Prevention and Rehabilitation of Stroke in Uganda

Stroke is increasing in low-income countries in Africa, and knowledge is lacking on risk factors and how to prevent stroke as well as how to best use the resources for rehabilitation after stroke which are very limited. Knowledge generation within this area is therefore urgently needed. This collaboration between the research group HELD (Health and Everyday Life among people with neurological Disorders), Karolinska Institutet (KI) and the research surveillant site Africa Medical and Behavioral Sciences Organization (AMBSO) population health surveillance (PHS), will create substantial research opportunities to develop and improve prevention and rehabilitation for stroke, which is in line with the sustainable development goals to reduce the prevalence and mortality rates due to NCDs. AMBSO is collecting data from 17 000 households on many potential risk factors for stroke. Questions about stroke primary and secondary prevention of stroke and impact of stroke or need of rehabilitation could be added to the existing questionnaires such as the validated Ugandan version of the Stroke Impact Scale. This is intended to fulfill the aim of the network which is to increase the knowledge of occurrence and consequences of NCDs with a specific focus on stroke, which will be valuable for the development of preventive healthcare policy documents and guidelines for appropriate prevention strategies and rehabilitation interventions.

Research questions in relation to NCDs with focus on stroke prevention and rehabilitation:

• How many cases (prevalence) are reported in the targeted study sites and what is the mortality rate (incidence) that can specifically relate to stroke?

• How does stroke and other NCDs affect and impact the quality of life for persons living in Uganda?

• Which factors impact the recovery process after stroke?

• What sort of rehabilitation is needed in the study areas for persons affected by stroke? In addition, risk factors of stroke such as diabetes and hypertension will be mapped.