Title: Living with Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: Exploring Older Adults’ Experiences from a Stress and Coping Lens
Supervisors: Dr. Erica Bennett
Committee members: Dr. Eli Puterman, Dr. Thomas Zwimpfer
Abstract: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a complex condition experienced by older adults with symptoms of impaired gait and balance, urinary urgency and incontinence, and cognitive impairment associated with enlargement of cerebral ventricles (Isaacs et al., 2019; Nakajima et al., 2021). Living with iNPH can present significant challenges due to both diagnostic uncertainty as several disorders present with gait, cognitive and/or urinary dysfunction, and variability in the degree of symptom improvement following surgical treatment. The complex nature of this condition provides an opportunity to explore the subjective experiences of those living with iNPH, create greater awareness of its day-to-day impact, and better understand how to support patients throughout the diagnostic and treatment process. With my proposed research, I aim to i) examine the perceptions and experiences of individuals with iNPH throughout the diagnostic and treatment journey and ii) understand the appraisals and coping strategies used that shape their experiences. Adopting a constructivist approach and guided by stress and coping literature, I propose to conduct a series of two semi-structured interviews with 10-12 participants who have been diagnosed and treated for iNPH. With the data generated, I will engage in a reflexive thematic analysis to identify patterns within the participants’ stories related to their subjective experiences, and associated appraisals and coping efforts. The findings from this study will help healthcare professionals better understand what it means to live with iNPH, and can inform the tailoring of psychosocial support resources for individuals living with iNPH.