Evaluation of the regional distribution of the pediatric surgery workforce and surgical load in Brazil

Objective The purpose of this study is to examine the regional distribution of the pediatric surgery workforce and the expected local demand for pediatric surgical procedures in Brazil.Methods We collected data on the pediatric surgical workforce,surgical volume,Gross Domestic Product per capita,and mortality for gastrointestinal tract malformations(MGITM)across the different regions of Brazil for 2019.Results Data from the Federal Medical Council reported 1515 pediatric surgery registries in Brazil,corresponding to 1414 pediatric surgeons(some pediatric surgeons are registered in more than one state),or 2.4 pediatric surgeons per 100000 children 14 years of age and younger.There were 828 men and 586 women.The mean age was 51.5±12.8 years,and the mean time from graduation was 3.4±5.7 years.There is a higher concentration of pediatric surgeons in the wealthier Central-West,South,and Southeast regions.Individual surgical volume ranged from 88 to 245 operations/year(average 146 operations/year)depending on the region.Of these,only nine(6.1%)were high-complexity(including neonatal)operations.MGITM tended to be higher in the poorer North and Northeast regions than in other regions of Brazil.Conclusions Our findings suggest significant disparities in the surgical workforce and workload across Brazil related to socioeconomic status.Regions with an increased surgical workforce were associated with lower MGITM.The average number of complex operations performed annually by each pediatric surgeon was considerably low.Strategic investment and well-defined health policies are imperative to enhance the quality of surgical care in the different regions of Brazil.

Social determinants of gastrointestinal malformation mortality in Brazil:a national study

Introduction In Brazil,approximately 5%are born with a congenital disorder,potentially fatal without surgery.This study aims to evaluate the relationship between gastrointestinal congenital malformation(GICM)mortality,health indicators,and socioeconomic factors in Brazil.Methods GICM admissions(Q39-Q45)between 2012 and 2019 were collected using national databases.Patient demographics,socioeconomic factors,clinical management,outcomes,and the healthcare workforce density were also accounted for.Pediatric Surgical Workforce density and the number of neonatal intensive care units in a region were extracted from national datasets and combined to create a clinical index termed'NeoSurg'.Socioeconomic variables were combined to create a socioeconomic index termed SocEcon'.Simple linear regression was used to investigate if the temporal changes of both indexes were significant.The correlation between mortality and the different indicators in Brazil was evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient.Results Over 8 years,Brazil recorded 12804 GICM admissions.The Southeast led with 6147 cases,followed by the Northeast(2660),South(1727),North(1427),and Midwest(843).The North and Northeast reported the highest mortality,lowest NeoSurg,and SocEcon Index rates.Nevertheless,mortality rates declined across regions from 7.7%(2012)to 3.9%(2019),a 51.7%drop.The North and Midwest experienced the most substantial reductions,at 63%and 75%,respectively.Mortality significantly correlated with the indexes in nearly all regions(p<0.05).Conclusion Our study highlights the correlation between social determinants of health and GICM mortality in Brazil,using two novel indexes in the pediatric population.These findings provide an opportunity to rethink and discuss new indicators that could enhance our understanding of our country and could lead to the development of necessary solutions to tackle existing challenges in Brazil and globally.