Navigating Communication, Social Connectedness, and Mental Health Burden as Hispanic/Latiné Care Partners of Individuals With Parkinson's Disease.

Care partners perceived burden as a multifaceted construct involving emotional, financial, and societal strains.

• Fifteen Hispanic/Latiné care partners of people with PD participated in six focus groups.
• Thematic analysis of video-recorded focus group transcripts generated four themes from the data set.
• Burden was described as multidimensional, encompassing emotional, financial, and societal dimensions.
• The study used qualitative methodology, specifically thematic analysis, to examine care partner experiences.

Care partners implemented strategies that enhanced communicative interactions with their loved ones with PD, which also served as coping mechanisms against the progressive nature of the disease.

• Communication strategies were identified as both functional tools for interaction and personal coping mechanisms.
• This was identified as one of four major themes generated from the focus group data.
• Participants described navigating communication challenges related to motor and nonmotor symptoms of PD.
• Data were collected from six focus groups with 15 Hispanic/Latiné care partners.

Cultural influences on PD management represented a key theme, with many participants sharing experiences of medical and psychological services lacking cultural responsiveness.

• Cultural values were described as shaping care partner perceptions and PD management approaches.
• Participants reported that medical and psychological services lacked cultural responsiveness.
• The study emphasized that care partner perceptions may reflect culture-dependent values beyond universal disease-driven experiences.
• Special consideration was noted for the needs of Hispanic/Latiné female care partners.

The social and mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Hispanic/Latiné care partners of individuals with PD was identified as a distinct key theme.

• COVID-19 pandemic impacts on social connectedness and mental health emerged as one of four major themes.
• This theme was identified through qualitative thematic analysis of focus group transcripts.
• The pandemic's effects were considered alongside broader experiences of communication and social connectedness.
• Fifteen care partners across six focus groups contributed to this finding.

Education was identified as an empowering resource to navigate difficult emotions such as uncertainty, debunk societal stereotyping, and facilitate open communication within care partner relationships.

• Psychoeducation on PD and disease management was highlighted as a critical component for support group guidelines.
• Education was linked to addressing societal stereotyping experienced by Hispanic/Latiné care partners.
• Advocacy was identified alongside psychoeducation as a direct target for culturally responsive support groups.
• These findings informed initial guidelines for the development of culturally responsive support groups for this population.

Guidelines for culturally responsive support groups for Hispanic/Latiné care partners should directly target psychoeducation on PD, disease management, and advocacy, with special consideration for female care partners.

• The study's ultimate goal was to establish initial guidelines for culturally responsive support group development.
• Special consideration for Hispanic/Latiné female care partners was explicitly recommended.
• Culturally affirming services were identified as significant, as existing services were reported to lack cultural responsiveness.
• The sample consisted of 15 Hispanic/Latiné care partners participating in six focus groups.