On April 27, at the Technical School No. 4 Transport in Sosnowiec, a survey was carried out under the project “Colors of Life” – 2021-1-PL01-ESC30-SOL-000036535. The survey was designed to test students’ knowledge of Parkinson’s disease. 117 students took part in the survey! The students were asked to answer 5 questions:
- Parkinson’s disease is: memory, concentration, language and angophrasion disorders. Yes or no? (Correct answer- NO)
- People with Parkinson’s disease have an unstable posture, which is often called dizziness. In fact, they are more of a balance difficulty, an instability that can lead to falls later in the disease. Yes or no? (Correct answer- Yes)
- Several symptoms have been identified that precede the development of Parkinson’s disease. These include: problems with the sense of smell (weakness), depressed mood, depression, constipation and sleep disturbances. Yes or no? (Correct answer- YES)
- Head tremors in Parkinson’s disease are practically absent. There may be chin shaking. Yes or no? (Correct answer- YES)
- Bradykinesia means slower performance of all daily activities – slower dressing, walking, talking. Yes or no? (Correct answer- Yes)
The analysis of the questionnaires showed that 35% of the respondents mistook the symptoms of Alzheimer’s for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (question 1). This shows that some young people still confuse these two diseases. The third question also yielded interesting results, as 32% of respondents did not associate these disorders with the disease. Disorders should not be taken for granted, but they must not be completely ignored. In the remaining questions, the students showed a high level of knowledge about Parkinson’s disease. This knowledge may translate into real help for Parkinson’s patients in the future.
