Health Literacy in Parkinson Disease: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Public Health
• Health Literacy Research

Background:

• Parkinson disease (PD) is a leading neurodegenerative disorder impacting patient quality of life.
• Effective PD management hinges on patient self-care, where health literacy (HL) is crucial for knowledge acquisition and application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review mapping the literature on health literacy in Parkinson disease.
• To assess the impact of health literacy on Parkinson disease management.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and PRISMA-ScR extension.
• Systematic searches across 7 major databases.
• Eligibility criteria defined using the Population-Concept-Context framework.

Main Results:

• Sixteen studies (2016-2024) from high-income countries were included.
• Gaps identified in functional HL, especially recognizing non-motor symptoms and medication understanding.
• Interactive and critical HL dimensions were rarely assessed; age, education, and disease duration influenced HL.
• No standardized or personalized HL interventions for PD were found.

Conclusions:

• Health literacy in Parkinson disease is underdeveloped, with a focus on functional aspects.
• Integrating HL assessment and developing personalized, nursing-led interventions are recommended.
• Future research should focus on validated tools, diverse populations, and multimodal interventions.