The Spanish Society of Neurology continues to stress the importance of research, while also raising awareness of the condition’s growing prevalence. Credit: Shutterstock
World Parkinson’s Day, 11th of April, is a day dedicated to raising awareness about Parkinson’s disease – a progressive neurological condition that affects movement and coordination.
Back in 1997, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially marked this date in honour of James Parkinson, a British doctor, neurologist, palaeontologist and sociologist, who first identified the disease in 1817.
Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in adults after Alzheimer’s. In Spain alone, it’s estimated that around 200,000 people are currently living with the condition, according to the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN). Each year, around 10,000 new cases are diagnosed – and the number of people affected is expected to triple over the next 25 years.
Over the last two decades, the global burden of Parkinson’s has increased by over 80%, and the number of deaths related to the condition has doubled, SEN reports. Around 15% of cases occur in people under the age of 50.
As for childhood Parkinson’s, its prevalence in Spain is still unknown. Globally, it’s estimated at about 0.8 cases per 100,000 children, according to Barcelona’s Vall d’Hebron University Hospital.
To mark World Parkinson’s Day, the Spanish Parkinson’s Federation has launched a campaign video highlighting the stigma often faced by those living with the condition. The video, titled ‘Don’t Take Anything for Granted’, shows a person playing a guessing game to identify who around them has Parkinson’s. Influenced by stereotypes, the player’s assumptions expose the prejudices that still exist in society.
Beyond awareness campaigns, Parkinson’s associations play a vital role in the day-to-day lives of those diagnosed – as well as their families, carers, and support networks. They help fill therapeutic gaps, offering services like physiotherapy, speech therapy, psychology, occupational therapy and social work.
The Spanish Society of Neurology continues to stress the importance of research, while also raising awareness of the condition’s growing prevalence.
It’s worth noting that Parkinson’s affects men about twice as often as women. Although women tend to be diagnosed slightly later on average, they also have a shorter life expectancy and higher mortality rates linked to the disease.
Symptoms can also differ between genders. For example, women are more likely to experience tremors as the first noticeable motor symptom, while rigidity tends to be milder. Postural reflex issues usually show up later in women than in men, but when they do, they tend to be more severe.
