A Narrative Review of Community-Based Epidemiological Studies on Parkinson's Disease in India

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative condition, following Alzheimer's disease. Worldwide, the prevalence of PD differs among various populations and geographical areas. In our nation, there is a paucity of population-based epidemiological research that can effectively ascertain the prevalence of PD. In this review article, we have attempted to examine the prevalence rates gathered from the neuro-epidemiological studies in India.  We searched for published articles on the prevalence rate of PD in India from PubMed and Google Scholar, using the keywords "prevalence", "burden", "epidemiology", "Parkinson's disease", and "India". The review includes all the community-based studies that calculated the prevalence rate of PD. There are few community-based studies on the prevalence rate of PD. The observed prevalence rates vary a lot in urban and rural areas; also, urban areas show higher prevalence rates than rural areas. Some studies suggest that Parkinson's disease is more common among males, while others indicate a higher prevalence among females. Almost all research suggests that the prevalence rate increases with age for both males and females. The study carried out at the senior care facility revealed that the elderly had a limited understanding of Parkinson's disease. Epidemiological studies on PD are crucial to expanding our knowledge about PD. Given the variations in regions, ethnic groups, and cultures, conducting a comprehensive nationwide multi-center study is essential to investigate the prevalence and factors contributing to PD. Initiatives to raise awareness about PD are also the need of the hour.