Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder in older people. The prevalence of PD varies among ethnic and geographic groups around the world. In this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of PD and other types of Parkinsonism in persons aged ≥40 years in the Al Kharga district of Egypt. The study was conducted on the total population of Al Kharga district (62,583 persons) between 2005 and 2009 and involved three neurology specialists and 15 female social workers undertaking a door-to-door survey. Suspected cases of Parkinsonism were subjected to meticulous clinical and neurological examination by three neurology staff members from Assiut University hospital who carried out their examinations separately. Of the total population surveyed, 15,482 persons were aged ≥40 years and 49 of these were identified as having Parkinsonism (prevalence: 316.50 per 100,000 people [95% confidence interval {CI} 240.21-404.98]). Of the 49, 33 fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PD, giving a prevalence rate of 213.15/100,000 (95% CI 150.51-285.80) while 14 fulfilled those for vascular Parkinsonism, with a prevalence rate of 90.43/100,000 (95% CI 49.60-137.78). Postencephalitic and unspecified Parkinsonism each had a prevalence rate of 6.46/100,000. The prevalence of Parkinsonism was found to increase steadily with age, and the prevalence of all types of Parkinsonism was statistically higher in rural compared with urban communities, with no significant difference between men and women.