Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients at screening for an international collaborative free paediatric surgical outreach in Sagamu, Nigeria

Abstract

Background

Free surgical outreaches are important in low/middle socio-economic communities due to financial constraint and poor health insurance coverage. Understanding socio-demographic characteristics of outreach patients will aid program sponsors in design, planning and execution. This study obtained data to categorize participants into socio-economic, demographic and clinical strata.

Methods

Descriptive cross-sectional study of patients at screening for a free surgical outreach in Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Nigeria. Relevant socio-demographic and clinical details were obtained. Frequency and distribution of baseline characteristics were derived. Chi-square, t-test and multinomial logistic regression model were used to test association between socio-demographic characteristics and other domains with probability values (p) < 0.05 considered significant.

Results

Sources of information about the outreach were through social media, indirect means (relatives, work colleagues etc.), religious organizations, hospital referral and mainstream media in 42.7 %, 40.4 %, 8.5 %, 7.7 %, and 0.8 % respectively. Regarding socio-economic classes, 16.9 %, 7.3 %, 45.8 %, and 30.0 % of the participants were in the upper, upper-middle, lower-middle, and lower classes respectively. There was average delay in presentation of 59.65 ± 56.205 months with financial constraints being the major reason (44.9 %). Among respondents, 41.3 % resided within 60km. However, 82.9 % of those farther away possessed smart phones for early postoperative teleconsultation. Only 9.2 % of respondents would immediately opt for paid treatment if screened out.

Conclusion

Social media is a viable means of publicity for surgical outreaches in LMIC. All socio-economic classes have need for free paediatric surgical outreaches but the lower and lower-middle classes are most predominant. Regular collaborative outreaches of this nature may help to mitigate delays in treatment of some surgical conditions in children occasioned by financial constraints.

Level of Evidence

Level 4.