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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Global Spine Journal

The Current State of Primary Clinical Spine Disease Research in Sub-Saharan Africa — A Scoping Review

  • Charlotte F. Wahle1
  • Maithily Diaz2
  • Michael Oravic3
  • Shravya Kakulamarri1
  • Babapelumi Adejuyigbe1
  • Chellandra Samuels1
  • Chibuikem Anthony Ikwuegbuenyi4
  • Romani Sabas5
  • Drew N. Wright6
  • Saam Morshed1,7
  • Ashraf N. El Naga1,7
  • Roger Härtl4
4 more authors
  • Hamisi Shabani5
  • David Shearer1,7
  • David Gendelberg1,7
  • East Africa Spine Trauma Research Group
7 affiliations
  1. 1Institute for Global Orthopaedics and Traumatology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
  2. 2University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, United States
  3. 3Geisinger School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, United States
  4. 4Department of Neurological Surgery, Och Spine at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, United States
  5. 5Department of Neurosurgery, Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  6. 6Samuel J. Wood Library, C.V. Starr, Weill Cornell Medical College Biomedical Information Center, New York, NY, United States
  7. 7Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, United States
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Abstract

Study Design: Scoping Review.

Objective: Spine research is resource-intensive and thus often performed in high-income countries. Consequently, findings may not be generalizable to low-resource areas. This study aimed to assess the current state of primary clinical spine disease research in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: All spine studies published in English or French in Sub-Saharan Africa in the past 50 years with at least ten patients were included. A study quality variable was created that identified randomized studies, prospective studies, and studies that include a control group as having a higher level of scientific rigor.

Results: A total of 154 spine studies have been published from at least 26 countries since 1975 (some included multiple). There was a significant increase in research productivity after 2005 (p<0.001). The highest number of publications came from Nigeria with 52 (34%), followed by Tanzania (25 papers, 16%) and Ethiopia (12 papers, 8%).

Nearly half of studies involved collaborative partnerships. On univariate analysis, lower-income countries were more likely to engage in collaboration with other countries (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 1.2-9.8) and to receive external funding (OR 7.0, 95% CI: 2.3-20.4). Further, collaborative studies were found to produce higher quality academic publication (OR 2.0, 95% CI: 0.94-4.2).

Conclusion: There is a relative paucity of spine literature from Sub-Saharan Africa. Higher research quality was associated with collaborative engagement. These results support the development of global health partnerships that may foster high-quality research aimed at addressing the burden of spine disease in Africa.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{wahle2026current,
  title = {{The Current State of Primary Clinical Spine Disease Research in Sub-Saharan Africa — A Scoping Review}},
  author = {Charlotte F. Wahle and Maithily Diaz and Michael Oravic and Shravya Kakulamarri and Babapelumi Adejuyigbe and Chellandra Samuels and Chibuikem Anthony Ikwuegbuenyi and Romani Sabas and Drew N. Wright and Saam Morshed and Ashraf N. El Naga and Roger Härtl and Hamisi Shabani and David Shearer and David Gendelberg and East Africa Spine Trauma Research Group},
  journal = {Global Spine Journal},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1177/21925682261498667},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/21925682261498667},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - The Current State of Primary Clinical Spine Disease Research in Sub-Saharan Africa — A Scoping Review
AU  - Charlotte F. Wahle
AU  - Maithily Diaz
AU  - Michael Oravic
AU  - Shravya Kakulamarri
AU  - Babapelumi Adejuyigbe
AU  - Chellandra Samuels
AU  - Chibuikem Anthony Ikwuegbuenyi
AU  - Romani Sabas
AU  - Drew N. Wright
AU  - Saam Morshed
AU  - Ashraf N. El Naga
AU  - Roger Härtl
AU  - Hamisi Shabani
AU  - David Shearer
AU  - David Gendelberg
AU  - East Africa Spine Trauma Research Group
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/26
JO  - Global Spine Journal
DO  - 10.1177/21925682261498667
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1177/21925682261498667
AB  - Study Design: Scoping Review.  Objective: Spine research is resource-intensive and thus often performed in high-income countries. Consequently, findings may not be generalizable to low-resource areas. This study aimed to assess the current state of primary clinical spine disease research in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Methods: All spine studies published in English or French in Sub-Saharan Africa in the past 50 years with at least ten patients were included. A study quality variable was created that identified randomized studies, prospective studies, and studies that include a control group as having a higher level of scientific rigor.  Results: A total of 154 spine studies have been published from at least 26 countries since 1975 (some included multiple). There was a significant increase in research productivity after 2005 (p<0.001). The highest number of publications came from Nigeria with 52 (34%), followed by Tanzania (25 papers, 16%) and Ethiopia (12 papers, 8%).  Nearly half of studies involved collaborative partnerships. On univariate analysis, lower-income countries were more likely to engage in collaboration with other countries (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 1.2-9.8) and to receive external funding (OR 7.0, 95% CI: 2.3-20.4). Further, collaborative studies were found to produce higher quality academic publication (OR 2.0, 95% CI: 0.94-4.2).  Conclusion: There is a relative paucity of spine literature from Sub-Saharan Africa. Higher research quality was associated with collaborative engagement. These results support the development of global health partnerships that may foster high-quality research aimed at addressing the burden of spine disease in Africa.
SN  - 2192-5682
SN  - 2192-5690
ER  -