STUDY DESIGN
Study Population and Sampling Strategy
The LOSHAK sampling frame will include Kenyan adults aged 45 years and older. The Aga Khan University (AKU) team has built expertise in survey design and sampling through the ongoing Kaloleni/Rabai Community Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KRHDSS) that surveys 92,000 individuals (18,000 households) every 6 months, including 14,389 individuals aged ≥45 years (the LOSHAK sampling frame) in 113 towns and villages. The KRHDSS platform is currently being used to test feasibility of key LOSHAK measures and data collection protocols.
All recruitment, consenting, and assessments are conducted by trained interviewers. Examiners undergo specialized training and are certified in the collection of each measure before entering the field.
Download feasibility study instrument (link forthcoming)
The LOSHAK feasibility study consists of the following sections:
Self-reported cognitive abilities - Participants rate their memory, mental abilities such as thinking and solving problems (past and present)
Cognition - Swahili Mental State Examination, 10-Word Recall, Animal Naming, Logical Memory, Clock Drawing, HRS Number Series, 10-Word List Recall (delayed), Making Change
Psychosocial, Mental health, and Behavioral - CES-D, Loneliness, Subjective Well-being, Ill Treatment, Life Statisfaction, MacArthur Ladder, 4-item Perceived Stress Scale, Financial Strain
Other Self-Reported Health Measures and Risk Factors - General health and Disabilities
Environment - Air Pollution, Climate Vulnerability, Food and Water Insecurity
Economics - Household Income, Retirement, Cash Transfers, Household assets
Caregiving Exposure - Positive and Negative experiences of caregiving
Physiological Measures - Blood Pressure, Grip/Hand Strength, Height, Weight, Waist and Hip Circumference
Biomarkers - Dried Blood Sample Collection, Gauging acceptability of future genomic sequencing