Parkinson's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Parkinson's Disease, including details on symptoms, treatment, genetics, medication.

When do patients with Parkinson disease disclose their diagnosis?

Haines S, Chen H, Anderson KE, Fishman PS, Shulman LM, Weiner WJ, Reich SG

Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

The authors surveyed 101 patients with Parkinson disease (PD) about their experiences disclosing the diagnosis. Ninety percent disclosed early to family; more than 25% waited at least 1 year to disclose at work. The main concerns about disclosure were fear of reflecting negatively on themselves and fear of upsetting others. Patients who delayed disclosure were more likely male, younger, and employed. There is considerable variability among patients with PD in the time to disclose their diagnosis.

Published 8 August 2006 in Neurology, 67(3): 488-90.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Parkinson's Disease Research Today. All Rights Reserved.