Adjusting to living with Parkinson’s disease; a meta-ethnography of qualitative research

Purpose: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a condition which causes significant difficulties in physical, cognitive and psychological domains. It is a progressive condition which people have to live with for a long time; consequently, there is a need to understand what contributes to individual adjustment. This review aimed to answer the question “how do individuals adjust to PD?” Method: A systematic search of three databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO) was carried out of papers documenting the adjustment process when living with PD and the findings were synthesised using a meta-ethnographic approach. Results: After exclusion based on eligibility criteria, 21 articles were included and were assessed for quality prior to analysing the data. Three main themes are proposed relating to the process of adjustment: ‘maintaining a coherent sense of self’, ‘feeling in control’ and ‘holding a positive mindset’. Although many of the studies described challenges of living with PD, the results are dominated by the determination of individuals to self-manage their condition and maintain positive wellbeing. Conclusion: The results highlight the need to empower patients to self-manage their illness, mitigating the effects of Parkinson’s disease and supporting future wellbeing