Improving daily life for Ugandans living with epilepsy
Official title: Self-management Intervention for Reducing Epilepsy Burden among Ugandans with Epilepsy
Funded at Makerere University College of Health Sciences · NIH-11137064 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a self-management program to help people with epilepsy in Uganda better manage their condition and improve their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Makerere University College of Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kampala, Uganda) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $390,771 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS129041-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11137064 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this program are Ugandans living with epilepsy who experience challenges with their condition, including social isolation, stigma, or difficulties with medication adherence.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have epilepsy or who are not located in Uganda would not directly benefit from this specific program.
What this research studies
Many people with epilepsy, especially in low-income countries, face challenges like limited social support, difficulty taking medications regularly, and stigma, which can make their condition harder to control and affect their well-being. This project aims to create a culturally sensitive self-management program called SMART-U, which stands for Self-Management for people with epilepsy and a histoRy of negative health evenTs in Uganda. The program will help participants learn strategies to cope with their epilepsy, improve their medication adherence, and enhance their overall mental health. By focusing on ongoing assessment and support, the goal is to reduce the daily difficulties associated with epilepsy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could significantly improve the quality of life and mental well-being for people with epilepsy in Uganda by empowering them with better self-management skills.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary pilot work by this study team has shown that the SMART-U program is well-accepted by participants, suggesting a promising foundation for this larger effort.
Where this research is happening
-
Makerere University College of Health Sciences
Kampala, Uganda Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaddumukasa, Mark — Makerere University College of Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Kaddumukasa, Mark
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Economic evaluation of MEW Network epilepsy self-management programs for broad adoption
This project tests how cost-effective two epilepsy self-management programs (UPLIFT and PACES) are when used in real-world healthcare and community settings, to help people with epilepsy live better.
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Economic analysis of the MEW self-management program for epilepsy (MINDSET) in real-world settings
This grant studies how a proven epilepsy self-management program can be implemented in communities and clinics, and how its costs and benefits stack up.
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Self-management Intervention to Reduce Epilepsy Burden in Ugandans with Epilepsy
A program helps people with epilepsy in Uganda manage their condition daily to improve quality of life and reduce stigma.
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Costs and value of the MINDSET epilepsy self-management program
This project compares the costs and benefits of the MINDSET self-management program for people with epilepsy in clinic and community settings.
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Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a self-management program for epilepsy.
This study is looking at how the MINDSET program can help people with epilepsy manage their condition better and whether it’s worth the cost, so that patients can enjoy a better quality of life.
-
Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of epilepsy self-management programs
This study looks at how much the UPLIFT and PACES programs, which help people with epilepsy manage their condition and improve their mental health, cost and what benefits they bring, so we can better support and promote these helpful programs in healthcare.
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.