Survey on general knowledge on Parkinson’s disease in patients with Parkinson’s disease and current clinical practice for Parkinson’s disease among general neurologists from Southwest China

OBJECTIVE To evaluate general knowledge on Parkinson's disease (PD) among patients with PD and current status and choices regarding diagnosis and treatment of PD among general neurologists from grassroots hospitals of Sichuan Province, China. METHODS Cross-sectional questionnaire-based surveys were conducted among 344 PD patients and 368 general neurologists from grassroots hospitals in Sichuan Province, China from October 2010 to October 2012. One questionnaire was developed and distributed for the patient survey on general knowledge on PD, and another one for the neurologist survey on diagnosis and treatment of PD. RESULTS PD patients lacked information about some aspects of PD, such as etiology, side effects of antiparkinsonian drugs, use of levodopa, and surgical treatment. Patients obtained information about PD mainly from their treating clinician. Neurologists from grassroots hospitals did not have sufficient awareness and knowledge of certain aspects of PD, including non-motor symptoms, differential diagnosis, therapeutic strategy, or appropriate indications of surgical treatment, although they were familiar with the motor symptoms of the disease. CONCLUSIONS Both PD patients and neurologists from grassroots hospitals had minimal knowledge about the disease. Improved knowledge about PD may contribute to maintaining patients' quality of life.