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. 2023 Sep 15;18(9):e0291357. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291357

Table 2. Study table.

Study Sample size JBI Score Aim Methods Analysis Key Findings
Alyamani et al. (2018) [48]–Asia 2609 8 To identify the level of awareness of our population regarding PD in terms of causes, signs, symptoms, and treatment. Cross-sectional study using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics
  • Public knowledge of PD was moderate, recognising motor symptoms more than non-motor symptoms.

  • Educational campaigns may be appropriate to improve public awareness of PD

Anpalagan et al. (2019) [57]—Asia 14 4 To determine the awareness of PD in Asia Cross-sectional design using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test
  • Young adults are adequately aware of the PD

  • There is a need to increase the PD awareness among the young adult population through educational programs.

Chow and Viehweger (2019) [45]—Worldwide 167 4 To summarize the studies documenting the awareness of Parkinson’s disease. Meta-analysis of 8 studies using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test
  • Young adults awareness of PD is adequate

  • Educational programs could help achieve increased PD awareness and knowledge

Chow et al. (2019a) [58]—Canada Not mentioned 4 To determine the awareness of PD in London, Canada. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test
  • Young adults are adequately aware of the disease

  • Increased awareness among the young adult population could be achieved through educational programs.

Chow et al (2019b) [59]—Canada 41 4 To determine the awareness of PD in Canada. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test
  • Young adults awareness of PD is adequate

  • Educational programs for young adults would be beneficial

Flynn et al. (2009) [66]–United Kingdom 126 4 To explore current public knowledge of aphasia and a comparator neurological condition (Parkinson’s disease). It also investigated respondents’ sources of information and whether demographic factors affected knowledge. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Not mentioned
  • Knowledge about PD was adequate, but better than knowledge of aphasia

  • Respondents gained their knowledge mainly through the media and personal connections. There was evidence that ethnicity may affect knowledge.

Ho et al. (2019a) [60]—Canada 15 4 To determine the awareness of PD in Toronto, Canada. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test
  • Young adults are adequately aware of the disease

  • Awareness among the young adult population could be increased through educational programs.

Ho et al. (2019b) [61]—Canada 26 4 To determine the awareness of PD in Halifax, Canada. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test.
  • Young adults are adequately aware of the disease

  • Educational programs would increase awareness of PD in young adults

Hollenberg et al. (2019) [62]–Ireland 15 4 To determine the awareness of PD in Dublin, Ireland. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test
  • Young adults awareness of PD is adequate

  • Increased awareness among the young adult population could be achieved through educational programs.

Jitkritsadakul et al. (2016) [46]—Asia 108 7 To evaluate general understanding of PD and identify knowledge gaps amongst PD patients using a validated PD knowledge questionnaire. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Chi-square, independent t-test, Durbin Watson test, Mann Whitney U test, Pearson’s correlation, logistic regression
  • Significant knowledge gaps were identified amongst PD patients in all three aspects of the questionnaire.

  • Timely identification of patients with inaccurate or insufficient disease-related knowledge could help healthcare professionals choose more suitable multimodal educational interventions.

Kaddumukasa et al. (2015) [50]—Africa 377 7 To assess knowledge and attitudes towards PD in a Ugandan community sample. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, chi-square
  • PD is readily recognised in Uganda however, knowledge on causes is limited and misconceptions are common.

  • Need for educational resources to improve understanding of PD and reduce stigma.

Khalifa et al. (2018) [51]—Asia 150 7 To determine the level of awareness among university students regarding Parkinson’s disease. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Chi-square
  • Most of the participants showed moderate to good knowledge about PD and positive attitudes toward PD, although there were deficits in some of the answers.

  • Future research should continue to explore knowledge and attitudes about PD in diverse communities and different samples.

Landua. (2021) [49]–United States 206 4 To identify the current level of knowledge and attitudes about PD among college students enrolled at Oklahoma State University. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Not applicable
  • There is a significant need for more educational programs to be implemented to alleviate lack of knowledge, misconceptions and negative attitudes surrounding PD and its possible management.

McCann et al. (2013) [65]–New Zealand 300 4 To investigate whether public awareness of aphasia has improved since the original international study by Simmons-Mackie et al. in 2002. A second aim was to compare health professionals’ awareness and knowledge of aphasia specifically with that of the public. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Not mentioned
  • Ten years after the first surveys, awareness and knowledge of PD, stroke and aphasia remain low.

  • Efforts need to be taken to increase awareness and knowledge of these conditions to increase the health outcomes for people with aphasia and their families.

Mokaya et al. (2017) [53]–South Africa Not mentioned 4 To explore how PD is perceived and conceptualised within communities in a Xhosa speaking black population in South Africa. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Not mentioned
  • There is a lack of knowledge about PD among black South Africans

  • Almost half of the respondents felt people with PD should not live within the community and a third considered witchcraft as a cause of PD

  • Public education would make it easier for people with PD to adapt to their condition within the community

Moore and Knowles. (2006) [52]–Australia 200 6 To ascertain beliefs and attitudes about PD, specifically the extent of negative attitudes, stereotyping and stigma associated with the disease. Cross-sectional study using two questionnaires. Descriptive statistics
  • Overall knowledge of PD was good, however, almost half of the respondents saw a stigma attached to PD.

  • Highlights the need for public education, alongside programs for people with early onset PD.

Pan et al. (2014) [54]–United States 229 8 Understand knowledge and attitudes about PD among a racially/ethnically diverse group of community members. Cross-sectional study involving focus groups (qualitative) and administration of a questionnaire (quantitative). Logistic regression, Comparative analysis method
  • There is a low level of knowledge of PD in older adults

  • Main barriers to care include fear, stigma and communication barriers

  • Need for educational campaigns for PD was highlighted

Tan et al. (2015) [47]—Asia 1285 8 To explore the level of public knowledge regarding PD in a large multi-ethnic urban Asian cohort, and (as a secondary aim) in a smaller cohort of PD patients and caregivers. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Chi-square, analysis of variance, preliminary assumption testing
  • Important gaps in knowledge of PD were evident

  • The need for further research and specific educational campaigns in this area was highlighted

Viehweger et al. (2019a) [63]—Canada 19 4 To determine the awareness of PD in Waterloo, Canada. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test
  • Young adults are adequately aware of the disease

  • Educational programs could achieve increased awareness among this population

Viehweger et al. (2019b) [64]–United States 13 4 To determine the awareness of PD in New York, USA Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, fishers exact test
  • Young adults knowledge of PD is sufficient

  • Awareness of PD could be achieved through educational programs.

Werner and Korczyn. (2010) [56]—Asia 632 4 To assess the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of lay persons’ beliefs and knowledge about PD. Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, spearman’s correlation, logistic regression, Mann Whitney U test
  • Low number of participants reported knowing much about PD and reported being worried or fearful of getting PD.

  • Highlighted the need for expansion of PD research, alongside development of programs aiming to disseminate knowledge about PD.

Youn et al. (2016) [67]—Asia 1000 7 To investigate the awareness and knowledge about PD among the general population in South Korea and to identify the factors that are associated with these parameters Cross-sectional study using questionnaires. Logistic regression
  • Knowledge of younger subjects exhibited the least knowledge compared to respondents over 40 years of age.

  • Low socioeconomic status was associated with poor knowledge of PD.

  • Awareness and knowledge of PD showed hierarchical gradients with respect to age, income and education level.

  • Educational strategies and approaches targeting specific subgroups are necessary to improve public awareness and knowledge about PD.

Zhang et al. (2018) [55]—Asia 238 6 To determine the rate of awareness, drug treatment and rehabilitation in PD. Analysis and summary of data from Prevention and Intervention on Neurodegenerative Disease for the Elderly in China (PINDEC). Descriptive statistics, chi-square
  • Rates of awareness, drug treatment and rehabilitation for elderly PD patients were low in China.

  • Efforts to increase health education for PD should be made among the elderly.