Webinar for professionals: understanding the prevalence and incidence of Parkinson's in the UK

Our study confirms that Parkinson’s is most common in older men. This finding aligns with previous research on the condition.

The study showed that people of Asian Chinese ethnicity have a prevalence of Parkinson’s that is around a third lower than white British individuals. This matches the findings in some studies in China (Xu et al), although more recently higher rates have been reported, which typically shows significantly lower rates of Parkinson’s compared to studies conducted in Western countries.

Similarly, the prevalence of Parkinson’s was found to be lower in people of Black African, Black Caribbean, and other Black backgrounds. However, previous studies conducted in Africa, the Caribbean, and among African Americans have shown mixed results. Some of these studies reported lower rates, while others reported higher rates. These differences are likely due to smaller sample sizes in earlier research.

The study also found that people with a white Irish background or of mixed ethnicity were less likely to have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s compared to their white British counterparts.

We found that Parkinson’s prevalence is lower in more deprived areas. In fact, the most deprived areas had a 9% lower prevalence of Parkinson’s compared to the least deprived areas.

The reasons for this difference are not yet clear and were not explored in this study.

Parkinson’s can have a genetic component, and this study found differences in prevalence between ethnic groups. Some may suggest this points to protective genetic factors in certain groups, but this study does not provide direct evidence of a genetic link.

It’s important to note that genetics and ethnicity are not the same, and other factors like environment or socioeconomic status may play a role. More research is needed to fully understand the relationship between genetics, ethnicity, and Parkinson’s.

Environmental factors and their potential link to Parkinson’s are an important area of ongoing research.

Our study found that people living in rural areas were 5% more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s, even after adjusting for other factors. The reasons for this are not yet clear and require further investigation.

Our study confirms that people with Parkinson’s have a shorter life expectancy than people without the condition.

Many factors influence this, including the age at which someone is diagnosed. People diagnosed with Parkinson’s at a younger age can expect to live significantly longer after their diagnosis than those diagnosed at an older age.

In the past, it was often said that people “don’t die of Parkinson’s, they die with Parkinson’s.” However, this statement is now understood to be misleading. Our data confirms that Parkinson’s does affect life expectancy, which is consistent with previous research (Macleod et al).

In light of these findings, Parkinson’s UK has updated its patient-facing information to reflect this.