Article Category:
Perspective

Establishing Priorities for Epilepsy Care and Electroencephalogram Use in Low-Resource Settings

Alexander Andrews Division of Neurology, George Washington University/Children’s National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia;
Blantyre Malaria Project, Blantyre, Malawi;

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Yamikani Chimalizeni Blantyre Malaria Project, Blantyre, Malawi;
Department of Pediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi;

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Dana Harrar Division of Neurology, George Washington University/Children’s National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia;

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Emmie Mbale Department of Pediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi;

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Kondwani Kawaza Department of Pediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi;

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Tesfaye Zelleke Division of Neurology, George Washington University/Children’s National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia;

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Maiden D. Wadson Department of Pediatrics, Thyolo District Hospital, Thyolo, Malawi;

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John Barber Division of Biostatistics and Study Methodology, Children’s National Research Institute, Washington, District of Columbia;

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Jessica Chikwana Department of Pediatrics, Zomba Central Hospital, Zomba, Malawi;

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Ugur Erickson Center for Translational Research, Children’s National Research Institute, Washington, District of Columbia

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Alice M. Liomba Blantyre Malaria Project, Blantyre, Malawi;

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Douglas G. Postels Division of Neurology, George Washington University/Children’s National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia;
Blantyre Malaria Project, Blantyre, Malawi;

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.24-0392
Volume/Issue:
Volume 111: Issue 6
Page(s):
1161–1163
Restricted access
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ABSTRACT.

We convened an electroencephalography and epilepsy think tank in Blantyre, Malawi, bringing together American pediatric neurologist clinical researchers and Malawian clinicians. We worked with the aim of improving care for children with seizures and epilepsy in southern Malawi. By sharing and discussing ideas, six United States-based researchers and six Malawian end users developed consensus for directions of both current and future clinical research activities. Compared with our previous use of informal one-to-one discussions to generate research ideas, we found the structured think tank useful for generating ideas and better establishing links between clinical researchers and those who will eventually use the results of their work. We hope that these new interactions will lead to a self-sustaining environment integrating clinical care and research, leading to improvements in brain health for the children of Malawi and integrating technology in the places where it will be most clinically useful.

Author Notes

Financial support: Funding for think tank meeting performance and participant travel was provided by the Clinical Translational Institute and the Division of Neurology at Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC.

Current contact information: Alexander Andrews, Dana Harrar, Tesfaye Zelleke, John Barber, Ugur Erickson, and Douglas G. Postels, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, E-mails: aandrews1@childrensnational.org, dharrar@childrensnational.org, tzelleke@childrensnational.org, jrbarber@childrensnational.org, uerickson@childrensnational.org, and dpostels@childrensnational.org. Yamikani Chimalizeni, Emmie Mbale, Kondwani Kawaza, and Alice M. Liomba, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi, E-mails: ychimalizeni@kuhes.ac.mw, embale@kuhes.ac.mw, kkawaza@kuhes.ac.mw, and wanguialice@gmail.com. Maiden D. Wadson, Thyolo District Hospital, Thyolo, Malawi, E-mail: mdwadson@gmail.com. Jessica Chikwana, Zomba Central Hospital, Zomba, Malawi, E-mail: jesschikwana22@gmail.com.

Address correspondence to Douglas G. Postels, Division of Neurology, Children’s National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010. E-mail: dpostels@childrensnational.org
Copyright:
© American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2024
Received:
13 Jun 2024
|
Accepted:
11 Jul 2024
|
Published Online:
01 Oct 2024
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
  • 1.

    Andrews A, Zelleke T, Harrar D, Izem R, Gai J, Postels D, 2023. Theta-alpha variability on admission EEG is associated with outcome in pediatric cerebral malaria. J Clin Neurophysiol 40: 136–143.

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  • 2.

    Andrews A, Zelleke T, Izem R, Gai J, Harrar D, Mvula J, Postels DG, 2022. Using EEG in resource-limited areas: Comparing qualitative and quantitative interpretation methods in cerebral malaria. Pediatr Neurol 126: 96–103.

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    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
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