Estimating Congenital Cardiac Surgical Need in Africa Using Geographic Distribution of Surgeons
Background: Access to congenital cardiac surgical care in Africa is limited and poorly characterized, with current assessments examining only the number of surgeons in individual countries compared to their respective national population. Objective: To characterize geographic catchment areas in Afri...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Ubiquity Press
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Annals of Global Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4692 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849717338445709312 |
|---|---|
| author | Jordan Leith Lamia Harik Kevin R. An Taylor Brashear Robert N. Peck Castigliano M. Bhamidipati |
| author_facet | Jordan Leith Lamia Harik Kevin R. An Taylor Brashear Robert N. Peck Castigliano M. Bhamidipati |
| author_sort | Jordan Leith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Access to congenital cardiac surgical care in Africa is limited and poorly characterized, with current assessments examining only the number of surgeons in individual countries compared to their respective national population. Objective: To characterize geographic catchment areas in Africa served by the nearest congenital cardiac surgeon(s), estimate patient travel distance, and map both the incidence and unmet surgical need due to congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods: Subnational population, CHD incidence, surgeon, and geographic data were collected from credible, publicly accessible sources. Quantum Geographic Information System was used to create a subnational map of Africa and conduct nearest neighbor analyses to determine the location and distance of each subnational region’s nearest cardiac surgeon. Catchment areas were defined and characterized. Incident CHD cases and surgical needs due to CHD were calculated and mapped at the subnational level across Africa. Findings: There were 779 subnational regions from 54 countries included in this analysis. Africa was estimated to have 290 congenital cardiac surgeons located in 63 subnational regions corresponding to 63 catchment areas and 1,097,388 incident CHD cases annually. The average travel distance to a congenital cardiac surgeon was 324.40 km (201.57 miles). The ratio of incident CHD to total surgical case capacity was 20.79. Congenital cardiac surgical need was not limited to areas of high incidence and was compounded by distance to the nearest surgeon, with the greatest need occurring in the Congo Basin and Horn of Africa. Conclusions: Access to congenital cardiac surgery is limited in Africa with the capacity to surgically treat less than 5% of annual CHD cases. Surgical need is exacerbated by the geographic distribution of surgeons, which requires patients to travel great distances. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2be24e355aa1445fbd29727642584777 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2214-9996 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Global Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-2be24e355aa1445fbd297276425847772025-08-20T03:12:42ZengUbiquity PressAnnals of Global Health2214-99962025-06-01911363610.5334/aogh.46924692Estimating Congenital Cardiac Surgical Need in Africa Using Geographic Distribution of SurgeonsJordan Leith0https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1097-3243Lamia Harik1Kevin R. An2Taylor Brashear3Robert N. Peck4Castigliano M. Bhamidipati5Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York; Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, New YorkDepartment of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New YorkDepartment of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New YorkCenter for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, New YorkCenter for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York; Department of Medicine, Bugando Medical Centre, MwanzaDivision of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, PortlandBackground: Access to congenital cardiac surgical care in Africa is limited and poorly characterized, with current assessments examining only the number of surgeons in individual countries compared to their respective national population. Objective: To characterize geographic catchment areas in Africa served by the nearest congenital cardiac surgeon(s), estimate patient travel distance, and map both the incidence and unmet surgical need due to congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods: Subnational population, CHD incidence, surgeon, and geographic data were collected from credible, publicly accessible sources. Quantum Geographic Information System was used to create a subnational map of Africa and conduct nearest neighbor analyses to determine the location and distance of each subnational region’s nearest cardiac surgeon. Catchment areas were defined and characterized. Incident CHD cases and surgical needs due to CHD were calculated and mapped at the subnational level across Africa. Findings: There were 779 subnational regions from 54 countries included in this analysis. Africa was estimated to have 290 congenital cardiac surgeons located in 63 subnational regions corresponding to 63 catchment areas and 1,097,388 incident CHD cases annually. The average travel distance to a congenital cardiac surgeon was 324.40 km (201.57 miles). The ratio of incident CHD to total surgical case capacity was 20.79. Congenital cardiac surgical need was not limited to areas of high incidence and was compounded by distance to the nearest surgeon, with the greatest need occurring in the Congo Basin and Horn of Africa. Conclusions: Access to congenital cardiac surgery is limited in Africa with the capacity to surgically treat less than 5% of annual CHD cases. Surgical need is exacerbated by the geographic distribution of surgeons, which requires patients to travel great distances.https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4692congenital heart diseaseaccess to careglobal health |
| spellingShingle | Jordan Leith Lamia Harik Kevin R. An Taylor Brashear Robert N. Peck Castigliano M. Bhamidipati Estimating Congenital Cardiac Surgical Need in Africa Using Geographic Distribution of Surgeons Annals of Global Health congenital heart disease access to care global health |
| title | Estimating Congenital Cardiac Surgical Need in Africa Using Geographic Distribution of Surgeons |
| title_full | Estimating Congenital Cardiac Surgical Need in Africa Using Geographic Distribution of Surgeons |
| title_fullStr | Estimating Congenital Cardiac Surgical Need in Africa Using Geographic Distribution of Surgeons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating Congenital Cardiac Surgical Need in Africa Using Geographic Distribution of Surgeons |
| title_short | Estimating Congenital Cardiac Surgical Need in Africa Using Geographic Distribution of Surgeons |
| title_sort | estimating congenital cardiac surgical need in africa using geographic distribution of surgeons |
| topic | congenital heart disease access to care global health |
| url | https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4692 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jordanleith estimatingcongenitalcardiacsurgicalneedinafricausinggeographicdistributionofsurgeons AT lamiaharik estimatingcongenitalcardiacsurgicalneedinafricausinggeographicdistributionofsurgeons AT kevinran estimatingcongenitalcardiacsurgicalneedinafricausinggeographicdistributionofsurgeons AT taylorbrashear estimatingcongenitalcardiacsurgicalneedinafricausinggeographicdistributionofsurgeons AT robertnpeck estimatingcongenitalcardiacsurgicalneedinafricausinggeographicdistributionofsurgeons AT castiglianombhamidipati estimatingcongenitalcardiacsurgicalneedinafricausinggeographicdistributionofsurgeons |