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Introduction People with Parkinson's disease (PD) have lower life satisfaction (LS) than healthy peers. No study has yet identified predictors of LS in people with PD. Such information would be valuable for health care and future interventions that aim to maintain or increase LS. Aim To examine how LS evolved in people with PD over a 3-year period, as well as to identify predictive factors of LS. Methods We used data from baseline assessments and a 3-year follow-up of 163 people with PD (baseline, mean age 68 years; median PD duration 8 years, 35% women). LS was assessed with item 1 of the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-11). Dichotomized LS data from the 3-year follow-up were used as the dependent variable in multivariable logistic regression analyses. In the first step, independent variables included baseline information on sex, education, general self-efficacy, motor symptoms, perceived walking difficulties, fall-related activity avoidance, and difficulties with/need help in activities of daily living. At the second step, depressive symptoms were added as an independent variable. Results The proportion of those who reported being satisfied with their lives reduced from 63.2% at baseline to 49.7% 3 years later (p=0.003). When depressive symptoms were not included in the analysis, general self-efficacy (odds ratio, OR = 1.081; 95% CI = 1.019–1.147) and perceived walking difficulties (OR = 0.962; 95% CI = 0.929–0.997) were significant (p < 0.05) predictors of LS 3 years later. With depressive symptoms included, the influence of walking difficulties diminished, and depressive symptoms (OR = 0.730; 95% CI = 0.607–0.877) and general self-efficacy (OR = 1.074; 95% CI = 1.010–1.142) were the only significant predictors of LS 3 years later. Conclusions LS is reduced over a 3-year period. The study suggests that perceived walking difficulties, general self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms are important predictors of LS in people with PD.

Objective To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) in persons with late effects of polio (LEoP). More specifically, we explored the data completeness, scaling assumptions, targeting, reliability, and convergent validity. Methods A postal survey including FSS, FIS, and MFI-20 was administered to 77 persons with LEoP. Responders received a second survey after 3 weeks to enable test-retest reliability analyses. Results Sixty-one persons (mean age, 68 years; 54% women) responded to the survey (response rate 79%). Data quality of the rating scales was high (with 0%-0.5% missing item responses), the corrected item-total correlations exceeded 0.4 and the scales showed very little floor or ceiling effects (0%-6.6%). All scales had an acceptable reliability (Cronbach's alpha >= 0.95) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, >= 0.80). The standard error of measurement and the smallest detectable difference were 7%-10% and 20%-28% of the possible scoring range. All three scales were highly correlated (Spearman's correlation coefficient r(s)=0.79-0.80; p

Fear of falling is more common and pronounced in people with Parkinson’s disease than in controls. We conducted a series of studies that used multivariable regression analyses to identify explanatory factors of fear of falling in people with Parkinson’s disease. Three independent samples were used. The first study (n=154) was a postal survey study that used well-established self-rating scales. The second study replicated the first one by using a clinical sample (n=104) and added unexplored motor aspects (e.g., gait speed, functional balance performance) as well as global cognition. The third clinical study (n=241) included independent variables that focused on personal (e.g. general self-efficacy) and environmental factors as well as Parkinson-related disabilities. In all three studies, walking difficulties was the strongest explanatory (60–68%) factor. The results imply that walking difficulties in daily life should be the primary target in order to reduce fear of falling in people with Parkinson’s disease.