Acute spinal cord injury in Africa: exploring the long-term outcomes and future directions of acute spinal cord injury - short communication
Document Type
Editorial
Publication Date
12-1-2023
Journal
Annals of medicine and surgery (2012)
Volume
85
Issue
12
DOI
10.1097/MS9.0000000000001405
Keywords
Africa; acute spinal cord injury; rehabilitation
Abstract
Acute spinal cord injury (ASCI), a key factor behind serious sensory, motor, and autonomic dysfunctions, holds on as a fundamental cause of morbidity, psychological disturbances, and high socioeconomic burden. This study sheds light, particularly on the African countries where it is found that traumatic ASCI, mainly due to road traffic accidents, remains the leading cause, with 130 cases per million in this part of the world. Moreover, limited resources, with the lack of funds and equipment, as well as widespread poverty, restrict the availability of suitable diagnostic, management, and treatment options. The weight of the evidence suggests that there is an ultimate need for well-developed infrastructure embracing a multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation in Africa. Furthermore, international collaborations, posing a significantly wide background for evidence-based information and resources, are indispensable for ASCI prospects and future studies among the African population. The purpose of this study is to fill a part of the persistent gap in the research era regarding the ASCI in Africa and direct future research toward investigating its different aspects as well as exploring its interventional needs.
APA Citation
Kassahun Bekele, Bezawit; Boluwatife Samuel, Fatokun; Soufan, Fatima; Kravarioti, Dionysia; Nazir, Abubakar; Ahmad Nakhleh, Hamza; Wojtara, Magda; and Uwishema, Olivier, "Acute spinal cord injury in Africa: exploring the long-term outcomes and future directions of acute spinal cord injury - short communication" (2023). GW Authored Works. Paper 4023.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/4023
Department
Public Health Student Works