ESTIMATE OF PARKINSONISM PREVALENCE THROUGH DRUG PRESCRIPTION HISTORIES IN THE PROVINCE OF ROME, ITALY

Introduction - The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalen ce of parkinsonism in the Province of Pome using antiparkinsonian pres cription histories from 1986 to 1991. Methods - A subject was defined as a case of parkinsonism if he/she had received ''specific'' and ''co nsistent'' antiparkinsonian therapy in the study period. Results - In November 1990, 6,572 patients were defined as prevalent cases of parki nsonism. The crude prevalence ratio, for the total population of the P rovince of Pome, is 173.5 per 100,000 inhabitants (165.9 per 100,000 i n men and 180.5 per 100,000 in women). The method was validated by rec ord-linkage with clinical records of all patients visited during 1990 at the Department of Neurological Sciences of the University of Rome ' 'La Sapienza''. The sensitivity of the prevalence study was 83.6%. Con clusions - The use of a computerized data base of all prescription dat a, routinely collected for administrative purposes, enabled us to obta in a prevalence estimate based on a very large population, with low co sts and in a relatively short time.