Quality of the Support Network and Family Functionality in patients with Parkinson s Disease

Research Article

J Fam Med. 2023; 10(2): 1328.

Quality of the Support Network and Family Functionality in patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Guerra-Bulnes CM; Mercado-Flores HE; Lopez-Moran JA

Department of Family Medicine, General Hospital Zone with Family Medicine, Mexico

*Corresponding author: Guerra-Bulnes Cristian Michel Department of Family Medicine, General Hospital Zone #10, IMSS, Nayarit, Mexico. Email: [email protected]

Received: March 27, 2023 Accepted: April 27, 2023 Published: May 04, 2023

Abstract

Background: An inadequate support network and dysfunctional family functionality can be associated with a greater complication of your disease, as well as higher costs of care. These two elements play a decisive role in the clinical evolution of the patient with Parkinson’s disease.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of the Support Network and Family Functionality in patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

Methods: Non-experimental, cross-sectional, analytical and prospective study. The inclusion criteria were valid beneficiaries, with diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, it was carried out during the period from January to June 2022. To evaluate the Support Network the Gijon Scale was used and for Family Functionality the FF-SIL Test. For the statistical analysis we used descriptive statistics with measures of central tendency and dispersion, in the inferential analysis Fisher’s Exact Test and odds ratio were used.

Results: Twenty-seven people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease were evaluated. 21 participants (77.8%) had a moderately functional family, four with a dysfunctional family (14.8%) and two (7.4%) with a functional family. On the other hand, in the Gijon Scale we find the following: 15 patients (55.6%) with good/acceptable social situation and 12(44.4%) with social risk. When making an association between these variables, we found statistical significance with the absence of a partner (p 0.04), income of 1-2 minimum wages (p 0.001) and low socioeconomic level (p 0.02).

Conclusions: Although there is no statistical association between the support networks with respect to family function, both aspects influence the environment and care of the patient with Parkinson’s. In turn, it is necessary to evaluate other interesting variables such as the presence of a partner, income and socioeconomic level.

Keywords: Support network; Family functionality; Parkinson’s disease

Introduction

Parkinson's disease is a motor-cognitive disorder, which is present in the elderly, which is progressive and disabling for the sick patient, and which is also frequently found in family medicine medical care. Worldwide, it is estimated that four to five million people over the age of 50 may have Parkinson's disease [1]. The diagnosis of Parkinson's disease within the nucleus of the family generates a series of imbalances in the way of living together, therefore, it produces paranormative crises in the family and its elements, which causes dysfunction on its members [2]. It also impacts the quality of support that the patient receives in terms of their physical and medical needs, as well as the needs of the family to be able to face the disease. This is associated with the worsening of said disease, which in turn translates into an increase in hospital medical care costs and a higher risk of mortality [3].

Although the exact number of patients with Parkinson's is unknown, a prevalence of 50 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year is estimated [4]. Without an efficient approach by the family doctor, the prognosis worsens and the morbidity and mortality rate rise [5]. In our state, Nayarit, the relationship between the quality of the Support Network and Family functionality in patients with Parkinson's Disease is still unknown, for these reasons, the present study aims to evaluate the quality of the Support Network and Family Functionality in patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Material and Methods

Study Design and Population

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Nayarit, Mexico between January to June 2022. The research was developed at the regional general zone with Family Medicine #10 of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), a primary/secondary level hospital. The inclusion criteria were valid beneficiaries, with diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, who agreed to participate in the study with informed consent.

Variables

The following variables were measured in patients who met the inclusion criteria: age, sex, marital status, education, economic income, family functionality and support network. The collection of variables was as following: age in years; sex, according to phenotypical characteristics; marital status, direct question about a partner and the relationship; education, asking about the level of education; economical income, money earned by the family in a month; family functionality, applying the FF-SIL test; and support network with the Gijon Test. The information obtained was attached to the standardized data collection form.

Statistical Analysis

Once the information was collected, the analysis was carried out using the SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were used, the qualitative variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages, and the quantitative variables as measures of central tendency and dispersion. For the bivariate analysis we used the odds ratio and Fisher test.

Ethics

The study was approved by the Local Committee for Ethics and Health Research number 204, with registration number R-2021-18028-014. The research was conducted under the General Health Law on Health Research, the Declaration of Helsinki and bioethical principles.

Results

27 patients with a main diagnosis of Parkinson's disease were evaluated, who met the inclusion criteria for this study, 16 participants (59%) are men and 11(41%) are women. Most of the participants were over 65 years old (82%), with a mean age of 74.5 years. The minimum was 48 years and the maximum age was 93 years. Regarding the marital status variable, 17 are married (63%), 9 widowed (33%), and only one is single (4%). According to the distribution of the education variable, the frequency of no degree of study was 3 participants (11%), elementary school with 8 (30%), middle school with 9 (33%), high school with 4 (14%), technical career with 2 (7%), professional only one (4%) (Table 1).