Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceptions about Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease: Observations from a Single Indian Center

OBJECTIVE: Willingness to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) among patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their overall satisfaction with the procedure is highly dependent upon expectations, which are based on the core concepts of knowledge, attitude and perceptions. The present study aims to evaluate these factors in patients and caregivers with PD from a single tertiary care hospital in India. METHODS: A structured questionnaire designed to assess the knowledge, attitude and perceptions about DBS in PD was administered to 400 patients with PD and their caregivers. RESULTS: A very small proportion of patients and caregivers were aware of DBS. Even those who claimed to be aware of DBS were inadequately informed and had incorrect knowledge, which led to wrong attitudes and perceptions. CONCLUSION: There are very significant knowledge gaps and misconceptions regarding DBS among patients with PD and caregivers. Adequate and appropriate education is necessary to clarify these misconceptions to avoid the development of unrealistic expectations and poor satisfaction.