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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Tash Fothergill-Misbah, Professor Suzanne Moffatt, Professor Richard Walker
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease globally. It is a progressive neurological disorder which can lead to a decline in wellbeing and quality of life for people living with PD (PwP) and their families/caregivers. However, little is known about the experience of PwP in low- and middle-income countries. In high-income countries, the benefits of support groups in providing social support, preventing social isolation and normalising the PD experience have been established. As part of a wider ethnographic study over 10 months, we explored the role of support groups in the management of PD in Kenya, sub-Saharan Africa. Fifty-five PwP and 23 informal family caregivers took part, and observations took place over ten support group meetings. Both positives and drawbacks were identified. The groups played a role in filling in gaps in information and services that the healing landscape in Kenya was unable to provide, while acting as an important source of care and support for PwP and caregivers, enabling ‘sociality’ and legitimacy. Drawbacks included limited reach and accessibility, ‘social comparisons’, and seeing the severity of progressed PD in others. Findings suggest PD support groups could become important components within resource-constrained healthcare settings.
Author(s): Fothergill-Misbah N, Moffatt S, Mwithiga H, Hampshire K, Walker R
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Global Public Health
Year: 2022
Volume: 17
Issue: 8
Pages: 1773-1783
Print publication date: 01/08/2022
Online publication date: 13/07/2021
Acceptance date: 28/06/2021
Date deposited: 16/03/2023
ISSN (print): 1744-1692
ISSN (electronic): 1744-1706
Publisher: Routledge
URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2021.1954227
DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1954227
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