Expanding epilepsy care in western Kenya
Bridging the Treatment Gap by Expanding Access to Care for People with Epilepsy in Kenya (BEACON)
['FUNDING_R01'] · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · NIH-11376592
This project will use trained local health workers and an electronic patient tracking system to make it easier for people with epilepsy in western Kenya to start treatment, return for follow-up, and take their seizure medicines regularly.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11376592 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From my perspective, the team is training less-specialized health workers to deliver epilepsy care so more people can get treated close to home. They are building an Epilepsy Medical Record System (EMRS) to track patients and remind clinicians about follow-up and medicines. The program combines task-sharing with active patient tracking to improve clinic visits and medicine adherence. Over several years they will measure whether more people stay in care and have fewer seizures and related harms.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents and adults (about age 12 and up) with a diagnosis of epilepsy who live in western Kenya and face barriers getting regular care.
Not a fit: People who live outside the program area (outside western Kenya), children under 12, or those needing highly specialized epilepsy surgery or services are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase treatment access and medicine adherence, leading to fewer seizures, injuries, and better quality of life for people with epilepsy in the region.
How similar studies have performed: Task-sharing and electronic record or reminder systems have improved care retention in other low-resource health programs, but applying these approaches to epilepsy in western Kenya is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES
- INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS — INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: VON GAUDECKER, JANE — INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- Study coordinator: VON GAUDECKER, JANE
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.