TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluating Global Surgery Partnerships From Low and Middle Income Country Perspectives
AU - On behalf of the SUS Committee on Academic Global Surgery
AU - Krakauer, Kelsi N.
AU - Wong, Lye Yeng
AU - Tobias, Joseph
AU - Majekodunmi, Olubunmi
AU - Balumuka, Darius
AU - Bravo, Kali
AU - Ameh, Emmanuel
AU - Finlayson, Samuel
AU - Nwomeh, Benedict
AU - Sifri, Ziad
AU - Charles, Anthony
AU - Krishnaswami, Sanjay
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2024/4
Y1 - 2024/4
N2 - Introduction: Little is known about perceptions of low-income and middle-income country (LMIC) partners regarding global surgery collaborations with high-income countries (HICs). Methods: A survey was distributed to surgeons from LMICs to assess the nature and perception of collaborations, funding, benefits, communication, and the effects of COVID-19 on partnerships. Results: We received 19 responses from LMIC representatives in 12 countries on three continents. The majority (83%) had participated in collaborations within the past 5 y with 39% of collaborations were facilitated virtually. Clinical and educational partnerships (39% each) were ranked most important by respondents. Sustainability of the partnership was most successfully achieved in domains of education/training (78%) and research (61%). The majority (77%) of respondents reported expressing their needs before HIC team arrival. However, 54% of respondents were the ones to initiate the conversation and only 47% said HIC partners understood the overall environment well at arrival to LMIC. Almost all participants (95%) felt a formal process of collaboration and a structured partnership would benefit all parties in assessing needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 87% of participants reported continued collaborations; however, 44% of partners felt that relationships were weaker, 31% felt relationships were stronger, and 25% felt they were unchanged. Conclusions: Our study provides a snapshot of LMIC surgeons’ perspectives on collaboration in global surgery. Independent of location, LMIC partners cite inadequate structure for long-term collaborations. We propose a formal pathway and initiation process to assess resources and needs at the outset of a partnership.
AB - Introduction: Little is known about perceptions of low-income and middle-income country (LMIC) partners regarding global surgery collaborations with high-income countries (HICs). Methods: A survey was distributed to surgeons from LMICs to assess the nature and perception of collaborations, funding, benefits, communication, and the effects of COVID-19 on partnerships. Results: We received 19 responses from LMIC representatives in 12 countries on three continents. The majority (83%) had participated in collaborations within the past 5 y with 39% of collaborations were facilitated virtually. Clinical and educational partnerships (39% each) were ranked most important by respondents. Sustainability of the partnership was most successfully achieved in domains of education/training (78%) and research (61%). The majority (77%) of respondents reported expressing their needs before HIC team arrival. However, 54% of respondents were the ones to initiate the conversation and only 47% said HIC partners understood the overall environment well at arrival to LMIC. Almost all participants (95%) felt a formal process of collaboration and a structured partnership would benefit all parties in assessing needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 87% of participants reported continued collaborations; however, 44% of partners felt that relationships were weaker, 31% felt relationships were stronger, and 25% felt they were unchanged. Conclusions: Our study provides a snapshot of LMIC surgeons’ perspectives on collaboration in global surgery. Independent of location, LMIC partners cite inadequate structure for long-term collaborations. We propose a formal pathway and initiation process to assess resources and needs at the outset of a partnership.
KW - Global partnerships
KW - Global surgery
KW - Low-income and middle-income countries
KW - Surgery partnerships
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jss.2024.01.040
DO - 10.1016/j.jss.2024.01.040
M3 - Article
C2 - 38364695
AN - SCOPUS:85185339171
SN - 0022-4804
VL - 296
SP - 681
EP - 688
JO - Journal of Surgical Research
JF - Journal of Surgical Research
ER -