PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Truche, Paul R
AU  - Naus, Abbie E
AU  - Botelho, Fabio
AU  - Ferreira, Julia
AU  - Bowder, Alexis
AU  - Caddell, Luke
AU  - Zimmerman, Kathrin
AU  - de Freitas Faria, Isabella Maria
AU  - Lopes, Bellisa Caldas
AU  - Costa, Eduardo Corrêa
AU  - Dantas, Fernanda Lage Lima
AU  - Cavalcante, Augusto J S A
AU  - Carvalho, Carlos A L B
AU  - Abib, Simone
AU  - Mooney, David P
AU  - Alonso, Nivaldo
TI  - Delivery of essential pediatric congenital surgical care within Brazil’s universal health coverage system: a national survey of pediatric surgeons
AID  - 10.1136/wjps-2022-000534
DP  - 2023 Jul 01
TA  - World Journal of Pediatric Surgery
PG  - e000534
VI  - 6
IP  - 3
4099  - http://wjps.bmj.com/content/6/3/e000534.short
4100  - http://wjps.bmj.com/content/6/3/e000534.full
SO  - World Jnl Ped Surgery2023 Jul 01; 6
AB  - Objective In this study, we assess the delivery of congenital pediatric surgical care under Brazil’s system of universal health coverage and evaluate differences in delivery between public and private sectors.Methods A cross-sectional national survey of pediatric surgeons in Brazil was conducted. Participants were asked which of 23 interventions identified through the Disease Control Priorities 3 (Surgical Interventions for Congenital Anomalies) they perform and to report barriers faced while providing surgical care. Responses were weighted by state and stratified by sector (public vs private).Results A sample of 352 responses was obtained and weighted to represent 1378 practicing pediatric surgeons registered in Brazil during the survey time. 73% spend the majority of their time working in the public sector (‘Sistema Único de Saúde’ and Foundation hospitals), and most of them also work in the private sector. Generally, Brazilian pediatric surgeons have the expertise to provide thoracic, abdominal, and urologic procedures. Surgeons working mostly in the public sector were more likely to report a lack of access to essential medications (25% vs 9%, p<0.01) and a lack of access to hospital beds for surgical patients (52% vs 32%, p<0.01).Conclusions Brazilian pediatric surgeons routinely perform thoracic, abdominal, and urologic surgery. Those working in government-financed hospitals face barriers related to infrastructure, which may impact Brazilians who rely on Brazil’s universal health coverage system. Policies that support pediatric surgeons working in the public sector may promote the workforce available to provide congenital pediatric surgical care.Data are available upon reasonable request. We did not include all data generated from the surveys as supplemental material; however, the entire survey instrument is included and relevant data to what is presented in the manuscript are included.