Research overview
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Background: OFF periods impair quality of life in Parkinson's disease and are often amenable to treatment. Optimal treatment decisions rely on effective communication between physicians, patients and carepartners regarding this highly variable and complex phenomenon. Little is published in the literature about communication about OFF periods. Methods: Informed by interviews with physicians, patients and carepartners we designed questionnaires for each group. We surveyed these parties using an online platform to investigate the frequency, content and ease of communication about OFF periods and barriers and facilitators of communication with physicians. Results: Fifty movement disorder neurologists, 50 general neurologists, 442 patients and 97 carepartners participated. A free-flowing dialogue is the mainstay of communication according to all parties. Motor aspects of OFF periods are discussed more frequently than non-motor aspects (90 vs. Conclusions: Perceived barriers and facilitators to communication about OFF periods are different between health care providers and receivers of health care. Modifiable barriers and facilitators that could be implemented were identified by both groups. Future research should develop and test strategies based on this input to optimize communication and thus clinical care for this common and debilitating problem.
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