Prevalence of Parkinson's Disease in a Town of the Central Highlands of Peru: A Population-Based Study

Background: The global prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) is estimated to be 315 per 100,000 inhabitants, with variations across regions and depending on the epidemiological methods used. Door-to-door prevalence studies in Andean communities are notably underrepresented in the literature. Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the PD prevalence in Jauja. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based door-to-door prevalence study was conducted from April 2018 to September 2019. We used a Spanish version of the 9-item screening questionnaire (9-item SQ). Trained interviewers conducted face-to-face screening surveys. Participants presenting “suspected parkinsonism” underwent further neurological assessment. PD cases responded to the LARGE-PD questionnaire and “pesticide exposure questionnaire.” We calculated the crude prevalence, gender- and age-specific rates, and age-adjusted rates. Results: Out of 2527 eligible individuals, 1960 completed the screening survey. Of these, 563 were selected for neurological assessment, and 337 underwent neurological examination. PD was confirmed in 21 individuals, 16 of whom were identified using the 9-item SQ with a crude prevalence of 816/100,000. We observed higher rates of PD in older age groups and in males compared to females (1.6 vs. 0.3%, P < 0.05). The age-standardized prevalence was 566/100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 496.6–635.2). Among PD cases, the most common environmental exposures were living near farming fields and pesticide exposure. Conclusions: The observed prevalence of PD in this town in the central highlands of Peru aligns with previous reports, with notably higher rates among individuals over the age of 80. Further prospective studies are warranted to investigate the potential influence of environmental factors on PD prevalence in this region.