Parkinsons disease, first described by the English surgeon James Parkinson (1755-1824) in 1817 as shaking palsy, is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifests symptoms such as resting tremor, muscular rigidity, bradykinesia and postural instability. These motor disorders have been extensively researched resulting in improved diagnostic accuracy and the development of robust rating scales and treatment strategies for symptoms. The treatment options for Parkinsons disease are similar to those for Alzheimers disease, meaning that at this moment in time there does not exist a definitive cure that can reverse the progression of the disease. Young adults seem to be well aware of Alzheimers disease, but are they aware of Parkinsons disease? Both of these diseases will become increasingly more prevalent in our aging world and young adults need to be prepared to care for family members who are struck by one, or both, diseases. In this book we document the assessment of the knowledge of young adults with respect to Parkinsons disease across the globe.

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display deficits/unusual behaviour in one of the three domains: Reciprocal social interaction, communication and restricted/repetitive interests/behaviours. The cause of ASD is still unknown, with etiological theories continuing to change as research progresses. It was once proposed that child-rearing was a major determinant, but more recent studies have suggested that the cause is multi-factorial, with genetics playing a substantial part in aetiology. Since awareness seems to be a precursor of increased prevalence, it would be interesting to note the awareness amongst young adults, who are the future parents of society. The awareness of these individuals may allow for the extrapolation of predicting whether the future prevalence of ASD will increase or decrease. In this book, the authors describe the awareness of young adults from Canada, United States, United Kingdom and Asia with respect to ASD.

Helmet use can substantially reduce the risks associated with bicycle injuries, as these protective devices can prevent an array of serious facial injuries. A meta-analysis was carried out looking to summarise studies into the helmet use of adolescents and young adults, where the authors found a U-trend between age and helmet use, with the proportion of individuals regularly wearing a helmet declining first and then rising with reference to the progression of age. The increasing trend in young adults has been well-documented in the literature, but few studies have looked into helmet use among adolescents. In this book, produced in collaboration with the Bicycle Safety and Awareness Club in Ontario, Canada, the authors present survey studies conducted in independent schools in North America, looking into bicycle and helmet use of adolescents.