The adaptation and validation of a measure to monitor HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in adults ageing with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa

HIV/AIDS remains a major public health concern and a cause of disability particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) which carries the highest global burden of HIV. Studies have shown that HIV infects the brain causing cognitive problems thus affecting the quality of life of those infected. The extent of this burden remains undocumented and undetected in the context of SSA largely due to an acute shortage of trained personnel and a lack of validated screening tools to detect these problems in clinical settings.

I plan to develop and validate a context relevant measure of HIV-associated cognitive problems among adults ageing with HIV in SSA. I will involve 300 participants in the adaptation and validation process and I will use a mixed-method approach to develop the tool and use a standard psychometric evaluation to ensure it is both reliable and valid.

This grant was awarded under the scheme's previous name of Master's Fellowships in Public Health and Tropical Medicine.