Parkinson's Deaths are being Underreported
Why This Needs To Change
We don’t need to change the truth. We need to record the whole story.
Parkinson’s is often underrepresented in mortality data—not because it isn’t contributing, but because of how deaths are recorded. When only one cause is counted, the true impact of Parkinson’s can be missed. This affects awareness, research, and how seriously the disease is understood.
Action Needed
* Improve documentation of the full chain of events
* Use multiple-cause-of-death data, not just one cause
* Increase awareness of Parkinson’s as a contributing condition
* Support research that reflects real-world outcomes
Better data leads to better understanding. Better understanding leads to better care and progress toward a cure.
Parkinson's Disease & the Law
An educational Resource created with attorney's to help people diagnosed with Parkinson's, their family & friends, understand legal issues commonly affected by Parkinson's disease. Neither Tooshaky, nor does the co-author Dawn Howard, receive any financial income from book sales.
© 2026 TooShaky
Disclaimer: This patient education resource was created by Dawn Howard, Parkinson’s Advocate & Neurological Health Educator, through TooShaky.org, to support individuals newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Content is informed by lived experience, patient education best practices, and information from established medical, nonprofit, and educational sources. Drafting, editing, and organizational support were assisted by ChatGPT (OpenAI) as a writing and language tool, under the direction and review of the author. Educational content and references are drawn from sources including, but not limited to: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, American Academy of Neurology, Parkinson’s Foundation, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA), Davis Phinney Foundation, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, PubMed, PMC PubMed Central, Peer-reviewed medical literature and clinical education resources. This material is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to replace individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Patients should discuss all medical questions and care decisions with their healthcare provider. TooShaky.org does not provide medical care and does not establish a clinician–patient relationship.