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The Epidemiology Of Parkinson's Disease

Decent Essays

Parkinson’s is a disease that affects the nervous system, causing problems with movement of the body. There is an estimate that says that there is seven to ten million people in world living with this particular disease. The possibility of someone receiving Parkinson’s disease increases with age, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation there is an estimate that four percent of people under the age of fifty are diagnosed with the disease (Parkinson’s Disease Foundation).

History:

Parkinson’s disease dates back as far as 175 AD and was known as “shaking palsy”. It wasn’t until 1817 when doctor James Parkinson wrote an essay called “An Essay on the Shaking Palsy”, that this disease was formally recognized as a medical disease. …show more content…

It appears that men are 1.5 more likely to receive Parkinson’s disease over women. Also, according to Doctor Lai, the writer of Epidemiology of Parkinson’s disease, white people throughout North America and Europe have a higher chance of receiving this disease (Lai, 2001). The likelihood of receiving Parkinson’s is 100 to 350 per a 100,000 population. Asians and African Americans have a different outlook for this disease. They have a less of a chance of getting this disease, only about one tenth of Asians and African Americans get Parkinson's compared to those who are white …show more content…

The disorder itself is not fatal, however some complications may arise. Since Parkinson’s is a brain disorder which affects the brain many complications with mobility may arise. As the stages of Parkinson’s increase, falls are more likely to happen. Some falls may be fatal or cause bones to break, decreasing life expectancy. Besides from fatal falls some other complications include breathing problems which can lead to choking, clots that can block blood vessels, and blockage in lungs. Although there is no cure right now, several scientist are researching and developing new ideas on how we may be able to cure Parkinson’s disease in the future (Cherney,

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