Publications by authors named "Yuarn-Chung Hwang"
Background: Rural living has long been debated as a risk factor for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). But few community-based studies compared this difference between urban and rural areas.
Methods: Population-based surveys by neurologists using a standardized diagnostic protocol were conducted in the urban areas of Keelung City and compared the prevalence rates of IPD with those we had previously determined in the rural area of Ilan County, Taiwan.
Purpose: We aimed to quantify the mortality reduction by which the early detection of Parkinson's disease (PD) within a community-based study could reduce the number of advanced cases.
Methods: Data used in this study were derived from two community-based surveys and from a clinical series of PD cases identified from a medical centre. The cumulative survival by Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) scale was estimated and the mortality reduction derived from a community-based survey was predicted.
Objectives: The natural course of Parkinson's disease (PD), as measured on the Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) scale, and the impact that early detection would have on prognosis for those with the disease, has barely been addressed since the introduction of L-dopa. This study aimed to elucidate the natural history of PD and effectiveness of early detection in reducing advanced disability and mortality.
Method: A total of 21 362 participants aged 40 years or older were invited to two community-based programmes for the early detection of PD.
Purpose: To determine the prevalence rate and patterns of adult patients with epilepsy in Taiwan, we conducted a community-based neuroepidemiological survey.
Methods: Epilepsy was detected by neurologists using one-stage method. It was integrated into a community health screening service and performed from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001 in Keelung, a northern city in Taiwan.