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Hsu PJ, Yoon S, Park KB. Understanding pediatric surgical needs in North Korea: a modeling analysis. WORLD JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC SURGERY 2024; 7:e000697. [PMID: 38303972 PMCID: PMC10831469 DOI: 10.1136/wjps-2023-000697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Sixty-five percent of children worldwide lack access to surgical care, the majority of whom live in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Developing surgical infrastructure requires information on surgical need; however, this information is often limited in LMICs. North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK) has a low amount of publicly available data. Here, we analyzed available modeled data to understand the causes of pediatric deaths due to conditions treatable with surgery in DPRK. Methods We used World Bank data and models from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation to identify causes of pediatric deaths affecting pediatric patients (age <20 years). We compared mortality of disease between DPRK and countries with similar economic status. Results Between 1990 and 2019, the number of overall pediatric deaths has decreased. In 2019, 32.2% of all pediatric deaths in DPRK were caused by surgical conditions. The leading categories of surgical conditions were injuries (53.9%), congenital conditions (34.2%), tumors (8.8%), and abdominal conditions (3.2%). DPRK has a lower relative rate of pediatric deaths compared with other LMICs with similar gross domestic product per capita. However, it has a higher relative rate of pediatric deaths due to conditions requiring treatment with surgery. Transport injuries contribute significantly to the high rate of pediatric deaths in DPRK. Conclusions Although DPRK may be allocating overall resources toward pediatric healthcare more efficiently than economic peers, DPRK may benefit from improvement in pediatric surgical capacity. Improved availability of data and close international collaboration could be potential solutions to bridge this gap.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sangchul Yoon
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kee B Park
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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2
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Eckert KA, Fife CE, Carter MJ. The Impact of Underlying Conditions on Quality-of-Life Measurement Among Patients with Chronic Wounds, as Measured by Utility Values: A Review with an Additional Study. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle) 2023; 12:680-695. [PMID: 37815559 PMCID: PMC10615090 DOI: 10.1089/wound.2023.0098] [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: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Significance: Quality of life (QoL) is important to patients with chronic wounds and is rarely formally evaluated. Understanding what comorbidities most affect the individual versus their wounds could be a key metric. Recent Advances: The last 20 years have seen substantial advances in QoL instruments and conversion of patient data to a single value known as the health utilities index (HUI). We review these advances, along with wound-related QoL, and analyze real-world comorbidities challenging wound care. Critical Issues: To understand the impact of underlying comorbidities in a real-world patient population, we examined a convenience sample of 382 patients seen at a hospital-based outpatient wound center. This quality reporting study falls outside the regulations that govern human subject research. Comorbid conditions were used to calculate HUIs using a variety of literature-reported approaches, while Wound-Quality-of-Life (W-QoL) questionnaire data were collected from patients during their first visit. The mean number of conditions per patient was 8; 229 patients (59.9%) had utility values for comorbidities/conditions, which were worse/lower than their wounds' values. Sixty-three (16.5%) patients had depression and/or anxiety, 64 (16.8%) had morbid obesity, and 204 (53.4%) had gait and mobility disorders, all of which could have affected W-QoL scoring. The mean minimum utility value (0.5) was within 0.05 units of an average of 13 studies reporting health utilities from wound care populations using the EuroQol 5 Dimension instrument. Future Directions: The comorbidity associated with the lowest utility value is what might most influence the QoL of patients with chronic wounds. This finding needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caroline E. Fife
- Intellicure, LLC, The Woodlands, Texas, USA
- U.S. Wound Registry (501 3C Nonprofit), The Woodlands, Texas, USA
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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Kakembo N, Grabski DF, Situma M, Ajiko M, Kayima P, Nyeko D, Shikanda A, Okello I, Tumukunde J, Nabukenya M, Ogwang M, Kisa P, Muzira A, Ruzgar N, Fitzgerald TN, Sekabira J, Ozgediz D. Met and Unmet Need for Pediatric Surgical Access in Uganda: A Country-Wide Prospective Analysis. J Surg Res 2023; 286:23-34. [PMID: 36738566 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.12.036] [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: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Children's surgical access in low and low-middle income countries is severely limited. Investigations detailing met and unmet surgical access are necessary to inform appropriate resource allocation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Surgical volume, outcomes, and distribution of pediatric general surgical procedures were analyzed using prospective pediatric surgical databases from four separate regional hospitals in Uganda. The current averted burden of surgical disease through pediatric surgical delivery in Uganda and the unmet surgical need based on estimates from high-income country data was calculated. RESULTS A total of 8514 patients were treated at the four hospitals over a 6-year period corresponding to 1350 pediatric surgical cases per year in Uganda or six surgical cases per 100,000 children per year. The majority of complex congenital anomalies and surgical oncology cases were performed at Mulago and Mbarara Hospitals, which have dedicated pediatric surgical teams (P < 0.0001). The averted burden of pediatric surgical disease was 27,000 disability adjusted life years per year, which resulted in an economic benefit of approximately 23 million USD per year. However, the average case volume performed at the four regional hospitals currently represents 1% of the total projected pediatric surgical need. CONCLUSIONS This investigation is one of the first to demonstrate the distribution of pediatric surgical procedures at a country level through the use of a prospective locally created database. Significant disease burden was averted by local pediatric and adult surgical teams, demonstrating the economic benefit of pediatric surgical care delivery. These findings support several ongoing strategies to increase pediatric surgical access in Uganda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasser Kakembo
- Department of Surgery, Makerere University, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - David F Grabski
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia.
| | - Martin Situma
- Department of Surgery, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Hospital, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Margaret Ajiko
- Department of Surgery, Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, Soroti, Uganda
| | - Peter Kayima
- Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Lacor Regional Referral Hospital, Lacor, Uganda
| | - David Nyeko
- Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Lacor Regional Referral Hospital, Lacor, Uganda
| | - Anne Shikanda
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Innocent Okello
- Department of Surgery, Makerere University, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Janat Tumukunde
- Department of Anesthesiology, Makerere University School of Medicine, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mary Nabukenya
- Department of Anesthesiology, Makerere University School of Medicine, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Martin Ogwang
- Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Lacor Regional Referral Hospital, Lacor, Uganda
| | - Phyllis Kisa
- Department of Surgery, Makerere University, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Arlene Muzira
- Department of Surgery, Makerere University, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Nensi Ruzgar
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Tamara N Fitzgerald
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - John Sekabira
- Department of Surgery, Makerere University, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Doruk Ozgediz
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California
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Bryce E, Fedatto M, Cunningham D. Providing paediatric surgery in low-resource countries. BMJ Paediatr Open 2023; 7:10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001603. [PMID: 36764702 PMCID: PMC9923288 DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Successful health systems comprise good outcomes, accessibility and availability. Surgery is the service that cuts across many treatment scenarios, yet in low- and middle-income countries 90% of people cannot access it. Estimates using most recent population data suggest that 1.75 billion children lack access to surgical care. Additionally, 30% of the global burden of disease is treatable with surgery, yet in LMICs as much as 87% of the surgical need remains unmet. Paediatric surgical services are not at the level they need to be, highlighting an increasing surgical burden on children’s health globally with a human cost of morbidity and mortality. Achieving Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals will fail if surgical systems are not strengthened in low resource settings. In 2018, global health charity Kids Operating Room was founded with a goal of ensuring every child has access to the surgery they need. The charity has a four-pillar approach to its work: provision of infrastructure and equipment, paediatric surgical workforce training, database development and research capacity strengthening, and advocating on behalf of children denied access to safe surgery. To ensure that paediatric surgical interventions produce real impact on service delivery, contextual understanding and needs assessment are key. The building of paediatric surgical capacity should align to countries’ priorities and wishes. Investing in local health workforce is essential to delivering quality services, supporting resilient health systems and provides integrated, people-centred health services. A competent surgical information system gives the local surgical workforce the tools needed to action evidence-driven decisions. Strengthening surgical services in a manner aligned to the WHO’s fundamental health system building blocks, allows for sustainable and long-lasting change. Confronting bottlenecks that exist in surgical services and establishing multi-faceted development, will allow global, national and local surgical targets to be met.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Bryce
- Department of Research, Kids Operating Room, Edinburgh, UK .,Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Maíra Fedatto
- Department of Research, Kids Operating Room, Edinburgh, UK.,International Development, King's College London, London, UK.,International Relations, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Nimanya S, Kisa P, Abdullah F, Langer M. Surgical neonates in a low-resource setting: Baseline nutrition and outcome assessment. J Pediatr Surg 2023; 58:981-985. [PMID: 36841705 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2023.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Congenital anomalies necessitating prolonged fasting have a high mortality in low-income settings, partially due to malnutrition and electrolyte disturbances in the absence of parenteral nutrition (PN). Interventions to address these problems require an accurate baseline quantification of the morbidity and mortality of this population. This prospective study aimed to determine peri-operative morbidity, fluid and electrolyte disturbance, growth, and mortality in neonates with gastroschisis (GS), intestinal atresia (IA), and esophageal atresia (EA) in Uganda. METHODS Standardized patient care of 45 neonates treated in Uganda from Oct 2021 to March 2022 with protocolized fluid and nutrition, vital signs, and routine laboratory measurements. Patient demographics, admission and hospital characteristics are described with mean ± SD. Characteristics of survivors and non-survivors were compared with Fischer's exact tests, logrank tests, and CoX Ph model. RESULTS Twenty-eight (62.2%) patients had GS, 4 (8.9%) EA, and 13 (28.9%) IA. Thirty-six percent (16/44) of patients survived to discharge (26% GS, 50% EA, 54% IA) with an average length of stay of 17.3 days ( ± 2.2) (survivors) and 9 days ( ± 1.7) (non-survivors). Average weight was 2.21 kg ( ± 0.62) at presentation, with no significant weight change during the study. Abnormal serum sodium in 64%, phosphate 36.5%, and magnesium 20.8% of measurements. Mortality did not correlate with diagnosis (p = 0.47), electrolyte derangement, or weight change. CONCLUSION Mortality of neonates born with GS, EA, and IA is high in Uganda. Malnutrition and fluid/electrolyte derangements are common and may affect mortality. This study provides a comparison group for studying interventions to improve outcomes for these populations. TYPE OF STUDY Prospective cohort. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Nimanya
- Mulago National Referral Hospital, Mulago Road, Kampala, Uganda and Makerere University, 7062 University Rd, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Phyllis Kisa
- Mulago National Referral Hospital, Mulago Road, Kampala, Uganda and Makerere University, 7062 University Rd, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Fizan Abdullah
- Lurie Children's Hospital Dept of Surgery, and Northwestern University, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 63, Chicago, IL 60611-2991, USA
| | - Monica Langer
- Lurie Children's Hospital Dept of Surgery, and Northwestern University, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 63, Chicago, IL 60611-2991, USA.
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Laverde R, Majekodunmi O, Park P, Udeigwe-Okeke CR, Yap A, Klazura G, Ukwu N, Bryce E, Ozgediz D, Ameh EA. Impact of new dedicated pediatric operating rooms on surgical volume in Africa: Evidence from Nigeria. J Pediatr Surg 2023; 58:161-166. [PMID: 36289035 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2022.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a large unmet children's surgical need in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study examines the impact of installing dedicated pediatric operating rooms (ORs) on surgical volume at National Hospital Abuja, a hospital in Abuja, Nigeria. METHODS A Non-Governmental Organization installed two pediatric ORs in August 2019. We assessed changes in volume from July 2018 to September 2021 using interrupted time series analysis. RESULTS Total surgical volume increased by 13 cases (p = 0.01) in 1-month post-installation, with elective operations making up 85% (p = 0.02) of cases. There was an increase in elective volume by about 1 case per month (p = 0.01) post-installation and the difference between pre-and post-trends was 1.23 cases per month (p = 0.009). The baseline volume of neonatal surgeries increased by 9 cases per month (p < 0.001) post-installation and this difference between pre- and post-trends was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Similarly, one-month post-installation, the cases classified as ASA class >2 increased by 14 (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between pre-and post-installation mortality rate at about 2% per month. CONCLUSIONS There were significant changes in surgical volume after OR installation, primarily composed of elective operations, reflecting an increased capacity to address surgical backlogs and/or perform more specialized surgeries. Despite a significant increase in volume and higher ASA class, there was no significant difference in mortality. This study supports the installation of surgical infrastructure in LMICs to strengthen capacity without increasing postoperative mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Laverde
- School of Medicine, University of California, 513 Parnassus Ave, Suite S-224, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia, University of California, 550 16th St, 3rd Floor, Box 1224, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Olubumni Majekodunmi
- Division of Paediatric Surgery, National Hospital, PO Box 187, FCT, Abuja, Garki, Nigeria
| | - Paul Park
- School of Medicine, University of California, 513 Parnassus Ave, Suite S-224, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia, University of California, 550 16th St, 3rd Floor, Box 1224, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Chisom R Udeigwe-Okeke
- Division of Paediatric Surgery, National Hospital, PO Box 187, FCT, Abuja, Garki, Nigeria
| | - Ava Yap
- Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia, University of California, 550 16th St, 3rd Floor, Box 1224, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S-321, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Greg Klazura
- Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia, University of California, 550 16th St, 3rd Floor, Box 1224, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nancy Ukwu
- Division of Paediatric Surgery, National Hospital, PO Box 187, FCT, Abuja, Garki, Nigeria
| | - Emma Bryce
- Kids Operating Room, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Doruk Ozgediz
- Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia, University of California, 550 16th St, 3rd Floor, Box 1224, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Division of Paediatric Surgery, National Hospital, PO Box 187, FCT, Abuja, Garki, Nigeria
| | - Emmanuel A Ameh
- Division of Paediatric Surgery, National Hospital, PO Box 187, FCT, Abuja, Garki, Nigeria
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Coyle D, Nidaw E, Getachew H, Payne SR, Subramaniam R. Paediatric Urology in
Sub‐Saharan
Africa: Challenges and Opportunities. BJU Int 2022; 130:277-284. [DOI: 10.1111/bju.15852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David Coyle
- The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Leeds UK
| | - Ephrem Nidaw
- Department of Surgery Addis Ababa University School of Medicine Addis Ababa Ethiopia
| | - Hanna Getachew
- Department of Surgery Addis Ababa University School of Medicine Addis Ababa Ethiopia
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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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Financing Pediatric Surgery: A Provider's Perspective from the Global Initiative for Children's Surgery. World J Surg 2022; 46:1220-1234. [PMID: 35175384 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-022-06463-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Half the world's population is at risk of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE, out-of-pocket spending of more than 10% of annual expenditure) should they require surgery. Protection against CHE is a key indicator of successful health care delivery and has been identified as a priority area by the Global Initiative for Children's Surgery (GICS). Data specific to pediatric surgical patients is limited. This study examines the financial risks for pediatric surgical patients and their families from a provider's perspective. METHODS We surveyed GICS members about the existing financial protection mechanisms and estimated expenditures for their patients. Questions were structured based on the National Surgical, Obstetric and Anesthesia Planning Surgical Indicators and finalized based on multi-institutional consensus between high-income country and low-and middle-income country (LMIC) providers. Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test and student's t-test were used as appropriate. RESULTS Among 107 respondents, 72.4% were from low income or lower-middle income (LIC/LMIC) countries, and 55.1% were attending or consultant physicians. Families were most likely to decline surgery in LIC/LMIC due to inability to afford treatment (mean Likert = 3.77 ± 1.06). The odds of incurring CHE after children's surgery are up to 17 times greater in LIC/LMIC (P = 0.001, unadjusted OR 17.28, 95%CI 2.13-140.02). Over 50% of families of children undergoing major surgery in these settings face CHE. An estimated 5.1% of providers in LIC/LMIC and 56.2% (P < 0.001) of providers in UMIC/HIC reported that families are able to pay for their direct medical costs with the assistance available to them and were more likely to sell assets (74.4% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION Patients in LMICs are at greater risk for CHE and have less financial risk protection than their HIC counterparts. Given this disparity, intervention is needed to make safe surgery affordable for children worldwide.
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Cost-effectiveness of paediatric surgery: an economic evaluation of World Paediatric Project surgical interventions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (2002–2019). BMJ Open 2021. [PMCID: PMC8719173 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the cost-effectiveness of six types of surgical interventions as part of a sustained paediatric surgical programme in St.Vincent and the Grenadines from 2002 to 2019. Design In this economic model, six paediatric surgical interventions (ophthalmic, orthopaedic, plastic, general, urology, neurosurgery) were compared with no surgery in a deterministic cost-effectiveness model. We assessed health benefits as averted disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Costs were included from the programme perspective and measured using standard micro-costing methods. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated for each type of surgical intervention. Interventions with ICERs of <50% of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita were considered cost-effective. Costs are reported in 2019 US$. Univariate sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the effect of uncertainty. Results The average cost per procedure was US$16 685 (range: US$9791.78–US$72 845.76). The cumulative discounted 18-year health impact was 5815 DALYs averted with a cost per DALY averted of US$2622. Most paediatric surgical interventions were cost-effective, yielding cost per DALY estimates less than 50% of GDP per capita of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. When undiscounted, only orthopaedic surgeries had cost per DALY more than 50% GDP per capita. When considering discounting, orthopaedic and urology surgeries exceeded the adopted threshold for cost-effectiveness. Conclusions We found that short-term, recurrent surgical interventions could yield substantial economic benefits in this limited resource setting. This research indicates that investment in paediatric surgical interventions is cost-effective for the majority of specialties. These findings are of clinical significance given the large burden of disease attributable to surgically treatable diseases. This work demonstrates that scaling up dedicated surgical programmes for children is a cost-effective and essential component to improve paediatric health.
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11
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Smith ER, Concepcion TL, Shrime M, Niemeier K, Mohamed M, Dahir S, Ismail EA, Poenaru D, Rice HE. Waiting Too Long: The Contribution of Delayed Surgical Access to Pediatric Disease Burden in Somaliland. World J Surg 2020; 44:656-664. [PMID: 31654200 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-019-05239-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delayed access to surgical care for congenital conditions in low- and middle-income countries is associated with increased risk of death and life-long disabilities, although the actual burden of delayed access to care is unknown. Our goal was to quantify the burden of disease related to delays to surgical care for children with congenital surgical conditions in Somaliland. METHODS We collected data from medical records on all children (n = 280) receiving surgery for a proxy set of congenital conditions over a 12-month time period across all 15 surgically equipped hospitals in Somaliland. We defined delay to surgical care for each condition as the difference between the ideal and the actual ages at the time of surgery. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to these delays were calculated and compared by the type of condition, travel distance to care, and demographic characteristics. RESULTS We found long delays in surgical care for these 280 children with congenital conditions, translating to a total of 2970 attributable delayed DALYs, or 8.4 avertable delayed DALYs per child, with the greatest burden among children with neurosurgical and anorectal conditions. Over half of the families seeking surgical care had to travel over 2 h to a surgically equipped hospital in the capital city of Hargeisa. CONCLUSIONS Children with congenital conditions in Somaliland experience substantial delays to surgical care and travel long distances to obtain care. Estimating the burden of delayed surgical care with avertable delayed DALYs offers a powerful tool for estimating the costs and benefits of interventions to improve the quality of surgical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Smith
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. .,Department of Public Health, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University, MMGYM Room 218, One Bear Place #97313, Waco, TX, 76798-7313, USA.
| | | | - Mark Shrime
- Center for Global Surgery Evaluation, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA.,Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kelli Niemeier
- Department of Public Health, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University, MMGYM Room 218, One Bear Place #97313, Waco, TX, 76798-7313, USA
| | - Mubarak Mohamed
- Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland, Somalia
| | - Shugri Dahir
- Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland, Somalia
| | | | | | - Henry E Rice
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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12
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Burden of emergency pediatric surgical procedures on surgical capacity in Uganda: a new metric for health system performance. Surgery 2020; 167:668-674. [DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2019.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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