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Cornelis SS, IntHout J, Runhart EH, Grunewald O, Lin S, Corradi Z, Khan M, Hitti-Malin RJ, Whelan L, Farrar GJ, Sharon D, van den Born LI, Arno G, Simcoe M, Michaelides M, Webster AR, Roosing S, Mahroo OA, Dhaenens CM, Cremers FPM. Representation of Women Among Individuals With Mild Variants in ABCA4-Associated Retinopathy: A Meta-Analysis. JAMA Ophthalmol 2024; 142:463-471. [PMID: 38602673 PMCID: PMC11009866 DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2024.0660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Importance Previous studies indicated that female sex might be a modifier in Stargardt disease, which is an ABCA4-associated retinopathy. Objective To investigate whether women are overrepresented among individuals with ABCA4-associated retinopathy who are carrying at least 1 mild allele or carrying nonmild alleles. Data Sources Literature data, data from 2 European centers, and a new study. Data from a Radboudumc database and from the Rotterdam Eye Hospital were used for exploratory hypothesis testing. Study Selection Studies investigating the sex ratio in individuals with ABCA4-AR and data from centers that collected ABCA4 variant and sex data. The literature search was performed on February 1, 2023; data from the centers were from before 2023. Data Extraction and Synthesis Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to test whether the proportions of women among individuals with ABCA4-associated retinopathy with mild and nonmild variants differed from 0.5, including subgroup analyses for mild alleles. Sensitivity analyses were performed excluding data with possibly incomplete variant identification. χ2 Tests were conducted to compare the proportions of women in adult-onset autosomal non-ABCA4-associated retinopathy and adult-onset ABCA4-associated retinopathy and to investigate if women with suspected ABCA4-associated retinopathy are more likely to obtain a genetic diagnosis. Data analyses were performed from March to October 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures Proportion of women per ABCA4-associated retinopathy group. The exploratory testing included sex ratio comparisons for individuals with ABCA4-associated retinopathy vs those with other autosomal retinopathies and for individuals with ABCA4-associated retinopathy who underwent genetic testing vs those who did not. Results Women were significantly overrepresented in the mild variant group (proportion, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.56-0.62; P < .001) but not in the nonmild variant group (proportion, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.46-0.54; P = .89). Sensitivity analyses confirmed these results. Subgroup analyses on mild variants showed differences in the proportions of women. Furthermore, in the Radboudumc database, the proportion of adult women among individuals with ABCA4-associated retinopathy (652/1154 = 0.56) was 0.10 (95% CI, 0.05-0.15) higher than among individuals with other retinopathies (280/602 = 0.47). Conclusions and Relevance This meta-analysis supports the likelihood that sex is a modifier in developing ABCA4-associated retinopathy for individuals with a mild ABCA4 allele. This finding may be relevant for prognosis predictions and recurrence risks for individuals with ABCA4-associated retinopathy. Future studies should further investigate whether the overrepresentation of women is caused by differences in the disease mechanism, by differences in health care-seeking behavior, or by health care discrimination between women and men with ABCA4-AR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie S. Cornelis
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Joanna IntHout
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Esmee H. Runhart
- Rotterdam Ophthalmic Institute, The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Olivier Grunewald
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Siying Lin
- National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zelia Corradi
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mubeen Khan
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Laura Whelan
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - G. Jane Farrar
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dror Sharon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Gavin Arno
- National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Simcoe
- National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michel Michaelides
- National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew R. Webster
- National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susanne Roosing
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Omar A. Mahroo
- National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire-Marie Dhaenens
- Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Frans P. M. Cremers
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Otoki K, Parker AS, Many HR, Parker RK. Gender Disparities in Complications, Costs, and Mortality After Emergency Gastrointestinal Surgery in Kenya. J Surg Res 2024; 295:846-852. [PMID: 37543494 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.06.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Little is known about the impact of gender on emergency surgery within Kenya. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association of gender on outcomes of postoperative complications, health care costs, and mortality. METHODS We evaluated an established cohort of patients undergoing emergency gastrointestinal surgery in rural Kenya between January 1st, 2016 and June 30th, 2019. Utilizing logistic regression, we examined the association between self-reported patient gender and the outcomes of postoperative complications and mortality. A generalized linear model was created for total hospital costs, inflation-adjusted in international dollars purchasing power parity, to examine the impact of gender. Confounding factors were controlled by Africa Surgical Outcomes Study Surgical Risk Score. RESULTS Among 484 patients reviewed, 149 (30.8%) were women. 165 (34.1%) patients developed complications, with women experiencing more than men (40.9% versus 31.0%; P = 0.03) and longer hospital stays (median 6 days (4-9) versus 5 (4-7); P = 0.02). After controlling for Africa Surgical Outcomes Study Surgical Risk Score, odds of developing complications for women were 1.67 (95% confidence interval: 1.09-2.55; P = 0.019) times higher than men, and the odds of death were 2.38 (95% confidence interval: 1.12-5.09; P = 0.025) times greater for women than men, despite similar failure-to-rescue rates and intensive care unit utilization. Total hospital costs were increased for women by 531 international dollars purchasing power parity (117-946; P = 0.012) when compared to men, attributed to longer lengths of stay. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that a discrepancy exists between men and women undergoing emergency gastrointestinal surgery in our setting. Further exploration of the underlying causes of this inequity is necessary for quality improvement for women in rural Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kemunto Otoki
- Department of Surgery, Tenwek Hospital, Bomet, Kenya. https://twitter.com/kemuntootoki
| | - Andrea S Parker
- Department of Surgery, Tenwek Hospital, Bomet, Kenya. https://twitter.com/AP_the_surgeon
| | - Heath R Many
- Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
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Sex-Related Differences in Acuity and Postoperative Complications, Mortality and Failure to Rescue. J Surg Res 2023; 282:34-46. [PMID: 36244225 PMCID: PMC10024256 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Yentl syndrome describing sex-related disparities has been extensively studied in medical conditions but not after surgery. This retrospective cohort study assessed the association of sex, frailty, presenting with preoperative acute serious conditions (PASC), and the expanded Operative Stress Score (OSS) with postoperative complications, mortality, and failure-to-rescue. METHODS The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2015 to 2019 evaluating 30-d complications, mortality, and failure-to-rescue. RESULTS Of 4,860,308 cases (43% were male; mean [standard deviation] age of 56 [17] y), 6.0 and 0.8% were frail and very frail, respectively. Frailty score distribution was higher in men versus women (P < 0.001). Most cases were low-stress OSS2 (44.9%) or moderate-stress OSS3 (44.5%) surgeries. While unadjusted 30-d mortality rates were higher (P < 0.001) in males (1.1%) versus females (0.8%), males had lower odds of mortality (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90-0.94, P < 0.001) after adjusting for frailty, OSS, case status, PASC, and Clavien-Dindo IV (CDIV) complications. Males have higher odds of PASC (aOR = 1.33, CI = 1.31-1.35, P < 0.001) and CDIV complications (aOR = 1.13, CI = 1.12-1.15, P < 0.001). Male-PASC (aOR = 0.76, CI = 0.72-0.80, P < 0.001) and male-CDIV (aOR = 0.87, CI = 0.83-0.91, P < 0.001) interaction terms demonstrated that the increased odds of mortality associated with PASC or CDIV complications/failure-to-rescue were lower in males versus females. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of sex-related surgical outcomes across a wide range of procedures and health care systems. Females presenting with PASC or experiencing CDIV complications had higher odds of mortality/failure to rescue suggesting sex-related care differences. Yentl syndrome may be present in surgical patients; possibly related to differences in presenting symptoms, patient care preferences, or less aggressive care in female patients and deserves further study.
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Sex-Based Differences in Survival Among Patients with Acute Abdomen Undergoing Surgery in Malawi: A Propensity Weighted Analysis. World J Surg 2023; 47:895-902. [PMID: 36622437 PMCID: PMC9838258 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-023-06896-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sex disparities in access to health care in low-resource settings have been demonstrated. Still, there has been little research on the effect of sex on postoperative outcomes. We evaluated the relationship between sex and mortality after emergency abdominal surgery. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study using the acute care surgery database at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Malawi. We included patients who underwent emergency abdominal surgery between 2013 and 2021. We created a propensity score weighted Cox proportional hazards model to assess the relationship between sex and inpatient survival. RESULTS We included 2052 patients in the study, and 76% were males. The most common admission diagnosis in both groups was bowel obstruction. Females had a higher admission shock index than males (0.91 vs. 0.81, p < 0.001) and a longer delay from admission until surgery (1.47 vs. 0.79 days, p < 0.001). Females and males had similar crude postoperative mortality (16.3% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.621). The final Cox proportional hazards regression model was based on the propensity-weighted cohort. The mortality hazard ratio was 0.65 among females compared to males (95% CI 0.46-0.92, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS Our results show a survival advantage among female patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery despite sex-based disparities in access to surgical care that favors males. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these findings.
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Liblik K, Dhali A, Kipkorir V, Avanthika C, Manan MR, Găman MA. Underrepresentation and undertreatment of women in hematology: An unsolved issue. Res Pract Thromb Haemost 2022; 6:e12767. [PMID: 35873219 PMCID: PMC9301474 DOI: 10.1002/rth2.12767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Gender disparity is pervasive and persisting in research. Despite gender being recognized as one of the primary determinants of health, inadequate representation of women in clinical trials has resulted in a deficit pertaining to equity in health care. This gross underrepresentation has exposed women to unforeseen health-related outcomes, and as evident through historic records, unequal distribution of opportunities has further widened this gender gap in health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiera Liblik
- Queen's School of Medicine Kingston Ontario Canada
| | - Arkadeep Dhali
- Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research Kolkata India
| | - Vincent Kipkorir
- Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology University of Nairobi Nairobi Kenya
| | | | | | - Mihnea-Alexandru Găman
- Faculty of Medicine "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest Romania.,Department of Hematology Center of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Fundeni Clinical Institute Bucharest Romania
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Alayande B, Chu KM, Jumbam DT, Kimto OE, Musa Danladi G, Niyukuri A, Anderson GA, El-Gabri D, Miranda E, Taye M, Tertong N, Yempabe T, Ntirenganya F, Byiringiro JC, Sule AZ, Kobusingye OC, Bekele A, Riviello RR. Disparities in Access to Trauma Care in Sub-Saharan Africa: a Narrative Review. CURRENT TRAUMA REPORTS 2022; 8:66-94. [PMID: 35692507 PMCID: PMC9168359 DOI: 10.1007/s40719-022-00229-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Sub-Saharan Africa is a diverse context with a large burden of injury and trauma-related deaths. Relative to high-income contexts, most of the region is less mature in prehospital and facility-based trauma care, education and training, and trauma care quality assurance. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes rising inequalities, both within and between countries as a deterrent to growth and development. While disparities in access to trauma care between the region and HICs are more commonly described, internal disparities are equally concerning. We performed a narrative review of internal disparities in trauma care access using a previously described conceptual model. Recent Findings A broad PubMed and EMBASE search from 2010 to 2021 restricted to 48 sub-Saharan African countries was performed. Records focused on disparities in access to trauma care were identified and mapped to de Jager’s four component framework. Search findings, input from contextual experts, comparisons based on other related research, and disaggregation of data helped inform the narrative. Only 21 studies were identified by formal search, with most focused on urban versus rural disparities in geographical access to trauma care. An additional 6 records were identified through citation searches and experts. Disparity in access to trauma care providers, detection of indications for trauma surgery, progression to trauma surgery, and quality care provision were thematically analyzed. No specific data on disparities in access to injury care for all four domains was available for more than half of the countries. From available data, socioeconomic status, geographical location, insurance, gender, and age were recognized disparity domains. South Africa has the most mature trauma systems. Across the region, high quality trauma care access is skewed towards the urban, insured, higher socioeconomic class adult. District hospitals are more poorly equipped and manned, and dedicated trauma centers, blood banks, and intensive care facilities are largely located within cities and in southern Africa. The largest geographical gaps in trauma care are presumably in central Africa, francophone West Africa, and conflict regions of East Africa. Disparities in trauma training opportunities, public–private disparities in provider availability, injury care provider migration, and several other factors contribute to this inequity. National trauma registries will play a role in internal inequity monitoring, and deliberate development implementation of National Surgical, Obstetrics, and Anesthesia plans will help address disparities. Human, systemic, and historical factors supporting these disparities including implicit and explicit bias must be clearly identified and addressed. Systems approaches, strategic trauma policy frameworks, and global and regional coalitions, as modelled by the Global Alliance for Care of the Injured and the Bellagio group, are key. Inequity in access can be reduced by prehospital initiatives, as used in Ghana, and community-based insurance, as modelled by Rwanda. Summary Sub-Saharan African countries have underdeveloped trauma systems. Consistent in the narrative is the rural-urban disparity in trauma care access and the disadvantage of the poor. Further research is needed in view of data disparity. Recognition of these disparities should drive creative equitable solutions and focused interventions, partnerships, accompaniment, and action. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40719-022-00229-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barnabas Alayande
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Kathryn M. Chu
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | | | - Alliance Niyukuri
- Hope Africa University, Bujumbura, Burundi
- Mercy Surgeons-Burundi, Research Department, Bujumbura, Burundi
- Mercy James Center for Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care-Blantyre, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Geoffrey A. Anderson
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Deena El-Gabri
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Elizabeth Miranda
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Mulat Taye
- School of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Ngyal Tertong
- International Fellow, Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Department of Orthopaedics, Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tolgou Yempabe
- Orthopaedic and Trauma Unit, Department of Surgery, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Faustin Ntirenganya
- University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- NIHR Research Hub On Global Surgery, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Jean Claude Byiringiro
- University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
- NIHR Research Hub On Global Surgery, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | - Olive C. Kobusingye
- Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
- George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Abebe Bekele
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
- School of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Robert R. Riviello
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
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The Third Delay in General Surgical Care in a Regional Referral Hospital in Soroti, Uganda. World J Surg 2022; 46:2075-2084. [PMID: 35618947 PMCID: PMC9334422 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-022-06591-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background Building capacity for surgical care in low-and-middle-income countries is essential for the improvement of global health and economic growth. This study assesses in-hospital delays of surgical services at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital (SRRH), a tertiary healthcare facility in Soroti, Uganda. Methods A prospective general surgical database at SRRH was analyzed. Data on patient demographics, surgical characteristics, delays of care, and adverse clinical outcomes of patients seen between January 2017 and February 2020 were extracted and analyzed. Patient characteristics and surgical outcomes, for those who experienced delays in care, were compared to those who did not. Results Of the 1160 general surgery patients, 263 (22.3%) experienced at least one delay of care. Deficits in infrastructure, particularly lacking operating theater space, were the greatest contributor to delays (n = 192, 73.0%), followed by shortage of equipment (n = 52, 19.8%) and personnel (n = 37, 14.1%). Male sex was associated with less delays of care (OR 0.63) while undergoing emergency surgeries (OR 1.65) and abdominal surgeries (OR 1.44) were associated with more frequent delays. Delays were associated with more adverse events (10.3% vs. 5.0%), including death (4.2% vs. 1.6%). Emergency surgery, unclean wounds, and comorbidities were independent risk factors of adverse events. Discussion Patients at SRRH face significant delays in surgical care from deficits in infrastructure and lack of capacity for emergency surgery. Delays are associated with increased mortality and other adverse events. Investing in solutions to prevent delays is essential to improving surgical care at SRRH.
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Reid T, Kincaid J, Shrestha R, Strassle PD, Maine R, Charles A, Gallaher J, Manjolo M, Gondwe J, Wren SM. Perceptions of Gender Disparities in Access to Surgical Care in Malawi: A Community Based Survey. Am Surg 2022:31348221101522. [PMID: 35592895 PMCID: PMC9743135 DOI: 10.1177/00031348221101522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gender disparities in surgical care exist but have been minimally studied, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study explored perceptions and gender differences in health-seeking behavior and attitudes toward surgical care in Malawi among community members. METHODS A survey tool was administered to adults ≥18 years old at a central hospital, district hospital, and two marketplaces in Malawi from June 2018 to December 2018. Responses from men and women were compared using chi-squared tests. RESULTS Four hundred eighty-five adults participated in the survey, 244 (50.3%) men and 241 (49.7%) women. Women were more likely to state that fear of surgery might prevent them from seeking surgical care (29.1% of men, 43.6% of women, P = .0009). Both genders reported long wait times, medicine/physician shortages, and lack of information about when surgery is needed as potential barriers to seeking surgical care. More men stated that medical preference should be given to sons (17.1% of men, 9.3% of women, P = .01). Men were more likely to report that men should have the final word about household decisions (28.7% of men vs 19.5% of women, P < .0001) and were more likely to spend money independently (68.7% of married men, 37.5% of married women, P < .0001). Few participants reported believing gender equality had been achieved (61% of men and 66.8% of women). CONCLUSIONS A multi-pronged approach is needed to reduce gender disparities in surgical care in Malawi, including addressing paternalistic societal norms, education, and improving health infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trista Reid
- Department of Surgery, The University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer Kincaid
- Department of Surgery, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Riju Shrestha
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Paula D. Strassle
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca Maine
- Department of Surgery, The University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Anthony Charles
- Department of Surgery, The University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jared Gallaher
- Department of Surgery, The University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mphatso Manjolo
- Department of Surgery, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Jotham Gondwe
- Department of Surgery, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Sherry M. Wren
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Mehta K, Arega H, Smith NL, Li K, Gause E, Lee J, Stewart B. Gender-based disparities in burn injuries, care and outcomes: A World Health Organization (WHO) Global Burn Registry cohort study. Am J Surg 2022; 223:157-163. [PMID: 34330521 PMCID: PMC8688305 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to describe the gender-based disparities in burn injury patterns, care received, and mortality across national income levels. METHODS In the WHO Global Burn Registry (GBR), we compared patient demographics, injury characteristics, care and outcomes by sex using Chi-square statistics. Logistic regression was used to identify the associations of patient sex with surgical treatment and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS Among 6431 burn patients (38 % female; 62 % male), females less frequently received surgical treatment during index hospitalization (49 % vs 56 %, p < 0.001), and more frequently died in-hospital (26 % vs 16 %, p < 0.001) than males. Odds of in in-hospital death was 2.16 (95 % CI: 1.73-2.71) times higher among females compared to males in middle-income countries. CONCLUSIONS Across national income levels, there appears to be important gender-based disparities among burn injury epidemiology, treatment received and outcomes that require redress. Multinational registries can be utilized to track and to evaluate initiatives to reduce gender disparities at national, regional and global levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kajal Mehta
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hana Arega
- School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Kathleen Li
- Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emma Gause
- Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joohee Lee
- Public Health Concern Trust-Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Barclay Stewart
- Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Azad AD, Charles AG, Ding Q, Trickey AW, Wren SM. The gender gap and healthcare: associations between gender roles and factors affecting healthcare access in Central Malawi, June-August 2017. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 78:119. [PMID: 33292511 PMCID: PMC7672876 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-020-00497-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Women in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) do not have equal access to resources, such as education, employment, or healthcare compared to men. We sought to explore health disparities and associations between gender prioritization, sociocultural factors, and household decision-making in Central Malawi. Methods From June–August 2017, a cross-sectional study with 200 participants was conducted in Central Malawi. We evaluated respondents’ access to care, prioritization within households, decision-making power, and gender equity which was measured using the Gender-Equitable Men (GEM) scale. Relationships between these outcomes and sociodemographic factors were analyzed using multivariable mixed-effect logistic regression. Results We found that women were less likely than men to secure community-sourced healthcare financial aid (68.6% vs. 88.8%, p < 0.001) and more likely to underutilize necessary healthcare (37.2% vs. 22.4%, p = 0.02). Both men and women revealed low GEM scores, indicating adherence to traditional gender norms, though women were significantly less equitable (W:16.77 vs. M:17.65, p = 0.03). Being a woman (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21–0.78) and prioritizing a woman as a decision-maker for large purchases (OR 0.38, CI 0.15–0.93) were independently associated with a lower likelihood of prioritizing women for medical treatment and being a member of the Chewa tribal group (OR 3.87, CI 1.83–8.18) and prioritizing women for education (OR 4.13, CI 2.13–8.01) was associated with a higher odds. Conclusion Women report greater barriers to healthcare and adhere to more traditional gender roles than men in this Central Malawian population. Women contribute to their own gender’s barriers to care and economic empowerment alone is not enough to correct for these socially constructed roles. We found that education and matriarchal societies may protect against gender disparities. Overall, internal and external gender discrimination contribute to a woman’s disproportionate lack of access to care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13690-020-00497-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amee D Azad
- Stanford University School of Medicine, 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Anthony G Charles
- University of North Carolina Department of Surgery, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Qian Ding
- Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Amber W Trickey
- Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sherry M Wren
- Stanford University School of Medicine, 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Palo Alto Veterans Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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Purcell LN, Reiss R, Mabedi C, Gallaher J, Maine R, Charles A. Characteristics of Intestinal Volvulus and Risk of Mortality in Malawi. World J Surg 2020; 44:2087-2093. [PMID: 32100066 PMCID: PMC7272273 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-020-05440-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intestinal volvulus is a common cause of mechanical intestinal obstruction (MIO) in Africa. Sigmoid volvulus has been well characterized in both high-income and low-income countries, but there is also a predilection for small bowel volvulus in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS An analysis was performed of the Kamuzu Central Hospital Acute Care Surgery Registry from 2013 to 2019 on patients presenting with intestinal volvulus. Bivariate analysis was performed for covariates based on the intestinal volvulus type. Multivariate Poisson regression models estimated the relative risk of volvulus and mortality. RESULTS A total of 4352 patients were captured in the registry. Overall, 1037 patients (23.8%) were diagnosed with MIO. Intestinal volvulus accounted for 499 (48.1%) of patients with MIO. Sigmoid volvulus, midgut volvulus, ileosigmoid knotting, and cecal volvulus accounted for 57.7% (n = 288), 19.8% (n = 99), 20.8% (n = 104), and 1.6% (n = 8), respectively. Mean age was 46.8 years (SD 17.2) with a male preponderance (n = 429, 86.0%) and 14.8% (n = 74) mortality. Overall, the most common operations performed were large bowel (n = 326, 74.4%) and small bowel (n = 76, 16.7%) resections with 18.0% (n = 90) ostomy formation. Upon regression modeling, the relative risk for volvulus was 2.7 times higher in men than women after controlling for season and age. There was no statistically significant difference in the relative risk of mortality based on the type of volvulus. CONCLUSION Volvulus is a significant cause of primary bowel obstruction in sub-Saharan Africa. Type of intestinal volvulus is not associated increased risk of mortality. Reasons for increases in the incidence of small bowel volvulus are still largely undetermined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Purcell
- Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 4008 Burnett Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 7228, USA
| | - Rachel Reiss
- Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 4008 Burnett Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 7228, USA
| | - Charles Mabedi
- Department of Surgery, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Jared Gallaher
- Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 4008 Burnett Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 7228, USA
| | - Rebecca Maine
- Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 4008 Burnett Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 7228, USA
| | - Anthony Charles
- Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 4008 Burnett Womack Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 7228, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi.
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