Objective:

This analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of a social peer mentorship program on participants in community exercise (CE) classes for people with Parkinson's Disease (PwP). We hypothesized that PwP who participated in Community Exercise Plus Social mentorship (CE+S) would report greater improvements in functional outcome measures, better self-efficacy, and higher classes attendance than those who participate in Community Exercise without Social mentorship (CE-S)

Background:

Community exercise programs for PwP can increase adherence to regular physical activity. PwP often experience a decline in activity participation and functional mobility and may require effective strategies to encourage ongoing participation in community exercise programs. A community exercise program Parkinson’s Pointe (PP) developed a social peer mentorship program to encourage exercise participation.  

Design/Methods:

The study involved 124 PwP who attended at least one community exercise class and were given the option for social mentoring. Data were collected every 6 months and compared between baseline and six months. The outcomes assessed were the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Dual Timed Up and Go test (Dual TUG), 30-second Chair Stand test (CST), and the Self-Efficacy Scale. 

Results:

Demographics of PwP in the CE+S were similar to those in the CE-S group. There were differences between the CE+S and CE-S group changes in the TUG scores (p = 0.013), Dual TUG scores (p = 0.002), and 30 Second Chair Scores (p = 0.006). There were no statistically significant differences in the efficacy survey or class attendance.   

Conclusions:

Participants in the CE+S program demonstrated improvements in functional outcome measures over six months of community exercise classes. However, there was no statistical difference in the self-efficacy and impact surveys between groups, possibly due to the high rankings at baseline (ceiling effects). Further research is warranted to understand the impact of social peer mentorship on self-efficacy.