Stroke and post-stroke aphasia management in low- and middle-income African countries: a scoping review.

Abstract

Stroke is a global health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), notably across Africa (LMIAC). Aphasia, a major post-stroke disability emphasizes the importance of effective management services to enhance quality of life of stroke survivors and their families. Concerns exist regarding the adequacy of such services in LMIAC. This scoping review examined stroke and post-stroke aphasia management studies in LMIAC. Seven electronic databases (PsycINFO (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched for English peer-reviewed studies (2010- November 2023). Grey literature was sourced from Google and Google Scholar. Search terms included keywords in population, intervention, and geographic area. Titles and abstracts were screened by the lead author and a second reviewer, with conflicts resolved by a third. The lead author conducted full-text screening and grey literature searches, with a second reviewer checking 35% of the articles for eligibility. Sixty-three studies from 19 LMIAC were included; only four studies focused on post-stroke aphasia management. Challenges reported included lack of- knowledge of stroke signs, ambulance services, diagnostic access, and linguistically appropriate post-stroke aphasia resources. Effective stroke and post-stroke aphasia management services are needed, along with further LMIAC research.