WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — The Utah Department of Health and Human Services is looking into what they say is an above-average cluster of Parkinson's disease cases in a West Valley City neighborhood.
The area under consideration is near 3500 South and 4800 West. According to the department, a community member with concerns about the cases reached out to them, which prompted a closer look.
State epidemiologist Sydnee Christiansen says the department is still in the early stages of exploring the data. "We’re not even to the point where we can say this rate is higher than normal," Christiansen explained. "This rate is abnormal, without looking at the data first. We’re in the process of doing that."
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement and can also impact speech, eating, and balance. Christiansen says Utah has the highest mortality rate in the country for the disease.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services claims they are gathering information on the possible risk factors, including age, gender, and environmental conditions.
Officials say Utahns can help by contributing to the Utah Parkinson's Registry. Christiansen encourages people to advocate for their doctors to include their charts and case notes, as it will aid in the research.
"So, when the individual is seeing their symptoms start versus when they’re diagnosed, we’re kinda missing some of that data," Christiansen stated. "That data would be wonderful to have if we were able to see, “ok, how long are people living with this before they’re even diagnosed?”
The department says the investigation into the cases will take time and that they will continue monitoring the area as they work to determine whether the cluster of cases is unusual.
