Parkinsons

Introduction Human beings face numerous health conditions and diseases. These conditions could be chronic, in that the disease could be persistent leading to long lasting effects of the symptoms in the human body. These conditions usually progress slowly in the human body and cannot be cured completely like normal maladies. Some chronic disease may result in immediate danger for an individual’s life, though commonly, chronic diseases are persistent and are not necessarily life threatening. Examples of chronic diseases include cancer, arthritis, stroke and Parkinson’s disease among other numerous examples. Like most chronic diseases, Parkinson’s disease affects an individual for a long period. The disease is progressive, in that its symptoms develop over time. Though Parkinson’s disease is not necessarily life threatening, it has lasting and adverse health, and psychosocial effects on its patients. Medical Description of Parkinson’s Disease Parkinson’s disease is a disorder that affects the central nervous system, leading to a progressive diminishing of an individual’s ability to control muscles. The neurodegenerative disorder impairs the motor functions of an individual because of the death of body cells that generate dopamine. These cells are located in the Substantia Nigra part of the brain. When dopamine levels are insufficient in the brain, the communication between Substantia Nigra and Corpus Striatum is impaired, affecting the motor functions of an individual. There is also some degree of the deterioration of other brain cell leading to the aggravation of the problem. Though the cause for the death of the cell is unknown, studies have shown that various dysfunctions in cell processes, stress and inflammations are all potential contributors to the cell damage causing Parkinson’s disease (Meagher et al, 2008). Generally, scientists are in concurrence that the disease is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some of the symptoms, which characterize the disease, include progressive disruptions in motor functions, which include incidences of tremors, rigidity, slowness in movements and postural instability. Secondary symptoms include erectly dysfunction, depression, and anxiety among others. Parkinson’s Prevalence Statistics The US is among the regions with a high prevalence for Parkinson’s disease. This is evident with the country recording a figure of 500000 individuals who are suffering from this neurodegenerative disorder. The gravity of the situation is reiterated by statistics depicting that 50000 new cases of the disease are reported annually. Approximately 40% of Parkinson cases are undiagnosed, and this is perhaps a warning for the stakeholders of health in America. The figure of Parkinson’s cases is expected to rise to over 600000 people in 2030. The disease is seen to be inclined to affecting men slightly more than the female gender. The onset of the degenerative disorder is commonly at the average age of 60-years. The disease increases in both prevalence and incidence as an individual advances in age. Individuals under the age of 40 have little chance of suffering from the disorder. This is, however, in contrast with individuals of ages of between 70 and 80 years. Psychosocial Challenges in Parkinson’s Patients When an individual suffers from Parkinson’s disease, their lives tend to change drastically. This is because the disease affects their psychological and social aspects of life. The disease affects how the individual will interact with the society and the state of their mental and emotional health. This individual may struggle to cope with the sudden change in their lives (Margis et al, 2010). This may affect the psychology with an individual resulting to mechanisms like denial, regression and rationalization among other coping styles (Falvo, 2009). The disease may also lead to adverse emotional reactions that will affect the individual’s psychology. Self esteem issues and stigma area also barriers that a patient faces due to Parkinson’s disease. In addition, the quality of the individual’s life will decrease drastically due to the effects of the disorder (Margis et al, 2010). Other invisible effects and disabilities also affect the patient, for example, sexual dysfunctions. Socially, the individual may lose friends and loved ones, and face discrimination in the society. Research Projects on Parkinson’s Various researches have been carried out on the effects of Parkinson’s disease on an individual’s life. One of the common effects of the disorder is sexual dysfunction. This has previously been neglected but is a glaring issue for Parkinson’s sufferers. A research project was conceived to verify the frequency of libido loss and its relation to the various aspects of the disease. The study, involving 90 patients in Brazil, showed that the loss of libido was mainly due to depression. This could be addressed if the stress levels are managed (Kummer , Cardoso and Teixeira, 2009). Another research on the effects of the disorder was carried out on the benefits of sleep among patients of Parkinson’s disorders. In the study, involving 243 patients showed that they experienced improvements in their symptoms after a restful sleep. Community Based Programs One of the community-based projects on Parkinson’s is the creativity and Parkinson’s project. This involves a website, which supports the therapeutic influence of creativity in the disorder. This involves the display of artwork. This was conceived by 300 patients and features artwork from 13 professional artists. This is an initiative of Parkinson’s disease foundation. There is also a project that aims to assist families provide care for Parkinson’s patients. This is possible through the contribution of volunteers and well-wishers. The initiative is dubbed the Parkinson’s project. Interventions to Minimize the Effects of Parkinson’s Disease The intervention for the disease should include counseling. This will reduce the psychological effects that are synonymous with the disease. In addition, physical therapy can be employed to reduce the effects of the loss of motor functions. Conclusion Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorders that lead to the loss of motor function in an individual. This leads to social and psychological effects on the individual due to the sudden change in their lives. It is, therefore, crucial that the society is proactive in trying to alleviate the issues that patient of Parkinson’s disease undergo in society. References Falvo, D. (2009). Medical and psychosocial aspects of chronic illness and disability. Sudbury, MA : Jones and Bartlett Publishers. ISBN: 9780763744618 Kummer A, Cardoso F, Teixeira A, L. (2009). Loss of libido in Parkinson's disease. US National library of medicine, national institute of Health. 6(4):1024-31. Margis, R., Donis, K., Schönwald, S., & Rieder, C. M. (2010). WHOQOL-OLD assessment of quality of life in elderly patients with Parkinson's disease: influence of sleep and depressive symptoms. Revista Brasileira De Psiquiatria, 32(2), 125-131. Meagher, L. J., Ilchef, R., Silberstein, P., Cook, R. J., Wa