A Familial Cluster of Parkinson's Disease Identified in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

Parkinson's disease is a chronic debilitating condition, the prevalence of which has not been fully established in Papua New Guinea. We describe a cluster of 9 cases of the disease, restricted to two generations of one family, and the key ideas and beliefs held within the family regarding disease aetiology. Many of the concerns and feelings of guilt expressed by family members were alleviated following supportive listening and culturally appropriate counselling, explanation and advice from trained health professionals assisted by bilingual family facilitators. This is the first time that such a family has been reported in Papua New Guinea and may warrant more detailed assessment. Addressing patient and community perceptions of disease aetiology should be at the heart of health promotion initiatives and counselling.