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About DAC-SP
Early Detection Blueprint
Case Studies
Grant Recipients
Resource Index
US Fellowship RFI
Contact
Kenya
Sub-Saharan African countries have the fastest-growing rates of older populations among Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). In Kenya, the proportion of people aged 60 and older is expected to more than double by 2050 compared to 2017. However, limited data on dementia prevalence and a shortage of healthcare staff highlight the challenges faced by Kenya's health system. Community Health Workers (CHWs), with their strong community ties, have been effective in delivering health interventions within Kenya. Leveraging this, this project aimed to deliver dementia screenings to adults aged 60 and above over six months. This initiative sought to improve early detection and intervention for dementia in rural areas.
This project redeployed volunteer staff from the Strengthening Responses to Dementia in Developing Countries (STRiDE) initiative and trained community health workers to screen 2,400 people aged 60 and above. The CHWs administered the Cognitive Screening Instrument for Dementia (CSI-D) assessment, which included an informant interview, a word list recall task, and the Euro-Dementia scale.
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Prof. David Ndetei (PI)
Africa Institute of Mental and Brain Health (AFRIMEB)
Dr. Nicolas Farina (Co-PI)
University of Plymouth, UK
Dr. Christine Musyimi (Co-I)
Africa Institute of Mental and Brain Health (AFRIMEB)
Dr. Joe Masila (Co-I)
Makueni County Referral Hospital
Elizabeth Mutunga
Alzheimer's and Dementia Organization, Kenya
Kenya
Sub-Saharan African countries have the fastest-growing rates of older populations among Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). In Kenya, the proportion of people aged 60 and older is expected to more than double by 2050 compared to 2017. However, limited data on dementia prevalence and a shortage of healthcare staff highlight the challenges faced by Kenya's health system. Community Health Workers (CHWs), with their strong community ties, have been effective in delivering health interventions within Kenya. Leveraging this, this project aimed to deliver dementia screenings to adults aged 60 and above over six months. This initiative sought to improve early detection and intervention for dementia in rural areas.
This project redeployed volunteer staff from the Strengthening Responses to Dementia in Developing Countries (STRiDE) initiative and trained community health workers to screen 2,400 people aged 60 and above. The CHWs administered the Cognitive Screening Instrument for Dementia (CSI-D) assessment, which included an informant interview, a word list recall task, and the Euro-Dementia scale.
A total of 3,546 older adults took part in the screening process, with 652 testing positive (18%) and subsequently referred to a hospital. The majority of participants approved, welcomed, and responded positively to the dementia screening. Most also found the duration of the testing suitable. Overall, there was an increased awareness among participants resulting in more referrals to hospitals and clinics.
DN
Prof. David Ndetei (PI)
Africa Institute of Mental and Brain Health (AFRIMEB)
NF
Dr. Nicolas Farina (Co-PI)
University of Plymouth, UK
CM
Dr. Christine Musyimi (Co-I)
Africa Institute of Mental and Brain Health (AFRIMEB)
JM
Dr. Joe Masila (Co-I)
Makueni County Referral Hospital
EM
Elizabeth Mutunga
Alzheimer's and Dementia Organization, Kenya
Musyimi C, Ndetei D, Muyela LA, Masila J, Mutunga E, Farina N. Integration and evaluation of a community-level dementiascreening program in Kenya (DEM-SKY): a protocol. J Alzheimer’s Dis. 2023; 95( 4): 1771– 6.
Musyimi, C.W., Ndetei, D.M., Muyela, L.A., Masila, J.and Farina, N., 2024. Dementia Screening in Rural Kenya: The Prevalence andImpact of Screening Positive for Dementia. Neuroepidemiology, 58(3),pp.174-181.
