A Qualitative Study on Perspectives of Parkinson’s Disease Medications: Insights from Patient Focus Groups

Abstract

Purpose: Medication is an important component of the management of Parkinson’s disease (PD), yet few studies investigate factors that inform medication decision-making from the perspective of those who use these therapies. This qualitative study aimed to better understand the medication experiences and perspectives of people with PD (PwPD).
Patients and Methods: Thirty-two PwPD recruited from five large movement disorder clinics from five US states participated in 1-hour on-line focus groups in 2022. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.
Results: Four primary themes (subthemes in parentheses) emerged concerning PD medications: (1) medication effectiveness (uncertainty, inconsistent effects, adjusting expectations); (2) medication burden (morning doses, timing challenges, constant reminder); (3) side effects (toleration, treatment, confusion with disease symptoms); and (4) preferences/requests (important attributes, therapy advancement).
Conclusion: This study identified four core dimensions associated with PD medications from the perspective of PwPD. Results indicate the need for enhanced communication between providers and patients regarding PD medication to reduce the uncertainties and burden associated with PD medication regimens and promote better health outcomes for PwPD.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, medication, patient perspective, patient experience