Bidirectional needs assessment of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery short-term surgical trips in Zimbabwe

Katerina J Green; Naboth Matinhira; Amiti Jain; Priya Arya; Dontre' M Douse; Titus Dzongodza; Clemence Chidziva; Joshua P Wiedermann

doi:10.1002/lio2.1278

Bidirectional needs assessment of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery short-term surgical trips in Zimbabwe

Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2024 Jun 12;9(3):e1278. doi: 10.1002/lio2.1278. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Authors

Katerina J Green¹, Naboth Matinhira², Amiti Jain³, Priya Arya⁴, Dontre' M Douse⁵, Titus Dzongodza², Clemence Chidziva⁶, Joshua P Wiedermann³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Mayo Clinic Jacksonville Florida USA.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery University of Zimbabwe Harare Zimbabwe.
³ Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Thomas Jefferson University Sidney Kimmel Medical College Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA.
⁴ Departmant of Surgery Mercer University School of Medicine Savannah Georgia USA.
⁵ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USA.
⁶ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Harare Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat Institute Harare Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe findings from an otolaryngology-specific needs assessment tool in Zimbabwe.

Methods: Surveys were developed and shared with Low-Middle Income Country (LMIC) hosting institutions in Zimbabwe and to High-Income Country surgical trip participants (HIC). Respondents were otolaryngologists identified online and through professional networks who had participated in a surgical trip.

Results: The most common procedures Zimbabwe otolaryngologists reported treating were adenotonsillectomy (85.7%), chronic rhinosinusitis (71.4%), chronic otitis (57.1%), and head and neck tumor intervention (57.1%). The most common untreatable conditions that host physicians wanted to treat were skull base surgery (71.4%), flap reconstructions (57.1%), and laryngotracheal reconstruction (57.1%). The largest discrepancy between host desires and visiting team offerings were flap reconstruction (57.1%), nasal bone deformities (37.1%), and laryngotracheal reconstruction (17.1%). Perceptions of short-term surgical trips (STST) were recorded for host and visiting teams, and important differences between the public and private sectors of care in Zimbabwe were also identified.

Conclusion: The surveys utilized in this study served as a bidirectional needs assessment of the requirements and care goals of host institutions and visiting teams in Zimbabwe. Differences between public and private sectors of care, particularly regarding infrastructure, resources, and surgical goals, were revealed, and the results can be utilized as part of efforts to maximize efforts within global surgical partnerships.

Level of evidence: VI.

Keywords: Zimbabwe; bidirectional; global health; global surgery; head and neck surgery; low middle‐income country; needs assessment; otolaryngology; short‐term surgical trips; sustainability.