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Shuu-Jiun Wang, MD; Jong-Ling Fuh, MD; Evelyn L. Teng, PhD; Chia-Yih Liu, MD; Kon-Ping Lin, MD; Hsi-Ming Chen, MD; Cheng-Huai Lin, MD; Pei-Ning Wang, MD; Yen-Chun Ting, MD; Hsiao-Chien Wang, MS; Ker-Neng Lin, MS; Pesus Chou, DrPH; Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH; Hsiu-Chih Liu, MD

Arch Neurol. 1996;53(1):66-71.

Abstract
Background
Most published studies have shown lower prevalence rates of Parkinson's disease (PD) in Asian and black African than in Western countries, leading to the hypothesis that Asians and blacks might be protected from PD.

Objective
To investigate the prevalence of PD in a Chinese population.

Design
Community-based survey.

Setting
Registered residents 50 years of age or older (N=5061) on the islet of Kinmen located off the southeastern coast of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

Method
Single-phase door-to-door survey by neurologists. All participants were administered a questionnaire and received motor examinations of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

Results
The participation rate was 96% (N=3915) among 4158 contacted individuals. Twenty-three cases of PD were identified, including three cases with dementia. The crude prevalence rate of PD was 587 (95% confidence interval (CI), 373 to 884) per 100 000 persons 50 years of age or older. Assuming no case of PD among individuals under 50 years of age, the prevalence rate was 119 (95% CI, 80 to 169) per 100000 for the total population.

Conclusions
The prevalence rates of PD in Kinmen were much higher than those reported from mainland China, but slightly lower than those reported from more developed countries. The present findings suggest that, instead of genetic factors, differences in case-as-certainment, life expectancy, and the length of survival with PD may be more important contributors to the variations in observed PD prevalence rates.

Author Affiliations
From the Neurological Institute, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, and Department of Neurology (Drs S.-J. Wang, Fuh, K.-P. Lin, Chen, C.-H. Lin, Ting, P.-N. Wang, H.-C. Liu, and Ms H. C. Wang and Mr Lin) and Institute of Public Health (Dr Chou), National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles (Dr Teng); Department of Psychiatry Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, (Dr C.-Y. Liu); and the Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle (Dr Larson).

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