Objective: Our study aimed to describe mortality related to Parkinson’s disease (PD) and movement disorders in Tunisia during 2020-2021.
Background: Parkinson’s disease and related movement disorders represent significant global public health challenges. Comprehensive mortality data for these conditions have been limited in Tunisia. This study examined mortality patterns using national death certificate data from 2020-2021, considering potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare access and mortality reporting.
Method: Data from the National Information System on Causes-of-Death (ISCD) were analyzed for 2020 and 2021. The ISCD coverage rate was calculated by comparing Medical Death Certificates received by the National Institute of Health to overall deaths recorded by the National Institute of Statistics. Deaths were coded using ICD-10 (CIM10) with specific codes for PD (G20), neuroleptic malignant syndrome (G21.0), secondary parkinsonism (G21.1-G21.9), and other movement disorders (G25-G26). Data were analyzed using Stata-17 software.
Results: The total number of death certificates analyzed was 46,420 in 2020 (ISCD coverage 61.2%) and 60,902 in 2021 (ISCD coverage 71.0%). PD and related movement disorders were responsible for 96 deaths in 2020 (95 PD, 1 neuroleptic malignant syndrome) and 166 deaths in 2021 (157 PD, 6 neuroleptic malignant syndrome, 1 secondary parkinsonism, 2 unspecified parkinsonism). In both years, 57.3% (2020) and 57.8% (2021) of deaths were among males, with the highest mortality in the 80-84 age group (61 deaths in 2020, 32 deaths in 2021).
Conclusion: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, PD remained a significant cause of mortality in Tunisia across. These findings highlight its ongoing burden and underscore the need for continued focus on effective management and care, even during global health crises. Future research should explore the impact of healthcare disruptions on disease progression and mortality.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
M. Zribi, N. Zoghlami, S. Ben Maryem, M. Bennour, H. Aounallah-Skhiri. Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Mortality in Tunisia: Insights from the National Information System on Causes-of-Death (2020-2021) [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2025; 40 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/parkinsons-disease-and-movement-disorders-mortality-in-tunisia-insights-from-the-national-information-system-on-causes-of-death-2020-2021/. Accessed June 8, 2026.« Back to 2025 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/parkinsons-disease-and-movement-disorders-mortality-in-tunisia-insights-from-the-national-information-system-on-causes-of-death-2020-2021/