Views of American Pediatric Surgeons on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

INTRODUCTION

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are concepts common in surgery. However, these can be difficult to define, and what constitutes DEI can be vague. Closing this knowledge gap, particularly within pediatric surgery, would be helpful to understand the views and needs of current surgeons.

METHODS

1558 APSA members were sent an anonymous survey, of which 423 (27%) responded. Respondents were asked about their demographics, views on what constitutes diversity as well as questions on how DEI is handled within APSA and definitions of common DEI terms.

RESULTS

Of 11 possible diversity measures, members agreed that a median of 9 (IQR 7-11) counted towards diversity. The most common being race and ethnicity (98%), gender (96%), sexual orientation (93%), religion (92%), age (91%), and disability (90%). On a 5-point Likert scale, the median response was 4 or greater on questions regarding how APSA handles issues related to DEI. However, members who identify as black were less likely to score in favor of APSA, and members identifying as women were more likely to rank higher importance of DEI initiatives. We also captured subjective responses on DEI terminology.

CONCLUSION

Respondents had broad definitions of diversity. There is support for further DEI initiatives and how APSA handles DEI, however this perception differs based on identities. There is significant variability in beliefs and views regarding DEI definitions and understanding this is helpful for the organization moving forward.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

TYPE OF STUDY

Original Research.

Understanding Hispanic Patient Satisfaction with Telehealth During COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have described the use of telehealth for pediatric surgical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate equity in telehealth use by comparing rates of utilization and satisfaction with pediatric surgical telemedicine among Hispanic patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients seen by a surgical subspecialty provider in the outpatient setting at a quaternary pediatric hospital between April 1 and June 30, 2020. Patients evaluated in the same three-month period in 2019 were analyzed as a historic control. Differences in Family Experience Survey (FES) responses based on race and ethnicity and preferred language of care were assessed using univariable and multivariable generalized linear modeling.

RESULTS

The pandemic cohort included fewer patients of Hispanic ethnicity and fewer Spanish-speakers. After controlling for visit type, comparison of Spanish-speaking and English-speaking patients revealed that Spanish-speaking families had significantly lower scores for FES items that evaluated healthcare provider explaining (IRR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.61-0.90), listening (IRR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63-0.92), and time spent with the family (IRR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.60-0.89). There were no differences in FES responses based on insurance status or degree of medical complexity.

CONCLUSIONS

Telehealth services were less commonly used among Hispanic and Spanish-speaking patients. Language may differentially affect family satisfaction with healthcare and telehealth solutions. Strategies to mitigate these inequities are needed and may include strengthening interpreter services and providing language-concordant care.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Geographic access to care and pediatric surgical outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Rurality and distance traveled for healthcare are associated with worse pediatric health indicators.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed patients ages 0-21 at a quaternary pediatric surgical facility with a large rural catchment area between 1/1/2016-12/31/2020. Patient addresses were designated as metropolitan or non-metropolitan. 60- and 120-min driving rings from our institution were calculated. Logistic regression assessed the effect of rurality and distance traveled for care on postoperative mortality and serious adverse events (SAE).

RESULTS

Among 56,655 patients, 84.3% were from metropolitan areas, 8.4% from non-metropolitan areas, and 7.3% could not be geocoded. 64% were within 60-min driving and 80% within 120-min. On univariable regression, patients living >120-min experienced 59% (95% CI: 1.09, 2.30) increased odds of mortality and 97% (95% CI: 1.84, 2.12) increased odds of SAE compared to those <60-min. Non-metropolitan patients experienced 38% (95% CI: 1.26, 1.52) increased odds of a serious postoperative event compared to metropolitan patients.

DISCUSSION

Efforts to improve geographic access to pediatric care are needed to mitigate the impact of rurality and travel time on inequitable surgical outcomes.

Socioeconomic disadvantage and pediatric surgical outcomes

INTRODUCTION

The impact of socioeconomic status on surgical outcomes has not been well-studied in children. Area Deprivation Index (ADI) is a validated measure of neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of surgical patients ages 0-21 years was performed at a quaternary pediatric hospital from 1/1/2016-12/31/2020. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between ADI, 30-day postoperative mortality and serious adverse events (SAE).

RESULTS

Among 56,655 patients, the incidence of 30-day mortality and SAE were 0.3% and 8.9%. On univariable regression, patients from higher state ADI neighborhoods had increased odds of 30-day postoperative mortality and SAE. After controlling for covariates, patients from a neighborhood with state ADI ranks of 9 and 10 had 24% (95% CI: 1.06-1.45) and 27% (95% CI: 1.08-1.49) increased odds of experiencing SAE.

DISCUSSION

Pediatric surgical patients from disadvantaged neighborhoods may experience worse postoperative outcomes irrespective of patient demographics and preoperative health status.

Diversity and demographics of APSA members: Understanding our identity

INTRODUCTION

There are existing healthcare disparities in pediatric surgery today. Identity and racial incongruity between patients and providers contribute to systemic healthcare inequities and negatively impacts health outcomes of minoritized populations. Understanding the current demographics of the American Pediatric Surgical Association and therefore the cognitive diversity represented will help inform how best to strategically build the organization to optimize disparity solutions and improve patient care.

METHODS

1558 APSA members were sent an anonymous electronic survey. Comparative data was collected from the US Census Bureau and the Association of American Medical Colleges. Results were analyzed using standard statistical tests.

RESULTS

Of 423 respondents (response rate 27%), the race and ethnicity composition were 68% non Hispanic White, 12% Asian American and Pacific Islander, 6% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, and 4% Black/African American. Respondents were 35% women, 63% men, and 1% transgender, androgyne, or uncertain. Distribution of sexual identity was 97% heterosexual and 3% LGBTQIA. Religious identity was 50% Christian, 22% Agnostic/Atheist, 11% Jewish, 3% Hindu, and 2% Muslim. 32% of respondents were first-generation Americans. Twenty-four different primary languages were spoken, and 46% of respondents were conversational in a second language. These findings differ in meaningful ways from the overall American population and from the population of matriculants in American medical schools.

CONCLUSION

There are substantial differences in the racial, gender, and sexual identity composition of APSA members compared with the overall population in the United States. To achieve excellence in patient care and innovate solutions to existing disparities, representation, particularly in leadership is essential.

TYPE OF STUDY

Survey; original research.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Burkitt Lymphoma Presenting as Perforated Appendicitis

Appendicitis is the most common indication for an emergent abdominal operation in the pediatric population. Fewer than .015% of patients who undergo appendectomy for presumed appendicitis are diagnosed with primary lymphoma after evaluation of pathology specimen. 1 Of these primary lymphomas, 29.5% are Burkitt lymphoma. Burkitt lymphoma is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma characterized by translocation and dysregulation of the c-Myc gene. Intraabdominal extranodal Burkitt lymphoma has a polymorphic presentation that includes bowel obstruction, intussusception, and appendicitis. Here we report a case of an adolescent patient who was initially admitted for medical management of perforated appendicitis but was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma during his hospital course.

Closed Gastroschisis: A Rare Abdominal Wall Defect

Gastroschisis is a rare congenital abdominal wall defect characterized by intestinal evisceration to the right of the umbilical stalk. In less than 6% of cases, the fascial defect closes around the herniated viscera in utero. The mechanism of fascial closure in these cases is unknown; however, the tourniquet effect on the mesenteric vasculature is thought to lead to intestinal atresia and midgut infarction. We report a case of a female neonate with a prenatal diagnosis of gastroschisis who was found to have a closed defect at the time of delivery. She required emergent operation for symptoms of intestinal obstruction and bowel ischemia.

The Ideal Candidate for Subcutaneous Endoscopically Assisted Ligation (SEAL) of the Internal Ring for Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Repair

Subcutaneous endoscopically assisted ligation (SEAL) technique is an effective and minimally invasive approach for indirect inguinal hernia repair in children. Not all patients are candidates for SEAL because of technical limitations. We hypothesized that preoperatively assessed patient-level factors may predict technical feasibility of SEAL repair. We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent indirect inguinal hernia repair between June 2012 and December 2014. All patients younger than two years and any patient older than two years who had a concomitant umbilical hernia were considered candidates for diagnostic laparoscopy with SEAL repair. We compared patients who had SEAL repair with those who had diagnostic laparoscopy with conversion to open repair. Univariate statistics was performed using the chi-squared and Student's t test. One hundred forty-one patients underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with intent to perform a SEAL repair. Seventeen patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 124 patients, 66 had SEAL repairs, 35 had open repairs, and 23 had a SEAL repair with contralateral open repair. Patient age, BMI, gender, history of prematurity, and history of incarcerated hernia were similar between the SEAL and open groups. Sixty-two per cent of hernias were able to be repaired with SEAL technique. Hernia recurrence was seen in 3 of 123 total SEAL repairs and in 1 of 74 open repairs. The recurrence rate for SEAL repairs (2.4%) was not significantly different from the recurrence rate for open repairs (1.4%). No preoperative patient-level factors predicted technical inability to perform a successful SEAL repair. In this series, the recurrence risk of SEAL compared with open repair was low and not statistically significant. For practitioners with minimally invasive experience, SEAL should be considered a safe and successful option for inguinal hernia repair in pediatric patients undergoing routine diagnostic laparoscopy.

The Ideal Candidate for Subcutaneous Endoscopically Assisted Ligation (SEAL) of the Internal Ring for Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Repair

Subcutaneous endoscopically assisted ligation (SEAL) technique is an effective and minimally invasive approach for indirect inguinal hernia repair in children. Not all patients are candidates for SEAL because of technical limitations. We hypothesized that preoperatively assessed patient-level factors may predict technical feasibility of SEAL repair. We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent indirect inguinal hernia repair between June 2012 and December 2014. All patients younger than two years and any patient older than two years who had a concomitant umbilical hernia were considered candidates for diagnostic laparoscopy with SEAL repair. We compared patients who had SEAL repair with those who had diagnostic laparoscopy with conversion to open repair. Univariate statistics was performed using the chi-squared and Student's t test. One hundred forty-one patients underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with intent to perform a SEAL repair. Seventeen patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 124 patients, 66 had SEAL repairs, 35 had open repairs, and 23 had a SEAL repair with contralateral open repair. Patient age, BMI, gender, history of prematurity, and history of incarcerated hernia were similar between the SEAL and open groups. Sixty-two per cent of hernias were able to be repaired with SEAL technique. Hernia recurrence was seen in 3 of 123 total SEAL repairs and in 1 of 74 open repairs. The recurrence rate for SEAL repairs (2.4%) was not significantly different from the recurrence rate for open repairs (1.4%). No preoperative patient-level factors predicted technical inability to perform a successful SEAL repair. In this series, the recurrence risk of SEAL compared with open repair was low and not statistically significant. For practitioners with minimally invasive experience, SEAL should be considered a safe and successful option for inguinal hernia repair in pediatric patients undergoing routine diagnostic laparoscopy.

Global emergency medicine: a review of the literature from 2013

OBJECTIVES

The Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review (GEMLR) conducts an annual search of peer-reviewed and grey literature relevant to global emergency medicine (EM) to identify, review, and disseminate the most important new research in this field to a worldwide audience of academics and clinical practitioners.

METHODS

This year 8,768 articles written in six languages were identified by our search. These articles were distributed among 22 reviewers for initial screening based on their relevance to the field of global EM. An additional two reviewers searched the grey literature. A total of 434 articles were deemed appropriate by at least one reviewer and approved by an editor for formal scoring of overall quality and importance.

RESULTS

Of the 434 articles that met our predetermined inclusion criteria, 65% were categorized as emergency care in resource-limited settings, 18% as EM development, and 17% as disaster and humanitarian response. A total of 24 articles received scores of 18 or higher and were selected for formal summary and critique. Interrater reliability for two reviewers using our scoring system was good, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.63 (95% confidence interval = 0.55 to 0.69). Infectious diseases, trauma, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases common in resource-limited settings represented the majority of articles selected for final review.

CONCLUSIONS

In 2013, there were more emergency care in resource-limited settings articles, while the number of disaster and humanitarian response articles decreased, when compared to the 2012 review. However, the distribution of articles selected for full review did not change significantly. As in prior years, the majority of articles focused on infectious diseases, as well as trauma and injury prevention.

Global Emergency Medicine: a review of the literature from 2012

OBJECTIVES

The Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review (GEMLR) conducts an annual search of peer-reviewed and grey literature relevant to global emergency medicine (EM) to identify, review, and disseminate the most important new research in this field to a worldwide audience of academics and clinical practitioners.

METHODS

This year, our search identified 4,818 articles written in six languages. These articles were distributed among 20 reviewers for initial screening based on their relevance to the field of global EM. Two additional reviewers searched and screened the grey literature. A total of 224 articles were deemed appropriate by at least one reviewer and were approved by their editor for formal scoring of overall quality and importance.

RESULTS

Of the 224 articles that met our predetermined inclusion criteria, 56% were categorized as Emergency Care in Resource-limited Settings, 18% as EM development, and 26% as Disaster and Humanitarian Response. A total of 28 articles received scores of 16 or higher and were selected for formal summary and critique. Inter-rater reliability for two reviewers using our scoring system was good, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.625 (95% confidence interval = 0.512 to 0.711).

CONCLUSIONS

In 2012 there were more disaster and humanitarian response articles than in previous years. As in prior years, the majority of articles addressed the acute management of infectious diseases or the care of vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women.