Objective: To examine the association between online social engagement (SE) including exercise & support groups, phone calls/video chats and daily outings with motor and non-motor symptoms (NMS) in Parkinson Disease (PD) by a web-based survey administered during the COVID-19 restrictions.

Background: COVID-19 has led to a disruption in the usual exercise and SE in PWP. There is evidence that exercise is beneficial for PWP and that a variety of physical activities can improve motor outcomes in PD. Loneliness has been associated with worse PD symptoms and QoL, although data to inform social prescribing (SP) in this population are lacking.

Method: CAM Care PD is an on-going web-based natural history study looking at modifiable variables associated with PD progression. Participants were administered a modified version of the questionnaire including a number of questions specific to the COVID time frame at 6-8 months into the pandemic during a time of social distancing and lockdown enforcement. We analyzed data from 1,024 participants with self-reported diagnosis of idiopathic PD. All analyses adjusted for age, gender, disease duration and income. We report the association between SE strategies on PRO-PD scores (severity of symptoms) in PD.

Results: Participation in online exercise was associated with a 111 point lower PRO-PD (p=0.001) and 58 point lower PRO-PD nonmotor score (p=0.004). Connecting with someone daily either by phone or video was also associated with a 122 point lower Patient-Reported Outcomes in PD (PRO-PD) score (p=0.000) and 72 point lower PRO-PD nonmotor score (p=0.000). Participating in an online support group was not associated with a statistically meaningful change in PRO-PD or PRO-PD nonmotor scores. Going out most days of the week was associated with a 214 point lower PRO-PD score (p=0.015) and 130 point lower PRO-PD non-motor score (p=0.016), while other frequencies was not associated with a statistically significant change.

Conclusion: This cross-section survey is not able to determine whether fewer PD symptoms enables greater SE, or whether SE improves PD symptoms. SP is a means for providers to encourage community engagement for the purpose of improving patient health, although data to support SP in PD have been lacking. These data provide early support for recommending patients engage in online exercise, connecting daily through telephone of video chat, and trying to leave the home on semi-regular basis.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/strategies-for-social-prescribing-combating-loneliness-in-parkinsons-disease/