Predictions of the increase in Parkinson’s disease prevalence

Life expectancy continues to grow in the world’s rapidly developing low- and middle-income (LMIC) countries.⁵ As survival rates improve, due to better economic conditions and healthcare, the prevalence of age-related chronic diseases (including PD) is expected to rise accordingly.⁶

A study that combined prevalence data for some of the world’s largest populations predicted that there will be approximately 8.7 million people living with PD by 2030, with nearly 5 million residing in China.¹ However, as noted on the slide, this figure is thought to have been surpassed already.^2,3 And unlike some other diseases, the burden of PD increases with improving socioeconomic conditions.⁴ Some have argued that to turn the tide of this PD pandemic, a ‘PACT’ approach is needed – to prevent, advocate for, care for, and treat PD.⁴

References:
1.Dorsey ER, Constantinescu R, Thompson JP, et al. Projected number of people with Parkinson disease in the most populous nations, 2005 through 2030. Neurology 2007; 68 (5): 384–386.

2.Parkinson’s Foundation website. Available at: https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/statistics. Accessed November 2024.

3.Parkinson’s Europe website. Available at: https://parkinsonseurope.org/facts-and-figures/statistics/. Accessed November 2024.

4.Dorsey ER, Sherer T, Okun MS, Bloem BR. The emerging evidence of the Parkinson pandemic. J Parkinsons Dis 2018 ;8 (s1): S3–S8.

5.United Nations. World population prospects: the 2015 revision. https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/. Accessed March 2015.

6.Yach D, Hawkes C, Gould CL, Hofman KJ. The global burden of chronic diseases: overcoming impediments to prevention and control. JAMA 2004; 291 (21): 2616–2622.