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Kirengo TO, Dossajee H, Onyango EM, Rachakonda RH, Schneider B, Sela DP, Hosseinzadeh Z, Nadeem Z, Obonyo NG. Catalysing global surgery: a meta-research study on factors affecting surgical research collaborations with Africa. Syst Rev 2024; 13:89. [PMID: 38500200 PMCID: PMC10946148 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-024-02474-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for rapid collaboration, research, and interventions. International research collaborations foster more significant responses to rapid global changes by enabling international, multicentre research, decreasing biases, and increasing study validity while reducing overall research time and costs. However, there has been low uptake of collaborative research by African institutions and individuals. AIM To systematically review facilitating factors and challenges to collaborative surgical research studies conducted in Africa. METHODOLOGY A meta-research review using PubMed®/MEDLINE and Embase on surgical collaboration in Africa from 1st of January 2011 to 31st of September 2021 in accordance to PRISMA guidelines. Surgical studies by collaborative groups involving African authors and sites were included (55 papers). Data on the study period, geographical regions, and research scope, facilitating factors, and challenges were extracted from the studies retrieved from the search. RESULTS Most of the collaborations in Africa occurred with European institutions (76%). Of the 54 African countries, 63% (34/54) participated in surgical collaborations. The highest collaboration frequency occurred in South Africa (11%) and Nigeria (8%). However, most publications originated from Eastern Africa (43%). Leveraging synergies between high- and low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), well-defined structures, and secure data platforms facilitated collaboration. However, the underrepresentation of collaborators from LMICs was a significant challenge. CONCLUSION Available literature provides critical insights into the facilitating factors and challenges of research collaboration with Africa. However, there is a need for a detailed prospective study to explore the themes highlighted further. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022352115 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas O Kirengo
- Imara Hospital, Embu, Kenya.
- Kenya Medical Association, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Hussein Dossajee
- MP Shah Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
- Kenya Medical Association, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Evans M Onyango
- Ministry of Health, Kajiado County, Kenya
- Kenya Medical Association, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Reema H Rachakonda
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Critical Care Research Group, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Bailey Schneider
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Critical Care Research Group, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Declan P Sela
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Critical Care Research Group, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Zahra Hosseinzadeh
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Critical Care Research Group, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Zohaib Nadeem
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Critical Care Research Group, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Nchafatso G Obonyo
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Critical Care Research Group, Brisbane, Australia
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Kenya Medical Association, Nairobi, Kenya
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Buunaaim ADB, Ansong D, Osei FA, Amuzu EX, Konadu-Yeboah D, Asare A, Baidoo R, Addo WL. Review of the establishment of trauma network of Ghana (TRANET): one-year review and implementation experience in a lower middle-income country. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY & TRAUMATOLOGY : ORTHOPEDIE TRAUMATOLOGIE 2023; 33:449-457. [PMID: 36780012 DOI: 10.1007/s00590-023-03482-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Globally, injuries account for about 5 million deaths every year out of which 90% occur in low- and middle-income countries. Injuries, particularly trauma, place a lifelong burden on affected individuals, families and society. In Ghana and most African countries particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, there is no effective surveillance system or registry of trauma. Where they exist, they are often poorly developed and incomplete. OBJECTIVE The study was set out to document long bone fracture injuries which will be used for research, education, policy and public health prevention programmes as well as documenting the experience in setting up trauma registries in a LMIC. METHODS The study is being conducted at the four Teaching Hospitals in Ghana which are situated in Cape Coast, Kumasi, Accra and Tamale. Persons of any age (from birth) who reports to any of the sentinel sites with an incident of trauma to long bones are eligible for recruitment into the surveillance data collection. Data were captured using the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap), cleaned and exported to Stata for analysis. RESULTS Cumulatively, the sites had enrolled 3493 cases at one year of implementation. A total of 678 (19.41%) paediatric and 2815 (80.59%) adult cases were recorded over the period. In the establishment of the TRANET, we identified challenges in the planning, during data collection, data entry, follow-ups, support from local health authorities, and administrative issues. Quality improvement interventions were put in place, and it resulted in improved data quality. CONCLUSION The established trauma registry of Ghana is assuring as it offers a timely, accurate, and comprehensive data source which will be useful for continuous monitoring of trauma care in Ghana. This first-year review information/findings will serve as a relevant information for stakeholders working to strengthen the health system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis D B Buunaaim
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University for Development Studies/Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana.
| | - Daniel Ansong
- Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | | | | | - Amgbo Asare
- Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana
| | - Richard Baidoo
- Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast, Ghana
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Drevin G, Albutt K, Baluku M, Tuhumwiire C, Deng H, Musinguzi N, Modest V, Ngonzi J, Ttendo S, Firth P. Outcome Measurement at a Ugandan Referral Hospital: Validation of the Mbarara Surgical Services Quality Assurance Database. World J Surg 2021; 44:2550-2556. [PMID: 32333160 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-020-05537-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Five billion people lack access to surgery. Accurate and complete data have been identified as essential to the global scale-up of perioperative care. This study retrospectively validates the Mbarara Surgical Services Quality Assurance Database (SQUAD), an electronic outcomes database at a Ugandan secondary referral hospital. METHODS SQUAD data were compared to paper records from August 2013 to January 2017. To assess data entry accuracy, two researchers independently extracted 24 patient variables from 170 charts. To assess completeness of patient capture, SQUAD entries were compared to a sample of charts returned to the Medical Records Department, and to a sample of entries in ward and operating room logbooks. Two-tailed binomial proportions with 95% CI were calculated from the comparative results of patient observations, against a predefined accuracy of 0.85-0.95. RESULTS Agreement between completed validation observations from charts and SQUAD data was 91.5% (n = 3734/4080 data points). Binomial tests indicated that 15 variables had higher than 95% accuracy. A total 19 of 24 variables had ≥ 85% accuracy. The completeness of SQUAD patient capture was 98.2% (n = 167/170) of charts returned to the Medical Records Department, 97.5% (n = 198/203) of operating logbook entries, and 100% (n = 111/111) of ward logbook entries, respectively. CONCLUSION SQUAD closely reflects the primary surgical and anaesthetic data at a Ugandan secondary hospital. Data accuracy of key variables and completeness of population capture were comparable to those of databases in high-income countries and outperformed those of other low- and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustaf Drevin
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department for Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katherine Albutt
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of General Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Moris Baluku
- Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Caleb Tuhumwiire
- Department of Surgery, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Hao Deng
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Nicholas Musinguzi
- Harvard-Mbarara University of Science and Technology Collaborative, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Vicki Modest
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Joseph Ngonzi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Stephen Ttendo
- Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Paul Firth
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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Rosenkrantz L, Schuurman N, Arenas C, Nicol A, Hameed MS. Maximizing the potential of trauma registries in low-income and middle-income countries. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open 2020; 5:e000469. [PMID: 32426528 PMCID: PMC7228665 DOI: 10.1136/tsaco-2020-000469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Injury is a major global health issue, resulting in millions of deaths every year. For decades, trauma registries have been used in wealthier countries for injury surveillance and clinical governance, but their adoption has lagged in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Paradoxically, LMICs face a disproportionately high burden of injury with few resources available to address this pandemic. Despite these resource constraints, several hospitals and regions in LMICs have managed to develop trauma registries to collect information related to the injury event, process of care, and outcome of the injured patient. While the implementation of these trauma registries is a positive step forward in addressing the injury burden in LMICs, numerous challenges still stand in the way of maximizing the potential of trauma registries to inform injury prevention, mitigation, and improve quality of trauma care. This paper outlines several of these challenges and identifies potential solutions that can be adopted to improve the functionality of trauma registries in resource-poor contexts. Increased recognition and support for trauma registry development and improvement in LMICs is critical to reducing the burden of injury in these settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Rosenkrantz
- Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nadine Schuurman
- Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Claudia Arenas
- Division of Trauma Surgery, Hospital Sotero del Rio, Santiago, Chile.,Division of General Surgery, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Andrew Nicol
- Department of Surgery, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Western Cape, South Africa.,Trauma Centre, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Morad S Hameed
- Division of General Surgery, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Bommakanti K, Feldhaus I, Motwani G, Dicker RA, Juillard C. Trauma registry implementation in low- and middle-income countries: challenges and opportunities. J Surg Res 2018; 223:72-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2017.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Anderson GA, Bohnen J, Spence R, Ilcisin L, Ladha K, Chang D. Data Improvement Through Simplification: Implications for Low-Resource Settings. World J Surg 2018; 42:2725-2731. [PMID: 29404754 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-018-4535-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The focus of many data collection efforts centers on creation of more granular data. The assumption is that more complex data are better able to predict outcomes. We hypothesized that data are often needlessly complex. We sought to demonstrate this concept by examination of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scoring system. METHODS First, we created every possible consecutive two, three and four category combinations of the current five category ASA score. This resulted in 14 combinations of simplified ASA. We compared the predictive ability of these simplified scores for postoperative outcomes for 2.3 million patients in the NSQIP database. Individual model performance was assessed by comparing receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves for each model with the standard ASA. RESULTS Two of our 4-category models and one of our 3-category models had ability to predict all outcomes equivalent to standard ASA. These results held for all outcomes and on all subgroups tested. The performance of the three best performing simplified ASA scores were also equivalent to the standard ASA score in the univariate analysis and when included in a multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS It is assumed that the most granular data and use of the largest number of variables for risk-adjusted predictions will increase accuracy. This complexity is often at the expense of utility. Using the single best predictor in surgical outcomes research, we have shown this is not the case. In this example, we demonstrate that one can simplify ASA into a 3-category variable without losing any ability to predict outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey A Anderson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, GRB 425, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
| | - Jordan Bohnen
- Massachusetts General Hospital, GRB 425, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | | | | | - Karim Ladha
- Toronto General Hospital and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David Chang
- Massachusetts General Hospital, GRB 425, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
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Kearney AS, Kabeja LM, George N, Karim N, Aluisio AR, Mutabazi Z, Uwitonze JE, Nyinawankusi JD, Byiringiro JC, Levine AC. Development of a trauma and emergency database in Kigali, Rwanda. Afr J Emerg Med 2016; 6:185-190. [PMID: 30456093 PMCID: PMC6234174 DOI: 10.1016/j.afjem.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Injuries account for 10% of the global burden of disease, resulting in approximately 5.8 million deaths annually. Trauma registries are an important tool in the development of a trauma system; however, limited resources in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) make the development of high-quality trauma registries challenging. We describe the development of a LMIC trauma registry based on a robust retrospective chart review, which included data derived from prehospital, emergency centre and inpatient records. Methods This paper outlines our methods for identifying and locating patients and their medical records using pragmatic and locally appropriate record linkage techniques. A prehospital database was queried to identify patients transported to University Teaching Hospital – Kigali, Rwanda from December 2012 through February 2015. Demographic information was recorded and used to create a five-factor identification index, which was then used to search OpenClinic GA, an online open source hospital information system. The medical record number and archive number obtained from OpenClinic GA were then used to locate the physical medical record for data extraction. Results A total of 1668 trauma patients were transported during the study period. 66.7% were successfully linked to their medical record numbers and archive codes. 94% of these patients were successfully linked to their medical record numbers and archive codes were linked by four or five of the five pre-set identifiers. 945 charts were successfully located and extracted for inclusion in the trauma registry. Record linkage and chart extraction took approximately 1256 h. Conclusion The process of record linkage and chart extraction was a resource-intensive process; however, our unique methodology resulted in a high linkage rate. This study suggests that it is feasible to create a retrospective trauma registry in LMICs using pragmatic and locally appropriate record linkage techniques.
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Duron V, DeUgarte D, Bliss D, Salazar E, Casapia M, Ford H, Upperman J. Implementation and analysis of initial trauma registry in Iquitos, Peru. Health Promot Perspect 2016; 6:174-179. [PMID: 27766233 PMCID: PMC5071783 DOI: 10.15171/hpp.2016.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In Peru, 11% of deaths are due to trauma. Iquitos is a large underserved Peruvian city isolated from central resources by its geography. Our objective was to implement a locally driven trauma registry to sustainably improve trauma healthcare in this region.
Methods: All trauma patients presenting to the main regional referral hospital were included in the trauma registry. A pilot study retrospectively analyzed data from the first two months after implementation.
Results: From March to April 2013, 572 trauma patients were entered into the database. Average age was 26.9 years. Ten percent of patients presented more than 24 hours after injury. Most common mechanisms of injury were falls (25.5%), motor vehicle collisions (23.3%), and blunt assault (10.5%). Interim analysis revealed that 99% of patients were entered into the database. However, documentation of vital signs was poor: 42% of patients had temperature, 26% had oxygen saturation documented. After reporting to registry staff, a significant increase in temperature (42 to 97%, P < 0.001) and oxygen saturation (26 to 92%, P < 0.001) documentation was observed. Conclusion: A trauma registry is possible to implement in a resource-poor setting. Future efforts will focus on analysis of data to enhance prevention and treatment of injuries in Iquitos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Duron
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Daniel DeUgarte
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Mattel's Children Hospital, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David Bliss
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ernesto Salazar
- Chief of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hospital Regional Loreto, Punchana, Iquitos, Peru
| | - Martin Casapia
- Chief of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Hospital Regional Loreto, Punchana, Iquitos, Peru
| | - Henri Ford
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Upperman
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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O'Reilly GM, Gabbe B, Moore L, Cameron PA. Classifying, measuring and improving the quality of data in trauma registries: A review of the literature. Injury 2016; 47:559-67. [PMID: 26830127 DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 12/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Globally, injury is a major cause of death and disability. Improvements in trauma care have been driven by trauma registries. The capacity of a trauma registry to inform improvements in the quality of trauma care is dependent upon the quality of data. The literature on data quality in disease registries is inconsistent and ambiguous; methods used for classifying, measuring, and improving data quality are not standardised. The aim of this study was to review the literature to determine the methods used to classify, measure and improve data quality in trauma registries. METHODS A scoping review of the literature was performed. Databases were searched using the term "trauma registry" and its synonyms, combined with multiple terms denoting data quality. There was no restriction on year. Full-length manuscripts were included if the classification, measurement or improvement of data quality in one or more trauma registries was a study objective. Data were abstracted regarding registry demographics, study design, data quality classification, and the reported methods used to measure and improve the pre-defined data quality dimensions of accuracy, completeness and capture. RESULTS Sixty-nine publications met the inclusion criteria. Four publications classified data quality. The most frequently described methods for measuring data accuracy (n=47) were checks against other datasets (n=18) and checks of injury coding (n=17). The most frequently described methods for measuring data completeness (n=47) were the percentage of included cases, for a given variable or list of variables, for which there was an observation in the registry (n=29). The most frequently described methods for measuring data capture (n=37) were the percentage of cases in a linked reference dataset that were also captured in the primary dataset being evaluated (n=24). Most publications dealing with the measurement of a dimension of data quality did not specify the methods used; most publications dealing with the improvement of data quality did not specify the dimension being targeted. CONCLUSION The classification, measurement and improvement of data quality in trauma registries is inconsistent. To maintain confidence in the usefulness of trauma registries, the metrics and reporting of data quality need to be standardised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard M O'Reilly
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, Australia; Emergency and Trauma Centre, Alfred Health, Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.
| | - Belinda Gabbe
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, Australia; Swansea University, United Kingdom
| | | | - Peter A Cameron
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, Australia; Emergency and Trauma Centre, Alfred Health, Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; Emergency Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
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Brouillette MA, Kaiser SP, Konadu P, Kumah-Ametepey RA, Aidoo AJ, Coughlin RC. Orthopedic surgery in the developing world: workforce and operative volumes in Ghana compared to those in the United States. World J Surg 2014; 38:849-57. [PMID: 24218152 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-013-2314-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Musculoskeletal disease is a growing burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet little research exists to describe the problem. The purposes of this study were to characterize orthopedic surgery in an LMIC and compare the findings to those from a developed country. METHODS The study location was the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana. Orthopedic surgeon, resident, and postgraduate training program numbers were compared to analogous data from a developed nation, the United States. Annual surgical volumes were compared to those at a level I trauma center in the United States, the San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH). RESULTS There were 24 surgeons in Ghana compared to 23,956 in the United States. There were 7 orthopedic residents and 1 residency program in Ghana versus 3,371 residents and 155 residencies in the United States. Annual case volume was 2,161 at KATH and 2,132 at SFGH. Trauma accounted for 95 % of operations at KATH compared to 65 % at SFGH. The proportion of surgeries devoted to severe fractures was 29 % at KATH compared to 12 % at SFGH. Infections comprised 15 % of procedures at KATH and 5 % at SFGH. CONCLUSIONS Annual case volume at a referral hospital in an LMIC is equivalent to that of a level I trauma center in an industrialized country. Total case volume is similar, but the LMIC institution manages a disproportionately large number of trauma cases, severe fractures, and infections. There is a large burden of orthopedic disease in the developing nation, and there are too few providers and training programs to address these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Brouillette
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Campus Box C290, 13001 East 17th Place, Building 500, 1st Floor East, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA,
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