Correct. There's not enough data and may never be, with our rare disorder. Unless some researcher can locate a "pocket" of cases. It's difficult enough to collect scientific data on SD, so categorizing it "by country" is a project for the 22nd century. Browse through the Archives on the Bulletin Board however. Besides all the patient anecdotes and life stories, there were two high-quality academic surveys done to study SD in the past few years. Both done in England. If you can't find them in the BB Archives, they may be available elsewhere.

It is true that there is a lifestyle "frenzy" in areas of the US (such as where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the air is polluted with oil refinery refuse and heavy auto traffic and it takes 30 minutes to drive one mile. This creates trauma and environmental stress (thought to be possible triggers for some SD/dystonia cases); however, it's not a good idea to automatically attribute the onset of Spasmodic Dysphonia to a certain lifestyle or country or area.

We have BB members in numerous countries (who don't live in the major cities of the US, thus are not subject to "the American Lifestyle"). And, I hope he won't mind me mentioning him as an example, but David Barton is a Moderator on this BB and has AD/SD and lives in the most peaceful (non-frenzied) country on the globe. That's what CondeNast or some source (??) said about New Zealand after last September 11th. New Zealand probably isn't polluted either. Hope not.

I'm sure there are many more diagnosed cases of SD in the US than in other places as our population is high and dense and many of the doctors who focus on our disorder are located here. Thus, cases may come to the forefront more boldly and the US is a "media-oriented" county. But, look at the stats/ratios. California is the most populous state in the US so we have more SD here (as would the US) based on population-ratio. SD cases are spread throughout the World.

The BB previous worldwide surveys may be available. The NSDA may be able to provide copies of those surveys for you. Take caution in making assumptions. SD is not an American disorder, nor an American Lifestyle Disorder, by any stretch. It's more complicated than that.

--Lynne (AD/SD; No. California)

PS: Hi Renee!