Category: Parkinson's Disease (Other)
Objective: This survey aimed to evaluate patients’ awareness of healthcare roles, access to care, and use of rehabilitation services in the Rome region, Italy.
Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) management requires a multidisciplinary approach involving neurologists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and specialized nurses. However, access to these professionals may vary across healthcare systems.
Method: An online survey was administered to patients with Parkinson’s disease (n = 24). The questionnaire explored awareness of healthcare professionals involved in PD care, accessibility of services, composition of the care team, frequency of consultations, use of rehabilitation services, and patient perceptions of care as part of the work done within the THCS project FP-1356 funded by the Italian Ministry of Health.
Results: 24 patients answered the survey. Most respondents were aware of the neurologist’s role (92%), while awareness was lower for physiotherapists (63%) and speech therapists (75%), and particularly limited for occupational therapists (33%) and nurses (29%). Although two-thirds of patients reported knowing how to contact a specialist, more than half (54%) described difficulties obtaining appointments. Neurologists were the main healthcare provider involved in care, typically seen every 3–6 months. In contrast, rehabilitation services were underutilized: 46% of patients reported never receiving physiotherapy, 71% never accessed speech therapy, and 79% had never used occupational therapy or specialized nursing services. Most patients travelled 5–20 km for neurological care and relied predominantly on private transportation. Qualitative feedback highlighted limited coordination among professionals, insufficient access to public rehabilitation services, and frequent reliance on private therapy.
Conclusion: Despite regular neurological follow-up, access to multidisciplinary care in PD remains limited. Rehabilitation services and specialized support are underused, and awareness of several healthcare roles is low. Improving integration of multidisciplinary teams and expanding access to rehabilitation services may enhance the quality of care for people with PD.
References: 1. Foltynie T, Bruno V, Fox S, Kühn AA, Lindop F, Lees AJ. Medical, surgical, and physical treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Lancet. 2024 Jan 20;403(10423):305-324. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01429-0. PMID: 38245250.
2. Talebi AH, Ypinga JHL, De Vries NM, Nonnekes J, Munneke M, Bloem BR, Heskes T, Ben-Shlomo Y, Darweesh SKL. Specialized Versus Generic Allied Health Therapy and the Risk of Parkinson’s Disease Complications. Mov Disord. 2023 Feb;38(2):223-231. doi: 10.1002/mds.29274. Epub 2022 Nov 24. PMID: 36424819.
3. Wong CM, Dennis SM, Allen NE, Paul SS. ‘I’m Not Sure Who to Refer You to’: Experiences of Clinicians Accessing Allied Health for Their Patients With Parkinson’s Disease. J Eval Clin Pract. 2025 Mar;31(2):e70044. doi: 10.1111/jep.70044. PMID: 40040291; PMCID: PMC11880745.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
G. Di Lazzaro, D. Genovese, AT. Cimmino, P. Zinzi, AR. Bentivoglio, P. Calabresi. Access to rehabilitation therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease in Rome, Italy [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2026; 41 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/access-to-rehabilitation-therapy-for-people-with-parkinsons-disease-in-rome-italy/. Accessed October 1, 2026.« Back to 2026 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/access-to-rehabilitation-therapy-for-people-with-parkinsons-disease-in-rome-italy/