Objective: To employ a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach in developing and testing a workshop-based, peer-led intervention aimed at increasing PD awareness among youth and young adults, with the ultimate goal of aiding in timely detection of PD in Hispanic communities of Chicago.

Background: Health disparities in the management of PD contribute to worse outcomes in underserved communities in the US. PD awareness interventions have been valuable in predominantly African American communities where studies have shown decreased awareness of PD symptoms, delays to PD diagnosis, and lower likelihood to be managed by a neurologist. Many of these gaps are likely to be present in other underrepresented minorities, though remain understudied. The PD Young Ambassadors (PDYA) program aims to partner with young adults to create a sustainable, culturally-relevant intervention to increase PD awareness through peer-led workshops. The workshop attendees will then be able to share information learned with their family and community, thus expanding the scope of influence and PD awareness in underrepresented minority communities of Chicago.

Method: Participants between the ages of 18-26 were screened to be trained as PDYA’s. A survey was administered before the initial PD youth ambassador training to assess baseline PD knowledge. An identical, matched but de-identified, multiple-choice post-test was administered after the training to assess for any change in PD knowledge and understanding. PDYA will work in groups to implement their own educational workshops in the community. A similar pre- and post-workshop knowledge-based survey will be administered to community attendees of the peer-led educational workshops.

Results: Twenty-four young adults participants were screened and 12 consented to participate in the PDYA program. Nine consented participants underwent PD training. Demographic data was collected and summarized. Pre-training average score was 5.6/8 (70%) while the post-training average score was 7.3/8 (91.3%). Participants are expected to conduct their own educational sessions by mid-2024.

Conclusion: The PDYA program is poised to assess and quantify the impact of a community-based and peer-led intervention over the upcoming year. This intervention also provides a model for other similar initiatives hoping to raise PD awareness in underserved populations at the local level.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/pd-young-ambassadors-a-peer-led-community-based-intervention-to-raise-pd-awareness-in-the-hispanic-communities-of-chicago/