Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurosurgery, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| [b] Department of Neurology, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| [c] Department of Public Health and Parasitology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| [d] Graduate Institute of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| [e] Department of Dementia Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Yi-Chen Chiu, PhD, Associate Professor, Graduate Institute of Nursing, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Tel.: +011 886 3 2118800 5148; Fax: +011 886 3 3265223; E-mail: yulandac@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
Abstract: Background:Parkinson’s disease (PD), a degenerative disease with irreversible motor dysfunction, impacts patients’ quality of life (QoL). Spirituality can provide a sense of hope and meaning when individuals are faced with adverse life events, such as a diagnosis of PD. However, few studies have examined the relationship between spiritual well-being and QoL for persons with PD. Objective:To explore the relationships between the disease characteristics, spirituality and QoL for persons with PD, and verify the mediating effects of spirituality on the relationship. Methods:This cross-sectional study recruited patients with PD (n = 110) by convenience sampling from a neurological clinic in northern Taiwan. Variables were measured using the Spirituality Index of Well-Being Chinese version (SIWB-C) and the 39-item Parkinson’s disease Quality of Life Questionnaire Chinese version (PDQ-39-C) self-report questionnaires. Descriptive analysis and linear hierarchical regression were conducted to examine the studied variables and explore the mediating effect of spiritual wellbeing. Results:Those whose scores were significantly better in PDQ-39 were younger, employed, with shorter disease duration and less severe condition with better functioning on their early stages and lower LEDD; additionally, those who had better quality of life also experienced better spiritual wellbeing than the counterparts. The regression model demonstrated spiritual self-efficacy had mediating effects between disease characteristics and QoL, explaining 69.8%of the variance (adjusted R2 = 65.3%). Conclusion:The results can be the references for future strategies and interventions, focusing on increasing spiritual self-efficacy and reducing the impact of disease severity to improve QoL for persons with PD.
Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, spiritual
well-being, self-efficacy, quality of life
