Epidemiology of Parkinson's Disease in Germany Between 2016 and 2021 Based on Statutory Health Insurance Claims Data

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a fast-growing neurodegenerative disease causing a high burden on national health systems. There is a lack of contemporary, reliable epidemiological data for PD in Germany. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and prevalence of PD in Germany for the years 2016-2021.

This is a secondary data analysis of anonymized health claims data from a subset of German statutory health insurances (SHIs) for the years 2016-2021. Data were then extrapolated to represent the full SHI population.

From 2016 to 2021, PD prevalence in the study population increased from 494 to 511 patients per 100,000 (p = 0.0067). Incident patients showed no change overall but notably decreased from 2019 to 2020. In contrast, PD prevalence in the extrapolated cohort declined significantly during the same period, dropping from 575 to 501 patients per 100,000 (p < 0.0001). Similarly, PD incidence decreased from 69 to 60 patients per 100,000 (p = 0.0001).

PD prevalence increased in the study population but declined in the extrapolated cohort, while incidence remained stable overall in the study population, yet decreased in the extrapolated cohort. This study provides key insights into the epidemiology of PD in Germany, highlighting the influence of methodology and the need for ongoing monitoring to inform healthcare planning.