SELF-REPORTED HEALTH-STATUS AND ACCESS TO HEALTH-SERVICES IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE WITH PARKINSONS-DISEASE

A sample of people with Parkinson's disease (PD), identified from a 19 92 Northampton Health Authority (NHA) Prevalence Study, and currently registered with a general practitioner, completed a postal survey. Peo ple with PD reported considerably worse health status than other indiv iduals of the same age across a wide range of health-related dimension s. Health status was worse in those with longer-standing illness. The Parkinson's disease questionnaire (PDQ-39) identified particular probl ems associated with PD. The health status for those seen most recently by various health-related professionals was generally worse. Access t o various services continues to be a problem for a substantial minorit y of people with PD. The health status of those reporting dissatisfact ion with access to services was generally worse. More research, using feasible and relevant outcome measures, is needed to assess different interventions, and to assist in the determination of appropriate servi ces.