Current state of global neurosurgery activity amongst European neurosurgeons

Saniya Mediratta, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Addenbrooke's Hospital and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK - saniya.mediratta@gmail.com.
Laura Lippa, Department of Neurosurgery, Ospedali Riuniti, Livorno, Italy.
Sara Venturini, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Addenbrooke's Hospital and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Andreas K. Demetriades, Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Little France, Edinburgh, UK.
Abdessamad El-Ouahabi, Department of Neurosurgery, Mohamed V University Hospital, Rabat, Morocco.
Maria L. Gandía-González, Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.
William Harkness, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, UK.
Peter Hutchinson, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Addenbrooke's Hospital and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Kee B. Park, Global Neurosurgery Initiative, Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Katrin Rabiei, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Gail Rosseau, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.
Karl Schaller, Neurosurgery Division, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
Franco Servadei, H umanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milano, Italy.
Jesus Lafuente, Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, España.
Angelos G. Kolias, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Addenbrooke's Hospital and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2-11-2022

Journal

Journal of neurosurgical sciences

DOI

10.23736/S0390-5616.21.05447-3

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The expanding field of global neurosurgery calls for a committed neurosurgical community to advocate for universal access to timely, safe, and affordable neurosurgical care for everyone, everywhere. This study aims to (i) assess the current state of global neurosurgery activity amongst European neurosurgeons and (ii) identify barriers to involvement in global neurosurgery initiatives. METHODS: Cross-sectional study through dissemination of a web-based survey, from September 2019 to January 2020, to collect data from European neurosurgeons at various career stages. Descriptive analysis was conducted on respondent data. RESULTS: Three hundred and ten neurosurgeons from 40 European countries responded. 53.5% regularly follow global neurosurgery developments. 29.4% had travelled abroad with a global neurosurgery collaborative, with 23.2% planning a future trip. Respondents from high income European countries predominantly travelled to Africa (41.6%) or Asia (34.4%), whereas, respondents from middle income European countries frequently traversed Europe (63.2%) and North America (47.4). Cost implications (66.5%) were the most common barrier to global neurosurgery activity, followed by interference with current practice (45.8%), family duties (35.2%), difficulties obtaining humanitarian leave (27.7%) and lack of international partners (27.4%). 86.8% would incorporate a global neurosurgery period within training programmes. CONCLUSIONS: European neurosurgeons are interested in engaging in global neurosurgery partnerships, and several sustainable programmes focused on local capacity building, education and research have been established over the last decade. However, individual and system barriers to engagement persist. We provide insight into these to allow development of tailored mechanisms to overcome such barriers, enabling European neurosurgeons to advocate for the Global Surgery 2030 goals.

Department

Neurological Surgery

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