Global Health

Dr. Adrissi’s commitment to employing community based participatory research and addressing Parkinson’s disease disparities in Black communities transcends national borders. In 2020, Dr. Adrissi was the recipient of the American Neurological Association’s International Outreach Grant which was established to address the inequitable health outcomes in neurological disease among low to middle income countries. In Fall 2023, Dr. Adrissi traveled to Lusaka, Zambia to complete a local needs assessment for people living with PD, their care partners, and local healthcare workers. The project, “Understanding the Impact of Parkinson’s Disease in Zambia: An Assessment of Patient and Caregiver Needs,” used a combination of surveys, interviews, and focus groups to investigate:

(1) the perceptions of PD in Zambia, 

(2) the needs of people living with PD and their families in Zambia, 

(3) the triumphs and challenges of healthcare workers managing the disease in the country, and 

(4) potential locally relevant strategies that can be used to address the identified needs. 

In resource-limited settings such as those in sub-Saharan Africa, it is difficult or sometimes impossible to follow the evidence-based recommendations often created in resource-rich settings. Therefore, communities such as those in Zambia have little to no guidance on how to manage chronic neurological conditions such as PD. Dr. Adrissi completed the first phase of the project which assessed the current PD care, needs, and barriers in this community. The next phase of the project will be the development of a locally relevant PD educational and resource toolkit. Many of the people with PD and their families in Zambia had never met other people living with the disorder which creates a very isolating experience. Dr. Adrissi hosted a social event for the Zambian PD community at the culmination of her visit with over 50 people in attendance.