Objective: The main objective of this study is to explore the lived experience of PD patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a significant and expanding global public health concern. The quality of life is negatively impacted in people with PD for a variety of reasons connected to the illness and medications. Though the lived experience of PD patients is unique to each individual, common challenges are also shared among them. These challenges start before the diagnosis of the disease, continue throughout the disease progression and includes societal attitudes.
Method: This is a descriptive phenomenological study to explore the experience of living with PD among PD patients in Ethiopia. Data were collected from five members of the Parkinson Patient Support Organization-Ethiopia (PPSOE) using semi structured open ended questions. Interviews were tape recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded using open code software and subjected to thematic analysis.
Results: Four themes were generated from the analyzed data. The lived experience of patients comprise of the effect of the disease, adaptive coping strategies, comparison of life before and after PD diagnosis and view to the future. The effect of the disease ranges from the commonly experienced symptoms to pathway to care and the implications of the disease on their day to day life. It also includes the perceived stigma the patients experienced due to the disease. It’s believed that someone who kills a cat early in life will eventually develop tremor or Parkinson’s disease. Adaptive coping strategies involve the patient’s ways of handling the major symptoms of PD. Participants also explained how having Parkinson’s has affected their outlook on the future.
Conclusion: This pilot study was able to identify unique impacts of the disease specific to the study area and we recommended further study relating to this topic in Ethiopia.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
S. Seyoum, S. Gugssa, R. Walker, N. Fothergill-Misbah, W. Mersha, S. Kifelew. The “Cat Killer’s Disease”: Lived Experience of Parkinson’s disease Patients in Ethiopia [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2024; 39 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-cat-killers-disease-lived-experience-of-parkinsons-disease-patients-in-ethiopia/. Accessed November 24, 2024.« Back to 2024 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-cat-killers-disease-lived-experience-of-parkinsons-disease-patients-in-ethiopia/