Social factors related to participation among people with Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) significantly impacts participation in daily activities, affecting the quality of life of individuals living with PD. While impairment-level factors have been extensively studied, the influence of social factors on participation remains less explored. This study investigated the contribution of social factors, including social resources and social isolation, to participation in instrumental, leisure, and social activities among people with PD.

This was a cross-sectional study of 86 community-dwelling adults with PD (Age: 65.02 ± 9.63yrs). Pearson correlation analysis was used to identify the relationships of impairment-level and social factors with participation. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between social factors and participation after controlling for impairment-level factors (i.e., motor dysfunction, depression, cognition).

Less social isolation and more informal or interpersonal support (i.e., family/friend, neighborhood/community) correlated with better retention of participation across activity domains. Increased social support from family and friends contributed to increased high-demand leisure participation, while support from neighborhood, and community resources were independent predictors of retention of social and overall participation.

These findings underscore the importance of social factors and the impact of relationships and interactions within more proximal social environments on activity participation among individuals with PD. Incorporating strategies to enhance social resources into rehabilitation may improve participation in this population.