Health economics of Parkinson’s disease prevention: why early detection matters in low- and middle-income countries

Parkinson's disease (PD) will become the second leading cause of death globally. This rising trend is expected to be even more pronounced in Asia, where six of the most populous countries are located, in countries with a middle socio-demographic index, and in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) where resources and healthcare system are limited, causing greater public health burden and placing substantial demands to the patient's family, caregiver, community, and the society. The care of patients with PD requires a multidisciplinary approach to manage complex motor and nonmotor symptoms needing a team of specialists, availability of diagnostic tests, and pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments. More often, this approach is not readily available in LMICs and involves a high out-of-pocket expenditure. Improving early detection of both motor and non-motor symptoms facilitate early management, improving quality of life, lessening the economic burden on patients, caregivers, families, and ultimately, the healthcare system.