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Research Portal
🌐 EN — FR
Research Portal

Stroke outcomes across Africa are shaped by system factors (timely access, imaging capacity, care pathways), patient factors (comorbidities, socioeconomic barriers), and follow-up factors (rehabilitation access, continuity of care).

Yet many settings lack consistent longitudinal follow-up, standardized outcome measures, and harmonized registries capable of generating multi-site, multi-country evidence.

WeCASOR addresses this by implementing standardized variables, shared definitions, and structured phases that build from baseline characterization to prospective outcomes tracking and future trial readiness.

Our Research Phases

Phase 0 – Retrospective Multi-Site Characterization

Purpose: Establish baseline characterization of stroke admissions, acute management patterns, and in-hospital outcomes across participating sites.

Typical outputs include stroke subtype distribution, time-to-presentation, imaging utilization, acute treatment patterns, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality.

Phase 0 supports: (1) cross-site comparison, (2) identification of system gaps, and (3) refinement of prospective tools.

Phase 1 – Prospective Longitudinal Follow-Up

Purpose: Measure outcomes beyond discharge using structured follow-up at 30, 90, and 180 days.

Key outcomes include: mortality, modified Rankin Scale (mRS), re-hospitalization, functional recovery trajectory, rehabilitation access, and secondary prevention adherence.

This phase improves visibility into recovery and highlights where systems fail after discharge (lost follow-up, lack of rehab, medication non-adherence).

1

Stroke Transition of Care

The 90-day post-stroke period is a critical window. WeCASOR focuses on the transition from acute hospital care to home/community, identifying gaps in continuity that lead to poor long-term outcomes.

2

Access to Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is often the "forgotten" pillar of stroke care. Our framework systematically tracks access to and utilization of physiotherapy and speech therapy across diverse African settings.

By combining clinical outcomes with system indicators and patient-reported metrics, WeCASOR provides a 360-degree view of the stroke survivor's journey in Africa.

Harmonized Variables & Data Dictionary

WeCASOR uses harmonized case definitions and standardized variable dictionaries to support comparability.

Core domains include demographics, stroke classification, acute care metrics, imaging utilization, functional outcomes, secondary prevention, and system-level indicators.

High-Level Analysis Approach

Analytical frameworks include descriptive epidemiology, survival analysis, multivariate regression, and comparative health systems benchmarking.

Outputs are designed to be clinically meaningful and policy relevant—supporting targeted interventions and resource allocation decisions.

Future expansion includes additional regions, deeper systems indicators, implementation research modules, and pragmatic trial readiness pathways as infrastructure matures.