Traumatic Brain Injury in Kenya

Benson Kinyanjui

doi:10.1177/2158244016638392

Abstract

Kenya has a disproportionately high rate of road traffic accidents each year, many of them resulting in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). A review of articles written on issues pertaining to the medical treatment of people with TBI in the past 15 years in Kenya indicates a significantly high incidence of TBIs and a high mortality rate. This article reviews the available literature as a first step in exploring the status of rehabilitation of Kenyans with cognitive impairments and other disabilities resulting from TBIs. From this preliminary review, it is apparent that despite TBI being a pervasive public health problem in Kenya, it has not received due attention in the public and private sectors as evidenced by a serious lack of post-acute rehabilitation services for people with TBIs. Implications for this lack of services are discussed and recommendations are made for potential approaches to this problem.

Highlights

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) continues to be a significant public health problem in the world, manifested by high levels of mortality and disability, and exerting undue financial burden on governments and individuals in terms of treatment costs and lost manpower
This literature review paints a grim picture of TBI in Kenya, in terms of epidemiology and the quality of services available for people with TBIs
The literature points to a significantly high mortality rate among TBI patients who make it to the hospital; validates the notion that in Kenya, road traffic accidents are a primary cause for TBIs in particular, and mortality in general; and raises significant concern that little is being done to curb this epidemic, or to improve the treatment of its victims to increase the survival rates

Summary

Introduction

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) continues to be a significant public health problem in the world, manifested by high levels of mortality and disability, and exerting undue financial burden on governments and individuals in terms of treatment costs and lost manpower. It is estimated that 3,000 Kenyans die as a result of road traffic accidents every year, and thousands more are incapacitated, causing huge financial burdens on their families and on the public health system (Odero, Khayesi, & Heda, 2003; Saidi et al, 2014) In their 2003 study of road traffic injuries, Odero and his colleagues found that the mortality rate in Kenya was 68 for every 10,000 registered motor vehicles (Odero et al, 2003), a rate that is about 40 times greater than in developed countries. Based on global rates, prevalence in comparable countries in Africa, and on the high incidence of road traffic injuries and its high correlation with TBI, the prevalence is likely to be on the higher end of the global TBI prevalence

Literature Review

Findings

Discussion and Recommendations