Racial and ethnic disparities in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
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Abstract
The focus of this thesis is on investigating the basis for the racial/ethnic differences in Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis rates which have been cited in the literature (Dahodwala 2009a; Bailey 2020; Ben-Joseph 2020). In particular, a closer look is given to patient-dependent factors, such as patients’ attitudes and health knowledge; provider-level bias and preconceptions; and systemic factors, with a particular focus on socioeconomic influences. Common themes are identified to shed light on potential areas that may benefit from intervention to address the persisting racial/ethnic disparities seen in PD diagnosis. Community-based educational initiatives and outreach efforts are discussed in this context as offering a particularly promising avenue to pursue, with the potential to lead to optimal and enduring impacts in helping to narrow the racial/ethnic divides related to PD.