Background: Patients with Parkinson's disease face various emotional challenges. Identifying these challenges enables a coordinated effort to provide emotional support to both patients and their families, ultimately improving their quality of life. This study aimed to explore the emotional challenges of people with Parkinson's disease and family caregivers in the context of Iran.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in Iran in 2023 using the conventional content analysis approach. Purposive sampling with a maximum variation strategy was used to select 22 participants including 11 people with Parkinson's disease and 11 family caregivers. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The data was analyzed based on Granheim and Lundman's five-stage model. Meaning units were identified and coded, with the codes grouped into subcategories and categories based on their similarities, supported by MAXQDA software. The reliability and accuracy of the data were ensured using Guba and Lincoln criteria.
Results: The emotional challenges were categorized into seven main categories including normalization and denial/ stigma, embarrassment, and concealment/ feeling angry with self and other blame/ perceived burdensomeness/ identity dissociation and uselessness/ fear of the future/ anxiety and depression.
Conclusions: Emotional challenges in Parkinson’s disease are multifaceted and culturally influenced. Culturally sensitive, holistic support strategies are essential to improve emotional well-being and quality of life for both patients and their families.