers answered three surveys on their points of view with respect to SIM: SIM and their quality of life (QoL) and PDQ-39 and Zarit, whereas clinical experts completed two questions related to the SIM program. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results of the surveys and clinical tests.

Results: Forty-eight, twenty-four, and twenty-one subjects answered surveys one, two, and three, respectively. In total, four clinical experts were interviewed. 87.9% of the patients consider that SIM activities improved their QoL. The most affected areas in PDQ-39 were those related to the social area. Around 66.6% of the caregivers reported a mild burden on Zarit and think that SIM enhances the PD patient's QoL. Clinical experts highlighted the sense of community and empathy.

Conclusion: Our preliminary experience shows a multidisciplinary model with a community approach which redefines the traditional relationship between patients, caregivers, and clinical experts. This aim of this initiative is that education and empowerment patients and caregivers reach a better perception of QoL.