Cross-sectional study on knowledge of Parkinson's disease in Brazilian population

• Grant number: 10/10120-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2010
• End date: May 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Spencer Luiz Marques Payão
• Grantee: Spencer Luiz Marques Payão
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília (FAMEMA). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). Marília , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Leonardo Mariano Inácio Medeiros ; Luiz Domingos Mendes Melges ; Maria Eugênia Siemann ; Werner Garcia De Souza

Abstract

Parkinson's Disease (PD) was first described in 1817 by James Parkinson being a degenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized by a marked neuronal loss in the dopaminergic pathway striatonigral chronic and progressive, and the triggering factor primary nigral cell death remains unknown. Onset usually occurs around age 60. Although there is no evidence to point to a drug proven capable of slowing the progression of the disease. However, there are indications that perhaps the effect of medications is more related to the time of initiation of treatment than specifically to the drug. It seems that the sooner you start treating the patient, the better is the therapeutic response of the patient for a long period. It is assumed that when a population has knowledge about a disease, it can perceive and recognize its signs and symptoms as they arise and seek medical help, leading to an early diagnosis. Objective: To evaluate whether the population knows how to recognize signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease; to verify that the population interviewed know what the doctor responsible for treatment of Parkinson's disease. Methods: The study will be conducted from June to December 2010, in public places in five Brazilian cities. Will be presented a case study in Portuguese and two videos with a typical patient with PD, and will be held after the questionnaire, the first part will be based on epidemiological data and the second on the knowledge of the disease. The consent of the respondents will be achieved by signing an informed consent form. (AU)