Objective: To examine disparities in Parkinson’s disease (PD) burden by race or ethnicity, age, sex and region in the US.

Background: PD is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disease in the US, and prior estimates of PD burden have varied. Individuals with PD of underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds may experience gaps and delays in accessing adequate care. Improved estimates of PD burden by race or ethnicity, age, sex and region are urgently needed.

Method: This secondary analysis used the Global Burden of Disease study, which included data on incidence, prevalence and deaths (hereafter named burden) in the US between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022. PD burden was evaluated by sex, age, race or ethnicity and region.

Results: Among the total age-standardized population, PD incidence per 100,000 (95% uncertainty interval) was 22.4 (13.7–35.0), prevalence was 180.1 (119.9–281.7) and the death rate was 10.0 (7.7–13.2) in 2022. PD burden was higher in men than women (male-to-female incidence, 2.0; prevalence, 1.9; deaths, 2.5) regardless of age, race or ethnicity and was highest in UT, MN and VT. Non-Hispanic White individuals had the highest PD burden (total US incidence, 24.8 [15.1–38.8]; prevalence, 199.1 [132.2–312.1]; deaths, 11.1 [8.5–14.5]) followed by Hispanic, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, then Black individuals. PD incidence was highest in the group aged 75–84 years (187.4 [120.2–266.1]), whereas prevalence and deaths were highest in those aged ≥85 years (1739.1 [1055.4–3297.7] and 236.2 [162.3–343.8], respectively). While non-Hispanic White individuals had the highest PD burden nationally, Hispanic individuals had relatively high PD burden in HI, FL and the west (NM, AZ, CO, TX and WY). American Indian or Alaskan Native individuals had the highest incidence and prevalence in AK but the highest deaths in ME; PD burden was also relatively high in RI and CO. Among Asian or Pacific Islander individuals, the highest PD burden was in Washington, DC, HI, AZ and VA. Finally, considering only Black individuals, the highest PD burden was in Washington, DC and the west (CO, NV and AZ).

Conclusion: In 2022, non-Hispanic White men had the highest PD burden. Variable burden was observed by age, race or ethnicity and region, highlighting possible barriers to equitable access to care and the need for tailored intervention.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/parkinsons-disease-burden-in-underserved-populations-across-the-us-in-2022/