Year: 2026 | Month: July | Volume: 13 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 407-418
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260742
Self-Reported Outcome Measures for Activities of Daily Living in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Narrative Review
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 both motor and non-motor impairments that significantly affect activities of daily living (ADL). Accurate assessment of ADL is essential for rehabilitation planning, monitoring disease progression, and evaluating treatment outcomes. Self-reported outcome measures provide valuable patient-centered insights into functional performance in everyday life and complement clinician-based assessments.
Objective: To review the available self-reported measures used to assess activities of daily living in individuals with Parkinson's disease and summarize their psychometric properties, clinical utility, strengths, and limitations.
Methods: This narrative review was conducted following the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) guidelines. A literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify studies published between 2000 and 2026. Search terms included Parkinson's disease, activities of daily living, self-reported measures, disability assessment, patient-reported outcomes, and psychometric properties. Studies describing the development, reliability, validity, responsiveness, and clinical applicability of self-reported ADL instruments in Parkinson's disease were included.
Results: Several self-reported ADL measures were identified, including the Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale, Barthel Index, Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Penn Parkinson's Daily Activities Questionnaire, Pfeffer Functional Activities Questionnaire, Functional Status Questionnaire, Patient-Specific Functional Scale, Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire, Parkinson's Disease Activities of Daily Living Scale, Self-Assessment Parkinson's Disease Disability Scale (SPDDS), and the Movement Disorder Society–Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part II. Disease-specific instruments, particularly the SPDDS, PDAQ, and MDS-UPDRS Part II, demonstrated strong psychometric properties and greater sensitivity in detecting Parkinson's disease-related disability.
Conclusion: Self-reported ADL measures provide valuable patient-centered information that complements clinician-administered assessments. Selecting an appropriate assessment tool based on the clinical objective and stage of disease can facilitate comprehensive evaluation, individualized rehabilitation planning, and effective monitoring of functional changes in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
Keywords: Parkinson's disease; activities of daily living; self-reported measures; patient-reported outcomes; disability assessment; rehabilitation.
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