[Estimate of the prevalence of Parkinson's disease by using electronic health archives].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of Parkinson's disease using electronic health archives and to obtain a knowledge base for its governance.


METHODS
Drug prescriptions, tax-exemptions and hospital discharge records relating to assisted of Health Services Agency "Triestina" in the year 2011.


RESULTS
We identified 909 cases (crude prevalence rate: 380/100.000). The percentage contribution of drug prescriptions, tax-exemptions and hospital discharge records is: 81.5%, 36.1% and 35.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of drug prescriptions to detect patients with Parkinson's disease can be effectively supplemented by data of hospital discharges and tax-exemptions, but they still show an underestimation of 17%.
Riccardo
R
Tominz
Louise
L
Marin
Susanna
S
Mezzarobba
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013660:Taxes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents