Pilot randomized controlled trial of the ReFresh online fatigue management programme for people with Parkinson's disease.
Pilot randomized controlled trial of the ReFresh online fatigue management programme for people with Parkinson's disease.
Where did the research take place?
The study site has not been established. Author addresses may differ from where the research occurred.
Norwich, GB · Author affiliation
School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK.Location evidence
Riyadh, SA · Author affiliation
Occupational Therapy Program, Rehabilitation Sciences Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Location evidence
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Original abstract
AimsFatigue is one of the most disabling symptoms experienced by people with Parkinson's disease, yet few evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions are available. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and exploratory clinical signals of the Rebalancing Fatigue and Enhancing Self-Help (ReFresh) online fatigue management programme for people with Parkinson's disease.Patients and methodsA pilot randomized controlled trial with a wait-list control group was conducted. Participants with Parkinson's disease experiencing fatigue were randomized to either the six-week ReFresh online programme or a wait-list control. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment, retention, adherence, and participant engagement. Secondary outcomes included fatigue severity, fatigue self-efficacy, sleep quality, mood, and occupational performance.ResultsA total of 118 participants were randomized. Recruitment targets were achieved; however, retention and adherence were modest. Participants who completed the programme reported improvements in fatigue self-efficacy and perceived ability to manage fatigue, while changes in fatigue severity were smaller. Qualitative feedback indicated that participants valued the flexibility and accessibility of the online format.ConclusionsThe ReFresh programme demonstrated feasibility and acceptability as a digitally delivered fatigue management intervention for people with Parkinson's disease. Future research should explore strategies to improve engagement and evaluate the programme in a fully powered randomized controlled trial.Clinical trial registrationISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN62114944, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN62114944.