Prevalence of pain in patients with Parkinson's disease in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Introduction: Pain is a common non-motor feature encountered by patients with Parkinson's disease. Recognition and accurate characterization of pain is crucial for the optimal treatment of Parkinson's disease patients. Pain has been associated with poverty and ethnicity. We determined the prevalence of pain in Parkinson's disease patients in Ethiopia. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study for a six month period from April 01, 2017–September 30, 2017 with patients with Parkinson's disease who were attending two neurology referral clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to assess for the prevalence and the characterization of pain. Results: We surveyed 103 patients with Parkinson's disease. Of these, 87/103 (84%) had symptoms of pain. Only 16/87 (18.4%) received pain medications, and no one was referred for physiotherapy. Conclusion: In Ethiopia, the prevalence of pain in Parkinson's disease patients is amongst the highest in the world, under recognized and undertreated.