A Qualitative Study of Facilitators, Barriers, and Gender Disparities in Academic Neurology.

Background And Objectives: To understand the challenges and facilitators of a successful academic neurology research career broadly and to identify gender-based disparities specifically.

Methods: In 2019, participants self-identifying as researchers, preregistered for the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, ≥7 years out of residency, and authors of ≥1 AAN meeting abstract submission (2006-2009) were selected to participate in the qualitative study (purposeful sampling strategy). To increase diversity, 15 participants were invited by members involved in the AAN until interviews were complete.

Consensus Competencies for Postgraduate Fellowship Training in Global Neurology.

Background And Objectives: Use a modified Delphi approach to develop competencies for neurologists completing ≥1 year of advanced global neurology training.

Methods: An expert panel of 19 United States-based neurologists involved in global health was recruited from the American Academy of Neurology Global Health Section and the American Neurological Association International Outreach Committee. An extensive list of global health competencies was generated from review of global health curricula and adapted for global neurology training.

Need to Revise Frascati Criteria for HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders to Improve Relevance for Diverse Global Populations.

Worldwide, cognitive impairment is a frequent complication of HIV, and few treatments are available. Existing diagnostic criteria for cognitive disorders associated with HIV have limited diagnostic accuracy, hampering biomarker and therapeutic development. Furthermore, these criteria are not linked to clinically meaningful outcomes, limiting utility in clinical settings.

Gender Disparities in the Career of Neurology Researchers.

Background And Objectives: To assess gender disparities in neurology researcher careers in the United States.

Methods: A 34-question survey was distributed to 4,644 US-based American Academy of Neurology members who self-identified as researchers in 2020 addressing the following domains: research and funding, scholarly activities, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) effect, and local institutional climate.

Results: A total of 700 (15%) individuals completed the survey (women, n = 231; men, n = 426), with 71% White and >80% conducting research.

Prevalence of Epilepsy, Human Cysticercosis, and Porcine Cysticercosis in Western Kenya.

Cysticercosis is the leading cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide and has been shown to be highly prevalent in pig populations in western Kenya. We conducted a community-based door-to-door survey in a region of western Kenya with a high proportion of pig-keeping households. Persons with epilepsy (PWE) were determined using a screening questionnaire followed by a neurologist evaluation.

Epidemiology, patterns of care and outcomes of traumatic brain injury in deployed military settings: Implications for future military operations.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is prevalent and highly morbid among Service Members. A better understanding of TBI epidemiology, outcomes, and care patterns in deployed settings could inform potential approaches to improve TBI diagnosis and management.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of Service Members who sustained a TBI in deployed settings between 2001 and 2018 was conducted.

Epidemiology of non-traumatic spinal cord injury in Uganda: a single center, prospective study with MRI evaluation.

Background: A few reliable national data concerning the etiology of non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in sub-Sahara Africa exists, mainly because of the limitations of diagnostic imaging. These are both expensive and mostly unavailable in several resource-limited settings. Only a few studies have employed the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in documenting non-traumatic SCI and most of these studies are from South Africa.

Is it time to rethink how neuropsychological tests are used to diagnose mild forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders? Impact of false-positive rates on prevalence and power.

Background: Between 0 and 48% of normal HIV-uninfected individuals score below threshold neuropsychological test scores for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) or are false positives. There has been little effort to understand the effect of varied interpretations of research criteria for HAND on false-positive frequencies, prevalence and analytic estimates.

Methods: The proportion of normal individuals scoring below Z score thresholds drawn from research criteria for HAND, or false-positive frequencies, was estimated in a normal Kenyan population and a simulated normal population using varied interpretations of research criteria for HAND.

Screening for HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy in resource-limited settings.

Introduction: Peripheral neuropathy is the most common neurological complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection but is widely under-diagnosed in resource-limited settings. We investigated the utility of screening tools administered by nonphysician healthcare workers (HCW) and quantitative sensory testing (QST) administered by trained individuals for identification of moderate/severe neuropathy.

Methods: We enrolled 240 HIV-infected outpatients using 2-stage cluster randomized sampling.

Critical determinants of the epilepsy treatment gap: a cross-national analysis in resource-limited settings.

Purpose: Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurologic disorders worldwide. Our objective was to determine which economic, health care, neurology, and epilepsy-specific resources were associated with untreated epilepsy in resource-constrained settings.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature identified community-based studies in resource-constrained settings that calculated the epilepsy treatment gap, the proportion with untreated epilepsy, from prevalent active epilepsy cases.

Examining barriers to care: provider and client perspectives on the stigmatization of HIV-positive Asian Americans with and without viral hepatitis co-infection.

Between 1999 and 2003, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (APIs) in the US experienced more rapid growth in the number of AIDS cases than any other racial or ethnic group. In addition, the prevalence of HBV and HIV co-infection is estimated to be significantly higher among APIs in the US than in other racial/ethnic groups. High rates of HIV and hepatitis B or C (HBV and/or HCV) co-infection, in concert with language and cultural barriers, create significant challenges to effective coordination of treatment.

Lessons learned developing a diagnostic tool for HIV-associated dementia feasible to implement in resource-limited settings: pilot testing in Kenya.

Objective: To conduct a preliminary evaluation of the utility and reliability of a diagnostic tool for HIV-associated dementia (HAD) for use by primary health care workers (HCW) which would be feasible to implement in resource-limited settings.

Background: In resource-limited settings, HAD is an indication for anti-retroviral therapy regardless of CD4 T-cell count. Anti-retroviral therapy, the treatment for HAD, is now increasingly available in resource-limited settings.