Mary, You said: >>My only purpose in starting the survey was to look for a pattern. OK. Researchers have discovered a pattern: PWP before diagnosis are more likely to have been otherwise in good health than is true for people with other diseases. They are more likely not to smoke and to follow good health practices. They are more likely to be obsessive and gentle and to be extremely reliable people. They are more likely to be depressed than people with other diseases. So where do we go from here? Baldwin, 63/4 [log in to unmask] ---------- From: Mary Sheehan Sent: Sunday, October 26, 1997 8:42 PM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: You misunderstand purpose of survey Baldwin, In a message dated 97-10-26 02:35:07 EST, you write: << A large numerical correlation only suggests where to look for a mechanism. But, you knew you wanted to find a connection between a frozen shoulder and PD before you started the survey >> Just want to clear up the purpose of my survey. I wasn't looking for a connection between PD and frozen shoulder. I was trying to find a correlation between PWPs first symptom of PD and their symptoms after a number of years, the amount and type of exercise they do, the vitamins and food supplements they take, their attitude and their rate of progression of PD . I had hoped to do further surveys on first symptoms such as tremor, gait irregularities, micrographia, etc. Any other disease I can think of has a normal group of first symptoms and a normal rate of progression. PD seems to operate with its own strange set of rules or lack of rules. My only purpose in starting the survey was to look for a pattern. I had no preconceived notion that I was trying to prove. I did not intend to analyze the results. I only planned to compute the results and, if the numbers were large enough to indicate a pattern, to turn the findings over to a research facility for further study (if they were interested). I'm sorry to keep posting to the list on this subject but I feel that it's important to think about the effectiveness of surveys, in case someone wishes to survey the list in the future. My position, of course is that the list is a wonderful resource for research and it's in our best interest to answer any questions that might lesd to a better understanding of PD. Mary