Publications by authors named "J K Gona"

Article Synopsis
  • * This study analyzed data from two Kenyan studies, identifying risk factors linked to NDDs; significant findings include complications during pregnancy and birth, with specific odds ratios indicating which factors pose the greatest risk.
  • * Recognizing these risk factors, such as labour and birth complications, can help guide preventative measures and interventions for reducing the incidence of NDDs in affected populations.
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Article Synopsis
  • Children can be diagnosed with autism as early as 3 years old, but there is a significant delay in diagnosis in Africa, often occurring between ages 8-10.
  • A study in rural Kenya aimed to validate the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) as an effective screening tool for autism, involving 172 children with neurodevelopmental disorders and 112 controls.
  • The study found that the SCQ had good internal consistency and an adequate factor structure, with a recommended cut-off score of 15 showing 72% sensitivity and 100% specificity for detecting autism compared to typically developing children.
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Introduction: The precise epidemiological burden of autism is unknown because of the limited capacity to identify and diagnose the disorder in resource-constrained settings, related in part to a lack of appropriate standardised assessment tools and health care experts. We assessed the reliability, validity, and diagnostic accuracy of the Developmental Diagnostic Dimensional Interview (3Di) in a rural setting on the Kenyan coast.

Methods: Using a large community survey of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), we administered the 3Di to 2,110 children aged between 6 years and 9 years who screened positive or negative for any NDD and selected 242 who had specific symptoms suggestive of autism based on parental report and the screening tools for review by a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

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Background: Little is known about the educational experiences of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in the Kenyan Coastal context.

Objectives: We examined the diagnostic and placement procedures used in education on the Kenyan coastal region. In addition, we investigated the education-related challenges faced by children with ASD.

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There are no data on the precise burden of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) in Africa, despite high incidence of risk factors. Ten Questions Questionnaire (TQQ) has been used extensively in Africa to screen neurological impairments but not autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD). The Neurodevelopmental Screening Tool (NDST) has reliably assessed NDD in Asia; its validity in Africa is unknown.

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