Major research project to transform dementia care in Kenya
Misconceptions, lack of dementia awareness and limited research mean people are stigmatised and overlooked
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The University of Stirling is embarking on a major study to transform dementia care in Kenya, where cases of the disease are growing but outcomes for those affected are poor.
The five-year project, funded by Wellcome Trust, will address the issues faced in rural and urban communities in Kenya, where there is no national policy on dementia care, and limited public awareness or professional training.
Cases of dementia are projected to rise by 316% in Kenya by 2050, according to previous research. However, cultural beliefs play a significant role in understanding dementia across Africa, with many not recognising dementia as a medical condition that requires care intervention.
Lack of support
With formal services still developing around the disease, family members in Kenya often bear the pressure of dementia care without adequate support. The lack of institutional support and misconceptions around the disease lead to poor outcomes for those living with dementia, say the University of Stirling’s healthy ageing experts.
Dr Mary Njoki, originally from Kenya, has been awarded a £666,529 Wellcome Early Career Researcher Award for the study, which will include interviews and a film to advance understanding of the country’s gaps in knowledge, policy and practice around dementia.
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Research Fellow
In many African countries, dementia is considered a moral, traditional or spiritual failing. Such beliefs lead to stigma, neglect, abuse and exclusion, with people ostracised from community participation or, in certain circumstances, facing witchcraft accusations.
Dr Njoki, Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, a leader in dementia and ageing research, said: “In many African countries, dementia is considered a moral, traditional or spiritual failing. Such beliefs lead to stigma, neglect, abuse and exclusion, with people ostracised from community participation or, in certain circumstances, facing witchcraft accusations.”
She added: “With small numbers of neurologists and older people psychiatrists in Kenya, and no culturally sensitive dementia assessment tools, diagnoses of dementia are very low.”
Dr Njoki and Dr Junjie Huang, Lecturer in Dementia, Ageing and Design at Stirling, took part in a six-month collaborative scoping project in Kenya that revealed limited access to healthcare services and diagnostic tools for dementia, stigma around the disease, and gaps in dementia awareness and knowledge.
Part of the Global Engagement Research Fund, the scoping project was led by Dr Njoki and involved Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and Alzheimer’s Dementia Organisation, Kenya.
Culturally appropriate and community based
Dr Njoki, who will be working under the leadership of the University of Stirling’s Professor Richard Ward, an expert in dementia and community research, said: “I am grateful to Wellcome for this opportunity to explore a vital piece of Kenya’s healthcare system. It is important that research methods are culturally appropriate and that education around dementia is community-based, rather than importing Western healthcare models.
“I also hope the findings will help facilitate dementia policy, caregiver training and dementia-friendly communities in Kenya, all of which are vital as the country’s population ages.”
The research will begin on 1 May 2026, with Dr Njoki based partly in Kenya and partly at Stirling.
Chris Hassan, Senior Research Manager at Wellcome Trust, said: “This is an innovative and important area of research, which has the potential to inform dementia care in Kenya and beyond. Our Early Career Awards support researchers globally to take on bold, creative projects to transform how we understand life, health and wellbeing. We’re proud to support Dr Njoki, an impressive, emerging research leader, at this exciting stage of her career.”
UN Sustainable development goals
The University of Stirling is ranked among the top 200 institutions in the world for its contribution to meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research or activity detailed above relates to the following SDGs.
