How many people are affected by Parkinson's Disease
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In the United States,
at least 500,000 people are believed to suffer from Parkinson's
disease, and about 50,000 new cases are reported annually. These
figures are expected to increase as the average age of the population
increases. The disorder appears to be slightly more common in men than
women. The average age of onset is about 60. Both prevalence and
incidence increase with advancing age; the rates are very low in people
under 40 and rise among people in their 70s and 80s. Parkinson's
disease is found all over the world. The rates vary from country to
country, but it is not clear whether this reflects true ethnic and/or
geographic differences or discrepancies in data collection.
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