Lay persons' beliefs and knowledge about Parkinson's disease: Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates

Background: Although studies have shown that lay persons' beliefs and knowledge about a disease are associated with increased adherence to health behaviors, there is a dearth of knowledge in this area regarding Parkinson's disease (PD). Objectives: To assess the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of lay persons' beliefs and knowledge about PD. Methods: A phone survey was conducted with a representative sample of 632 lay persons (mean age = 45) in Israel. Information regarding participants' perceptions about their susceptibility, worry, fear and knowledge about PD was assessed together with their socio-demographic characteristics. Results: Lay persons perceived their risk to develop PD to be minimal. They also reported low levels of worry, fear and knowledge. Female participants and those with lower education reported higher levels of worry and fear while religious participants reported consistently lower levels of worry, fear and knowledge. Conclusions: These data suggest the need to expand this line of research and to encourage the development of programs aimed at disseminating knowledge about PD.