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Housing accessibility problems for people with Parkinson's disease
B Slaug1, S Iwarsson1, J A Ayala2
1Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
|April 11, 2017
Summary
Housing accessibility for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) is significantly impacted by balance issues and walking device needs. Addressing these functional challenges offers the greatest potential for improving home accessibility for individuals with PD.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Rehabilitation Science
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Accessible housing is a key political priority, yet specific challenges for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) are under-researched.
- Understanding housing accessibility issues across different PD severity stages is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate housing accessibility problems in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) based on disease severity.
- To analyze how improved functional ability could impact these housing accessibility challenges.
Main Methods:
- 253 participants with PD (Hoehn and Yahr stages I-V) were assessed using the Housing Enabler (HE) instrument.
- HE-scores combined functional capacity with environmental barriers to measure person-environment fit.
- Data simulation was used to model the impact of improved functional ability.
Main Results:
- Housing accessibility problems (HE-scores) significantly correlated with PD severity (HY stages).
- Balance problems (22%) and walking device use (17%) were primary contributors to HE-scores, more so than environmental barriers.
- Key environmental barriers included lack of grab bars and high shelving; improved balance simulation significantly reduced HE-scores.
Conclusions:
- Interventions focusing on balance and reducing reliance on walking devices are most effective for enhancing housing accessibility in PD.
- Specific environmental modifications, such as grab bar installation and accessible storage, are critical for housing adaptation services.
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