Presenter(s):

Daniel Mutonga, General Practitioner, Kenya

Abstract

MENTAL HEALTH AND FRAILTY AMONG THE ELDERLY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: A SCOPING REVIEW
Authors: Mutonga, D.M1,2

1 Department of Family Medicine, Community Health and Epidemiology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
2 Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

Introduction: With increasing elderly populations globally, there is a need to investigate the relationship between frailty and mental illness in low-resource settings. This scoping review examines key concepts, current evidence, and research gaps in the relationship between mental health and frailty in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: The author conducted a PubMed search until December 2024 for observational studies and systematic reviews in English papers among older adults > 60 years (50+ among HIV populations) using the following MESH terms and Booleans: “older adults” AND “mental health” AND “frailty”. Interventional studies, grey literature, and highly specialised disciplines were excluded.

Results: Globally, 55 articles were retrieved, comprising 22 cross-sectional studies, 14 reviews, 10 cohorts, 2 randomised trials, 2 case-controls, and 1 qualitative study. Using a filter for systematic reviews, there were 32 articles, but only 7 were included based on screening and eligibility criteria. The prevalence and risk factors of frailty and mental illness have been stated. When the search was restricted to SSA, we found only one systematic review and 6 original studies from Morocco, Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania. Only one quasi-experiment on a nursing-led intervention was reported from Ethiopia, and no other randomised trials on the role of nutritional and physical exercise were reported in SSA.

Conclusion: Mental morbidities and frailty are understudied in SSA despite the projected rise in these conditions, calling for more robust observational studies such as case-control, cohorts, and clinical trials within the region.

Bio(s):

Daniel Munyambu Mutonga is a licensed General Practitioner in Kenya with an interest in Ageing research, Tropical Medicine, and Mental Health. He obtained a BSc. Medical Physiology, MBChB, MSc. Tropical & Infectious Diseases from the University of Nairobi. Daniel is stationed at Mathari National Teaching & Referral Hospital. He began his Family Medicine specialist training in Havana, Cuba, and is now enrolled at Kenyatta University. He has several research publications and is an active member of various local and international professional bodies, including the Kenya Association of Family Physicians.