Peer Partners to Improve Physical Activity in Older Latino and Latina Adults With Parkinson's Disease.
Phase: NA
Conditions: Parkinson Disease
Sponsor: UConn Health

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STUDY PROTOCOL 
Date: 10/23/2025 
NCT Number: 06170866
Title: Peer partners to improve physical 
activity in older Latinx adults with Parkinson's 
disease 

Peer partners to improve physical activity in older Latinx adults with Parkinson’s disease 
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Peer partners to improve physical activity in older Latinx adults with Parkinson’s disease
Protocol
Principal Investigator:
Cristina Colón-Semenza, PT, MPT, PhD
Assistant Professor
Board-Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy 
University of Connecticut
College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources 
Dept of Kinesiology-Doctor of Physical Therapy Program 
Storrs, CT
Funding agency:
National Institute on Aging, Older Americans Independence
Center (OAIC) Center on Aging
OAIC Cores:
RC1, RC2, RC3.
Background: The combination of physical activity and social support may improve disease management for 
people with Parkinson disease (PD) from under-represented groups (URG). Although pharmacological 
management is the standard treatment for this progressive neurological disease of older adults, physical 
activity and exercise are now critical components of effective disease management and likely slows the 
disease progression.1–5 It is projected that the prevalence of PD in the US will exceed 1 million people by
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2030 with the incidence highest amongst Hispanics.6,7 Despite the critical importance of exercise in the 
management of PD, the majority of Hispanics with PD do not believe that exercise is an important factor for 
disease management and engage in physical therapy at lower rates than Caucasians8,9, a pattern which 
mirrors physical activity disparities in older Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic whites.10 Cultural as well as disease- 
related barriers compound the problem of inactivity and may contribute to delayed access of healthcare for 
PD 11 inhibiting optimal disease management. Although very little is known about how to increase physical 
activity in minority populations, older adults from URG have identified lack of time, inadequate social 
support, lack of motivation, physical ailments, and chronic health conditions as barriers to physical 
activity.12,13  Facilitators of physical activity noted by older adults from URG include: receiving positive 
messages about physical activity from a trustworthy and reliable source; making physical activity enjoyable; 
peer social interaction, social support, and competition.12,14 Simply put, peer support is an obvious facilitator 
of physical activity. Peers (defined here as Hispanic/Latinx individuals with PD) can help address these 
barriers by sharing knowledge, resources, and friendly competition.15–17
A previous investigation of the use of peer coaching through mobile health technology for people with PD 
resulted in initial indications of intervention effectiveness.17 However, the sample of individuals involved in 
this study lacked ethnic diversity. This project will advance this research by culturally and linguistically 
tailoring this peer support intervention for older Hispanic individuals living with PD. Current evidence 
(unpublished) indicates that the family has significant influence on physical activity levels of people with PD 
who are Hispanic and therefore family involvement will be incorporated into the intervention.
The number of individuals living with PD in the most populous nations is expected to increase to 
approximately 9 million by 2030.18 Developing strategies to support older individuals who are faced with a 
chronic health condition as well as cultural and structural barriers to physical activity and exercise must be 
prioritized to maximize best outcomes for quality of life. A peer-supported physical activity intervention 
using a culturally and linguistically tailored program could increase physical activity and improve disease 
self-management for Hispanic individuals living with PD. Engaging with a trusted peer who is also living 
with the same disease may provide access to health information as well as vicarious experiences, mastery 
experiences, and social persuasion to effect behavior change. Our approach offers a novel, scalable, and 
generalizable means to increase physical activity and enhance disease self-management. This work has the 
potential to impact under-served individuals world-wide living with PD and, potentially, millions more with 
other chronic progressive conditions.
Hypotheses or Research Question, Aims and Objectives:
Hypothesis/Question: Is a peer partner training program and a peer-supported, mobile health, physical 
activity intervention feasible in Latinx people with PD?
o Exploratory hypothesis: A peer partner training program and a peer-supported, mobile health, 
physical activity intervention will increase physical activity, motivation, quality of life and self- 
efficacy for physical activity in participants. This intervention will be most beneficial to those 
that are classified as sedentary (< 5,000 steps/day) at baseline.
Aims / objectives

Aim 1: To culturally adapt and determine feasibility of the peer partner training program.
We will examine (1A) acceptability (1B) appropriateness (1C) feasibility and (1D) cultural
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relevance through self-report surveys and qualitative interviews with study participants. (1E) 
We will examine knowledge acquisition with a pre and post knowledge quiz. (1F) We will 
examine training engagement with attendance at the 2 virtual training sessions.

Aim 2: To determine the feasibility of a peer-supported mobile health physical activity 
intervention (Compañeros con Parkinson’s) for exercise in Latinx people with PD. We will 
examine: (2A) intervention engagement, as measured by attendance at exercise classes and with 
the number of peer contacts (2B) acceptability, (2C) appropriateness, (2D) feasibility and (2E) 
cultural relevance through self-report surveys and qualitative interviews with study participants.

Exploratory Aim: To determine the effects of the peer-supported mobile health physical 
activity intervention on physical activity (objectively measured physical activity through the 
activity monitor), motivation (Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire), quality of 
life (Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39)), depression (Geriatric Depression Scale 
(GDS)), apathy (Lille Apathy Rating Scale (LARS)) and self-efficacy for physical activity 
(Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity (SEPA)).
Study Design: This is a prospective feasibility trial, single group pre-posttest design.
Sample size and justification
This study aims to enroll 20 participants. For this feasibility study, the sample size is comparable to other 
feasibility trials in populations of individuals with Parkinson disease (Lima & Rodrigues-de-Paula, 2013; 
Ellis et al., 2013, Colón-Semenza et al., 2018)17,19,20. This sample size will allow for a comparison in 
feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness within and across groups. This sample will allow for 
identifying trends and preliminary efficacy for this intervention. This study will help to inform an 
appropriate sample size to adequately power larger samples in future studies.
SELECTION AND ENROLLMENT OF PARTICIPANTS
Characteristics of the Study Population: We will recruit 20 Hispanic male, female or non-binary adults age 
50+ with Parkinson’s Disease. Participants must have the ability to speak, read and write in Spanish or 
English.
We will use the Recruitment and Community Engagement Core of the UConn Center on Aging. The Core 
provides a centralized infrastructure for the recruitment of older research volunteers from the community. 
Recruitment of subjects will be carried out by several mechanisms, Including:
A) Referral from UConn Health physician and outpatient clinics treating patients with Parkinson’s 
disease, the geriatric medicine clinic at UConn Health, and other providers in the community. 
Potential participants will be notified about the study through their healthcare team (medical doctors, 
nurses, therapists, social workers, administrative staff, etc.) or by a member of the research team. All 
individuals that attend an appointment at the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at 
UConn Health that have Parkinson’s disease and are eligible candidates will be informed of the study 
(provided with a recruitment flyer). Recruitment flyers will also be provided to healthcare providers 
in other movement disorders centers, neurology clinics, primary care facilities and community health 
centers.
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B) Additionally, recruitment flyers will be distributed by fitness professionals and support group leaders. 
A physical recruitment flyer will either be given to individuals or sent virtually through email or text 
messaging. Interested individuals may learn about the study through newsletters from organizations 
for people with Parkinson disease (e.g., American Parkinson Disease Association), clinical trials 
websites (clinicaltrials.gov, Fox Trial Finder), recruitment flyer postings in senior centers, churches, 
community centers, etc., events for people with Parkinson disease (e.g., fundraisers or educational 
events), word of mouth, or social media posts. Recruitment flyers will be shared on social media  
sites, national non-profit organizations’ newsletters, and national websites that will expose our study 
to individuals across the US and its territories.
C) Additional recruitment methods will include community talks where participation in the research 
study will be offered; distribution of flyers to include community housing, churches, organizations, 
medical clinics, and community centers; and advertising in newspapers/newsletters or on the radio.
D) Educational events will be held at interested senior centers, support groups, or online webinars during 
which the recruitment flyer will be shared.
E) Mailing labels will be generated for patients seen by Dr. Rodrigues between January 2022 and January 
2023 with ICD code of G20 and who identified as Hispanic/Latino. A letter from Dr. Rodrigues’ office 
will be included in this mailing. Other patients within the UConn Health Center system that also have 
the ICD code of G20 but are not patients of Dr. Rodrigues will receive a mailing notifying them of the 
study from their treating physician’s office. Interested participants will be interviewed for eligibility 
and those who offer written, informed consent will be enrolled.
F) We will also work with Clinical Research IT at UConn Health to identify eligible individuals seen at 
UConn Health and make them aware through their MyChart account that they may be eligible for 
participation in the study
Phone Screen
We will conduct a telephone screening to provide interested persons with more information about the study 
involvement and conduct a pre-consent telephone eligibility screening to see if they qualify.
Inclusion Criteria
Idiopathic Parkinson disease, able to walk without the assistance of another person for 10 minutes, ≥ 29 on 
Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), has a close friend/family member over the age of 18 that 
would support the participant during the intervention, ≥ 50 years of age, Hispanic, willing to use an activity 
tracker, on a stable course of PD medications without any plans for change over the next 3 months, able to 
speak, read and write in Spanish or English, currently live in the United States or US Territory (Puerto Rico,
U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam).
Exclusion Criteria
Unstable cardiopulmonary, orthopedic, psychological or metabolic condition, Atypical Parkinsonism 
Disorders, a fall in the last 6 months (that was unrelated to an external force), currently engaging in 150 
minutes of mod-vigorous physical activity/week
Study Enrollment Procedures
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A HIPAA waiver will be obtained from the IRB to collect personal information over the telephone. Following 
a phone screen, participants will be sent a link, through email or text message, to an online consent form or 
receive the consent form via standard mail. (see below for additional details on the consent process)
Study Procedures: All study procedures will be conducted in the preferred language of the participant 
(English or Spanish). All participant-facing written and spoken study materials will be available in English 
or Spanish. Study materials will be translated and back translated by study staff members. Participants will 
be able to self-select which language to set on their phone or tablet. Their preferred language will 
automatically be programmed for the application used in the study.
Screening Procedures: Interested individuals will call or email the lab. A research assistant (bilingual) 
will respond to their interest by telephone call or email and will establish a mutually agreeable date and 
time for the telephone screening. The telephone screening will assess basic information (age, ethnicity, 
verbal confirmation of physician diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and ability to walk for 10 minutes 
without the assistance of another person) and includes a screening of cognition (Telephone Interview 
for Cognitive Status (TICS)) and Physical Activity Readiness (PAR-Q). Additionally, individuals will 
be asked about their medical history, current medications, willingness to wear an activity monitor and 
use the FitBit app, ability to speak, read and write in Spanish or English, current involvement in 
exercise and the availability of a family member (≥ 18 years of age) to support their participation in 
the study. (approximately 30-40 minutes)
Those that are:

≥ 50 years of age

Hispanic/Latinx

Diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (by self or family-report)

Indicates that there is a close friend/family member ≥ 18 years of age that can support their 
participation in the study

self-report the ability to walk 10 minutes without the assistance of another person

score ≥ 29 on the TICS

are willing to wear an activity monitor and use a FitBit and the FitBit application

able to speak, read, and write in Spanish or English

on a stable course of PD medications without any plans for change in the next 3 months 
will be invited to participate in the study.
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Study Procedures:  Once interested individuals have passed the telephone screening, they will be sent 
a link, through email or text message, to an online consent form or receive the consent form via standard 
mail. (Consent procedures are detailed further below)
After consent has been obtained, participants will complete the following through an interview with 
the research assistant by telephone or via a virtual meeting platform (e.g., WebEx). Participants will 
select their preferred language to complete the interview.
1. Additional demographic information. This will include work status (full-time, part-time, 
unemployed, retired, disability), occupation, country of origin, preferred language, community 
(urban, rural, suburban), years since diagnosis, previous exerciser/preference for type of exercise. 
(approximately 10-15 minutes).
2. Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-221–23: This is the most commonly used 
measure of motivators for exercise. It is a 19-item survey that evaluates the stages of motivation 
to exercise. This includes amotivation, external regulation, introjected regulation, identified 
regulation, and intrinsic regulation. (approximately 10 minutes to complete)
3. Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39)24: This 39-item self-report survey will assess 
quality of life. This covers an assessment of mobility, activities of daily living, emotional well- 
being, stigma, social support, cognition, communication, and bodily discomfort. (approximately 10 
minutes to complete)
4. Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity (SEPA)25,26: This is a 5-item self-report measure that assesses 
self-efficacy for physical activity. It has been validated in a population of Latina women. It has 
acceptable internal consistency and concurrent and predictive validity. (approx. 2-3 minutes to 
complete)
5. Physical Activity Scale Elderly (PASE):27 This is a 10-item questionnaire that asks questions 
related to leisure time, household and work or volunteer related physical activity for older adults. 
Reliability is reported at 0.84 and validity was established by correlation with health status and 
physiologic measures.27 (approx. 15 minutes)
6. Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15):28,29 This is a 15-item self-report measure of depression 
in older adults. It has demonstrated sensitivity (81.8%) and specificity (93.4%) in people with 
Parkinson’s disease.30 (approx. 5 minutes to complete)
7. Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8):31 This is an 8-question self-report screening tool for 
depression and depression severity. It that has strong sensitivity (90.9%) and specificity (89.3%) in 
people with Parkinson’s disease.30 (approx. 5 minutes to complete)
8. Lille Apathy Rating Scale (LARS):32 This is a 33-item structured interview that was designed to 
assess apathy in Parkinson’s disease. It is suggested scale for use in people with PD by the 
Movement Disorder Society.33 (approx. 15-20 minutes to complete)
9. Sallis Support Support Scale for Exercise Survey:34 This is a survey with 5 items focused on 
perceptions of social support from friends and 15 items for family regarding exercise behavior. It
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has reported reliability of 0.86-0.90 and internal consistency of 0.86-0.89.35 (approx. 10 minutes to 
complete)
10. Participants will be sent a research-grade activity monitor, Actigraph GT9X device, in the standard 
mail at their residence. After receiving the device, participants will engage in a telephone or virtual 
meeting with a research assistant to learn how to use the device. (approximately 30-40 minutes)
a.
Participants will be asked to wear the activity monitor for 10 days prior to beginning the 
study. They will be asked to continuously wear the device on their wrist for the 10 days. 
Participants will return the device in a pre-paid envelope. (10 days) The same procedure 
will occur at the conclusion of the intervention for a post-intervention assessment. (10 days)
Orientation Session
All participants will participate in a virtual meeting with a research assistant that will welcome them to the 
study, review and reinforce the procedures and the technology that will be used. A review of WebEx, 
accessing the website and training videos, completing online surveys, and how to contact the research staff. 
Participants will then be administered a knowledge quiz by a research assistant. Finally, participants will 
be given the link and a the password to access the peer partner training videos on a website.
Peer partner training
There are a total of 11 videos (5-8 minutes in length) that participants will be asked to watch over a 2-week 
period. The total amount of time spent watching videos will be 55- 88 minutes. Participants can choose to 
complete watching these videos on their own schedule, in their self-selected environment. The videos will 
be available in Spanish and English.
The initial videos will cover topics on basic information about PD and exercise:
a.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
b. How can exercise help people with Parkinson’s disease?
c.
What is the best type of exercise for people with Parkinson’s disease?
d. What is peer support?
e.
How can I help someone else living with Parkinson’s disease?
There will then be a synchronous virtual meeting that is led by the research team to review the 
content of the first 6 videos. (approximately 30 - 45 minutes)
The additional 6 videos will cover the following topics related to peer and social support:
f.
Active listening
g. Creating SMART goals for exercise
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h. Checking in: getting feedback on exercise goals
i.
Identifying facilitators for exercise
j.
Problem-solving and overcoming barriers to exercise
k. Family and community support for exercise
There will then be a second synchronous virtual meeting, led by the research team, to review the 
content of the last 6 videos to ensure comprehension and baseline knowledge. (approximately 30 - 
45 minutes)
There will be a final synchronous meeting to review check-off sheets that will guide weekly 
discussions and a knowledge check will be completed through a brief quiz. (approximately 30 - 45 
minutes)
Peer-supported mobile health physical activity intervention (Compañeros con Parkinson’s)
All participants will be peer partners (supporters). Individuals will be matched with a peer of the same 
gender. Attempts will be made to match those with additional similar traits, such as age, physical activity 
level, work status, and country of origin. Participants in each matched pair will support one another as they 
both strive to improve their physical activity.
After participants have completed the training, they will receive a commercially available activity tracker 
(Fitbit Inspire 2) and instructions on its use. They will wear this activity tracker for the duration of the 8- 
week period except for showering/bathing. Peers will download the FitBit application on their smart phone 
or tablet. Participants will be asked to log in to the FitBit app daily to sync their data with the app. If they 
do not have a smartphone or tablet, one will be provided to them, along with a data plan for the duration of 
the study. They can choose to have assistance with downloading the app from a research assistant. They 
can receive basic training on its use with the support of a research assistant via a telephone call or virtual 
meeting.
Peers will become “FitBit Friends/Amigos” through the FitBit application. Peer pairs will be able to see 
each other’s accumulated steps over the week and communicate as a pair. This will connect 2 participants 
into a peer pair. Peer pairs can provide social support to each other through the app with comments and 
emojis. Participants will be asked to open the FitBit app daily to sync their data with the app. Additionally, 
peer pairs will establish a weekly meeting schedule by telephone or virtual meeting platform. Weekly 
meetings will be guided by check-off sheets to ensure critical content is covered and discussion of goal 
status is completed. Participants will be encouraged to participate in a weekly bilingual virtual exercise 
class that is synchronous.
In addition, all participants will join a FitBit closed group of all participants in the study. This group will 
be created by the research team and is not publicly available to others. It will be moderated by a research 
assistant and daily informational and motivational content will be posted. Participants can provide social 
support to each other in the group through the app with comments and emojis.
Weekly Meeting Calls Topics of Discussion (approx. 15- 30-minute discussions, 1x/week for 8 weeks)
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1. Getting acquainted and building rapport; identifying core values; becoming “FitBit friends/amigos”
2. Establishing SMART goal (short-term/weekly and overall/8 week) and tying in with core values
3. Action Plan (Goal Check)
4. Benefits of Exercise (Goal check)
5. Feedback on Goals (Goal Check)
6. Facilitators/Barriers of Exercise (Goal check)
7. Family Support for Exercise/ Local and National Exercise Resources (Goal check)
8. Re-establishing goals/Sustaining exercise/Wrap up (Goal check)
A research assistant will call participants each week to determine if the weekly peer interaction call has been 
completed, to assist with any barriers to peer connection, and to assess technology needs. The research assistant 
will also assess for adverse events during this call. The RA will be guided by the adverse events form.
Support for an increase in physical activity
To support an increase in physical activity, participants will have access to a weekly virtual synchronous 
bilingual exercise class that is geared towards the needs of people with PD. The class will have 3 areas of 
focus: aerobic exercise, resistance exercise (using body weight), and balance, breathing, and stretching 
exercise. The first 3 weeks will focus on aerobic exercise, the second 3 weeks on resistance training and 
the last 2 weeks will focus on balance, breathing and stretching exercise. All exercise classes will be 
tailored to the needs of people with PD and designed by a physical therapist with a specialization in 
neurologic physical therapy (PI-CCS) and a fitness instructor with a certificate from the American 
Parkinson Disease Association for Fitness Professionals. The instructor will provide modifications of the 
exercises so that individuals can participate at the level that is suited to their status.
Outside of the exercise class, participants will be encouraged to increase their walking and general physical 
activity. For example, peer pairs may develop a goal to increase their steps by 1,000 steps/day and may 
develop a plan to march in place during commercials when watching their favorite television show.
Post-assessment
Baseline measures will be repeated at the conclusion of the intervention as presented above. They will include:
a. Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly
b. Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-221–23
c.
Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39)24
d. Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity (SEPA)25,26
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e.
GDS-15
f.
LARS
Participants will receive a phone call to complete the aforementioned assessments.
In addition, the following surveys, Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention 
Appropriateness measure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) will be completed via 
ReDCAP. (If individuals are unable to complete the survey online, they will receive a physical copy of these 
surveys through standard mail with a self-addressed envelope to return to the research team.) Each measure 
has 4 items that assess acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility, respectively. They are constructed at a 
5th grade reading level with a Likert scale that ranges from completely agree to completely disagree. Validity 
(α from 0.85-0.91) and reliability (0.73-0.88) were high for all three scales.25 (approximately 15 minutes to 
complete all 3 surveys)
Participants will be asked to again wear the Actigraph GTX9 for 10 days post-intervention, following the 
procedures noted for baseline assessment.
Focus group
After the 8-week intervention period is completed, participants will participate in one of 2 focus groups (10 
participants per group) with a semi-structured interview format to further discuss acceptability, 
appropriateness, and feasibility. In addition, participants will discuss the cultural relevance of the intervention. 
The focus group will be held on a virtual meeting platform. Participants will have the choice to participate 
with their camera on or off. The discussion will be moderated by a research assistant. (Approximately 60 
minutes)
A device/tablet/data plan for 3 months will be provided to participants, if they do not have one, so that they 
can participate in the study. We will ask participants to return the device/tablet at the conclusion of the study. 
We will provide them with a stamped and self-addressed envelope for the return of the device.
Length of subject’s participation in the study including number of visits, frequency of visits, and length of 
visits: Participant’s participation in the study will be via remote interactions. The number, frequency and 
length of sessions are noted above.
CONSENT PROCESS:
The informed consent process will occur either electronically or by standard mail combined with phone calls 
with the study team. Consent will be initiated, questions answered, and the informed consent form signed 
before any other study procedures are performed. The informed consent form will be signed electronically 
through a ReDCAP forms or via standard mail (with a provided self-addressed/stamped return envelope).
Consent Procedure: (Approximate time = 30 minutes) Potential participants who express interest in 
participating in the study and clear pre-screening questions will be provided with the option to provide 
informed consent electronically or to receive a hard copy of the consent to sign once received via standard 
mail. If electronic consent is selected, the participant will choose a time to speak with an authorized 
consenter to review and submit the form together while on the telephone.
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Electronic Informed Consent/ HIPAA Authorization A link by email to the electronic Informed Consent will 
be sent to individuals who choose the online e-Informed Consent process. The link will bring potential 
participants directly to the e-Consent form. Sections of the consent form will be presented in increments to 
encourage participants to read each section in detail. Participants will be able to scroll up and down 
through the form, allowing them to read and reread the information, as needed. They will be able to 
answer yes/no questions by selecting radial buttons, type in their name, enter the date of consent, and add 
their signature or initials through use of their mouse. All required fields will need to be completed before 
the form can be submitted. After the form is submitted, a read-only copy of the completed e-consent is 
displayed for the participant to review. Participants are able to certify that all the information is correct by 
checking a box and selecting submit or they are able to select “previous page” to go back and revise their 
consent. An authorized study consenter will be on the phone with potential participants to answer 
questions during the e-consent process. The HIPAA Authorization form will automatically display only if the 
e-consent was agreed to and signed. When consent is completed, an email will be sent from ReDCAP to the 
participant thanking them for joining the study. A copy of the completed Informed Consent and HIPAA 
Authorization forms will be sent separately to the participant by email from the study team. This process 
will be documented by the consenter using a Documentation of Consent Form at the time of e- 
documentation that will be stored in the ReDCAP research record under a unique Participant Identifier 
(PID).
Telephone/Mail: If the participant does not have the ability and/or access to complete the consent 
electronically, they will be mailed a copy of the informed consent form and a time will be set up once it has 
been received, to review the consent by telephone. Participants will mail back in a pre-paid, pre-addressed 
envelope the signed consent. Research staff will sign consent upon receiving by mail and send back to fully 
executed and signed consent to participants before engaging in the research activity.
Consent forms, HIPAA Authorization forms and any other paper documents that contain the participant's 
name or other direct identifiers will be stored separately from the research records in a locked file in the 
principal investigator’s (CCS) office. Consent forms, HIPAA Authorization forms and any other documents 
containing participant identifiers that are completed online, will be stored in the study database in UConn 
Health ReDCAP with access restricted to the UConn Health study team.”
Process for Obtaining Consent Interested individuals will either call or email members of the 
research team to express their interest in the study. At that time, a phone screening will occur to 
determine eligibility. If the individual passes the telephone screening, they will be sent a link to an 
online consent form. Individuals will be given the opportunity to read the consent form on their own. 
In addition, a research assistant will read the consent form, section by section, in its entirety, to the 
individual and provide time for the individual to ask questions. Then they will be asked to provide 
consent through the online consent form.
Privacy of Subjects: Private information will only be collected once individuals have completed the 
informed consent process. Potential participants’ private information will be stored in a password 
protected cloud storage system (ReDCAP) on password protected computers.
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Due to the nature of the intervention (peer support) participants will be sharing their information with 
a peer. Participants will be instructed to only use first names to maximize privacy; however, peers  
will know that they both have Parkinson’s disease. Participants will be instructed to maintain 
confidentiality with all information that is gathered during the peer interaction. Participants will be 
instructed to conduct their virtual meetings in a private environment so that others in the area are not 
able to hear or see conversations/interactions.
Confidentiality of Data: Procedures are in place to ensure confidentiality of research data. Data will be kept 
confidential by being housed in a password-protected secured web application (ReDCAP) on a         
password protected computer. In addition, a numerical code will be created to separate identifiable data from 
study data. This code will be saved in a separate application (OneDrive) that is also secure and password 
protected.
METHOD(S) OF DATA ANALYSIS:
Content and thematic analysis of qualitative data; descriptive statistics to characterize the sample and measure 
feasibility.
o
Aim 1 analysis

Scores equal to or greater than 75% on the Acceptability of Intervention Measure 
(AIM), Intervention Appropriateness measure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention 
Measure (FIM) are set to determine acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of 
the peer partner training.

Cultural relevance of the peer partner training will be determined through content 
analysis of focus group discussions
o
Aim 2 analysis

Peer engagement will be successful if connecting ≥ 80% of the recommended times 
over the course of the intervention period.

Scores equal to or greater than 75% on the Acceptability of Intervention Measure 
(AIM), Intervention Appropriateness measure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention 
Measure (FIM) are set to determine acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of 
the peer partner intervention.
o
Exploratory aim analysis

Group means will be compared from baseline to post-intervention using paired t-tests 
to assess change in physical activity levels (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly & 
objectively measured physical activity through the activity monitor), motivation 
(Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire), quality of life (Parkinson Disease 
Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39)), depression (GDS), apathy (LARS) and self-efficacy for 
physical activity (Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity (SEPA)).
Dissemination: The results of this research will be disseminated at a professional conference in a poster or 
platform presentation. After receiving feedback from this presentation, results will be disseminated in a peer-
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reviewed scholarly journal. Additionally, if the results from this research are promising, it will be used to 
inform a randomized controlled trial of the intervention.
PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS
Risks to Human Subjects:
Physical Risk
Exercise may cause minor and temporary muscle soreness or joint stiffness. The soreness typically begins 1-3 
days after exercise begins, does not last more than 2-3 days and does not damage the muscle. Participants may 
also experience minor fatigue following an exercise session. Mild to moderate physical activity may cause 
sore or pulled muscles, heart problems, physical discomfort, and/or accidental injuries such as falling. 
Participants may also experience some physical discomfort such as increased heart rate, chest pain, shortness 
of breath, headache, nausea, and/or fatigue. In order to reduce this risk, participants will be instructed in proper 
technique and progression. Participants will be educated on signs and symptoms of when to stop exercise and 
get medical attention. Participants will be provided with exercises that are appropriate for their individual 
status.
Informational Risk
While we will protect the confidentiality of the information participants provide, confidentiality cannot be 
guaranteed. People outside of the research team will learn of participants study participation because of the 
group nature of the intervention (FitBit closed community group, group training sessions, group exercise 
class). Participants will be instructed to use first names only and will be educated on privacy and confidentiality 
in the orientation meeting. The data collected for this research study will be accessible only to authorized 
persons. A code that is housed on a password-protected computer, that identifies participants will be kept 
separate from the data. A certificate of confidentiality has also been obtained for this study.
Participants will be matched in pairs and will communicate in groups therefore there is a risk of loss of 
confidentiality. Participants will be educated on the importance of confidentiality and will be instructed to only 
use first names. Participants will be given the option to not use their camera for group engagement.
Data that is housed in the Actigraph might be subject to a loss of confidentiality. Only those that have the 
software to download the data from the device will be able to access the data on the device. The data on the 
activity monitor will be downloaded onto a UConn encrypted and password protected device and will only be 
accessible to trained research personnel.
The FitBit data will be housed on the FitBit device and might be subject to a loss of confidentiality. Only those 
that have the email and password for the FitBit account will have access to this data. This data will be 
downloaded to an encrypted and password protected UConn computer during the course of the study. Once 
the study is over the password will be changed so that only the individual has access to their FitBit data.
Participants will be matched with another person with PD and communicate with this person once per week 
during a virtual meeting. Participants will be FitBit friends and see each other’s steps per week. There is a 
risk of conflicts between the peer partners. One person in the peer pair may drop out of the study. We will 
attempt to create a successful match by matching peers with others with similar characteristics (age, retired
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vs working, stage of the disease, etc.). If there is a conflict between peer partners, a research assistant will 
be available to meet with the pairs to help resolve the conflict. If a peer partner drops out, we will attempt to 
reassign the participant to another partner.
Other risks
Survey administration may make participants feel uncomfortable answering some of the questions. Participants 
will be instructed that they can choose not to answer any questions that make them feel uncomfortable.
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