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On 07/14/97 04:58:21 you wrote: >>Hi there >>My name is Simone and I am a 2nd year medical student at the >University of Newcastle, Australia. I am studying the particular >needs of patients with Parkinson's disease and would like to be able >to obtain the view point of people with the disease, care givers, >health professionals, relatives etc etc. Below is a list of >questions that I am interested in answering. I would appreciate if >you could spare ten minutes of your time to answer then and discuss >any other issues you feel would be relevant to myunderstanding. >Thank you >Simone > >Questions >1. What are the main problems as identified by the sufferers of >Parkinson's disease? What do they most often ask for, complain of, >or request help with? Although underlying pathology is specific, every patient seems to be unique. Furthermore, the needs of any one patient change drastically as the disease progresses. No meaningful answer. > >2. In what areas does a person with Parkinson's have more of a >problem than other people their age? What services are needed to >deal with these problems? Are they adequate? At first, the main challenge is maintaining activity and quality of life: continuing productive employment, overcoming possible prejudice, retaining independence such as driving license. Later, coping with progression from cane to walker to wheelchair to complete bed care. Side effects of medications often include psychiatric problems. >3. What health services do patients with Parkinson's disease utilise >significantly? None of the present therapeutic drugs are long-lasting and some are costly. Drug expense of several hundred dollars a month is not uncommon. Scanning techniques needed for reliable diagnosis are costly, various surgical treatments extremely so (tens of thousands): A difficult problem for insurers, government support agencies, or the patient's private resources. >4. Identify the three health related problems for sufferers of >Parkinson's Disease, which you feel are most in need of action. 1. Learn more about possible causes, including reliable data on how many have the disease. The recent discovery of a gene is just one small step. 2. Find a cure, which now looks conceptually possible but not very close. Will probably involve very complex gene transfer or gene replacement therapy that is still in infancy at present. Cheers, Joe J. R. Bruman (818) 789-3694 3527 Cody Road Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-5013