Year: 2026 | Month: August | Volume: 13 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 89-96
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260808
Correlation Between Disability and Quality of Life in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Vrima Vijay Shukla1, Dr. Yagna Unmesh Shukla2
1PhD Scholar, Department of Physiotherapy, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
2PhD Guide, Gujarat University; Principal, Government Physiotherapy College & Government Spine Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
Corresponding Author: Vrima Vijay Shukla
ABSTRACT
Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor impairments that lead to increasing disability and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Although disability and quality of life are closely related, limited evidence exists regarding their association using patient-reported outcome measures in the Indian population.
Objectives: To determine the relationship between disability and health-related quality of life in individuals with Parkinson's disease using the Self-Assessment Parkinson's Disease Disability Scale (SPDDS) and the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8 (PDQ-8).
Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 50 individuals diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's disease attending physiotherapy outpatient departments and neurology clinics in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Disability was assessed using the Self-Assessment Parkinson's Disease Disability Scale (SPDDS), while health-related quality of life was evaluated using the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8 (PDQ-8). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and clinical characteristics. The association between disability and quality of life was analysed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 67.6 years, with males constituting 88% of the study population. The mean SPDDS score was 53, and the mean PDQ-8 score was 14.3. Spearman's rank correlation analysis demonstrated a statistically significant moderate positive correlation between disability and quality of life (ρ = 0.501, p < 0.05), indicating that greater disability was associated with poorer health-related quality of life.
Conclusion: Disability is significantly associated with health-related quality of life in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The findings highlight the importance of routinely assessing disability and quality of life using disease-specific patient-reported outcome measures such as the SPDDS and PDQ-8. Early identification of functional limitations may assist physiotherapists in planning individualized rehabilitation interventions aimed at maintaining functional independence and improving quality of life.
Keywords: Parkinson's disease, Disability, Quality of life, Self-Assessment Parkinson's Disease Disability Scale, SPDDS, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8, PDQ-8, Physiotherapy, Activities of daily living.
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