Epidemiology

PD Statistics

• Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a chronic, neurodegenerative disorder second only to Alzheimer’s disease in prevalence. PD affects approximately 1% of the population over age 60.
• An estimated 1 million people are living with PD in the U.S — more than the combined number of people with diagnosed multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
• Cases are estimated to increase to 1.2 million by 2030.
• Roughly 60,000 Americans receive PD diagnoses annually.
• The incidence of PD increases with age; only 4% of cases are diagnosed before age 50.
• Men are 1.5 times more likely than women to have PD.
• Risk of developing PD appears to be increased by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
• Direct and indirect cost of PD (treatment, Social Security payments, lost income, etc.), is estimated at $52 billion per year in the U.S.
• Medication costs average $2,500 annually; therapeutic surgery can cost up to $100,000 per person.