Objective: To calculate the crude and age adjusted prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in North Cumbria.

Background: Prevalence data give insight into disease cause and allow service planning, crucial for this second fastest growing neurodegenerative condition in the UK (1).  Most recent prevalence data have been obtained using national health data sets based on sampling of GP records. Due to difficulties in verifying PD diagnosis this may lack accuracy, particularly in rural populations (2).

Method: 80% of the population live in an area defined as rural by the Department of Food and Rural Affairs in 3 out of the 4 districts of North Cumbria. Case finding methodology was used to identify all those with PD within the study area of North Cumbria, alive at point prevalence date. The population was 328,300 at 2021 census. 23.7%  are aged over 65 which is higher than the UK average of 18.4%. Patient lists of those under the care of the local PD service were searched using the local electronic record, Egton Medical Information Systems (EMIS). Physicians responsible for the care of those with PD in the 3 neighbouring hospital trusts were asked to provide a list of all those under their care with PD residing in the study area. This anonymised list was checked against the local records to ensure no duplication. Only those meeting the UK PD Brain Bank criteria were included, as clinician verified using information held on electronic clinical record. Prevalence was age adjusted according to UK 2021 census data.

Results: Results: Of the 931 records identified from the EMIS electronic record system, 666 were confirmed as having Idiopathic PD. An additional 71 were identified from patient lists in neighbouring NHS trusts. Crude and age adjusted prevalence was 224, and 182, per 100,000. The average age of the prevalent population was 75.2 years. 288 (39.1%) were female and 449 (60.9%) were male.

Conclusion: Preliminary results using hospital data alone, show a higher crude and age adjusted prevalence of Parkinson’s in North Cumbria than elsewhere in the UK, when compared to previous studies with similar methodologies. Further Read code and prescription data from local GP’s is planned to be collected. Numbers are likely to be increased with this additional information.

References: 1. MacDonald BK, Cockerell OC, Sander JW, Shorvon SD. The incidence and lifetime prevalence of neurological disorders in a prospective community-based study in the UK. Brain. 2000 Apr;123 ( Pt 4):665-76. doi: 10.1093/brain/123.4.665. PMID: 10733998.
2. Parish R (2022) APPG Rural Health & Care Inquiry Overview. Available at: https://rsnonline.org.uk/images /publications/RuralHealthandCareAPPGInquiryOve.pdf [Accessed 10 Mar. 2023]

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-prevalence-of-parkinsons-disease-in-a-predominantly-rural-area-of-north-west-england/