Parkinson's UK study reveals unexpected drop in diagnosis rate
The findings of a study on the prevalence of Parkinson's in the UK have shown an unexpected drop in the annual number of new diagnoses. Parkinson's UK published its latest study in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice last month.
The study – the largest of its kind on Parkinson's in the UK – analysed 18 million patient records, uncovering crucial new insights into the condition. The findings revealed the annual number of new Parkinson’s diagnoses dropped from 26,000 to 19,300 between 2019 and 2021. The diagnosis rate still has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Parkinson’s UK believes this is due to lack of access to neurology services due to specialist shortages, extensive waiting lists, and slow NHS recovery. This means there are over 20,000 people waiting for a Parkinson’s diagnosis, according to the charity. People living in Scotland were less likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's and there were also differences by ethnicity found in the study. Other key findings from the study include:
- Currently, approximately 166,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with Parkinson's. This number is increasing due to an aging population and the rising life expectancy of those diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's.
- 6 in 10 people living with Parkinson's in the UK today are men.
- On average, people living with Parkinson's were diagnosed at age 69. The average age of a person living with Parkinson's in the UK is 77 years.
- 1 in 16 people with Parkinson's were under 50 when they received a diagnosis. Over 1 in 3 were of working age (under 67).
Findings will be used to address new challenges
Caroline Rassell, Chief Executive of Parkinson’s UK, said: "This new study has given us the most detailed and accurate picture of Parkinson’s in the UK that we’ve ever had. We’re using the findings to inform all our work – from support to policy and research. We’re sharing our learnings with others - including other charities, policymakers, NHS trusts and researchers – so that we can address the new challenges and questions together. Finally, we’ll be using the data to inform our plans and strategy moving forwards so that we can make the biggest possible difference for every person with Parkinson’s in the UK."
The charity says it is working with communities that are under-represented in research – such as those from ethnic minority backgrounds – to understand the different experiences people have with Parkinson's and healthcare services. Parkinson's UK is also campaigning for and funding more specialist Parkinson’s nurses, therapists and other healthcare professionals through its Nurse Appeal .
Explore the findings on a webinar
Health or care professionals are invited to join a prevalence data webinar to go through the findings of the study. One webinar has already been held. The next is on 13 November from 1pm to 2.15pm. Recordings of the webinars will be made available.
Read the published prevalence paper in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice here.