Parkinson's Disease Resources
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the United States, second only to Alzheimer's disease, with an estimated 90,000 people diagnosed every year in North America alone (Willis et al., 2022). Although PD affects all races and ethnicities, most PD research predominately includes participants of European descent, limiting our understanding and management of the disease in minority populations, including Black communities. Past research has demonstrated significant disparities from diagnosis to outcomes for Black people living with PD including higher rate of delayed or missed diagnoses , lower likelihood of receiving appropriate medical or surgical PD treatments (Dahhodwala et al., 2011; Willis et al., 2014).
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​People living with Parkinson's disease experience a wide range of symptoms that can cause both motor and non-motor impairments. These symptoms include stiffness/rigidity, slowness (bradykinesia), resting tremor (shakes), mood disorders, constipation, difficulty with balance, and loss of smell (anosmia), to name a few. While we do not have a cure for Parkinson's disease yet, there are several medical, surgical, and therapy options that significantly improve quality of life, allowing people living with the disease to live long, fulfilled lives. By increasing PD awareness and resources in the community, the PCC aims to learn more about PD and brain health in Black communities, improve PD outcomes, and decrease unnecessary suffering in in these communities.
What Obstacles Do Black People with Parkinson's Disease Face?
Parkinson's Disease Resources
A comprehensive list of LA County Parkinson's disease resources that include insurance information, transportation, food assistance, physical/occupational therapy locations and much more.
An educational storybook about the lives of Black people living and thriving with Parkinson's disease.
A comprehensive list of children-and-youth friendly resources for the Los Angeles and Long Beach area.
Black with PD: Telling Our Story
Wonderful video about the importance of raising awareness of Parkinson's disease in the Black community by the PD Movers.
