Kiran J Agarwal-Harding1,2, Ami Kapadia3, Leonard Ngoie Banza4, Mabvuto Chawinga4, Nyengo Mkandawire5,6, John Y Kwon7,8. 1. Harvard Global Orthopaedics Collaborative, Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program, Boston, Massachusetts. 2. The Orthopaedic and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 3. University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine, Dallas, Texas. 4. Department of Orthopedics, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi. 5. Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi. 6. College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi. 7. Division of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Department of Orthopaedics, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 8. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The burden of musculoskeletal trauma is increasing worldwide, especially in low-income countries such as Malawi. Ankle fractures are common in Malawi and may receive suboptimal treatment due to inadequate surgical capacity and limited provider knowledge of evidence-based treatment guidelines. METHODS: This study was conducted in 3 phases. First, we assessed Malawian orthopaedic providers' understanding of anatomy, injury identification, and treatment methods. Second, we observed Malawian providers' treatment strategies for adults with ankle fractures presenting to a central hospital. These patients' radiographs underwent blinded, post hoc review by 3 U.S.-based orthopaedic surgeons and a Malawian orthopaedic surgeon, whose treatment recommendations were compared with actual treatments rendered by Malawian providers. Third, an educational course addressing knowledge deficits was implemented. We assessed post-course knowledge and introduced a standardized management protocol, specific to the Malawian context. RESULTS: In Phase 1, deficits in injury identification, ideal treatment practices, and treatment standardization were identified. In Phase 2, 17 (35%) of 49 patients met operative criteria but did not undergo a surgical procedure, mainly because of resource limitations and provider failure to recognize unstable injuries. In Phase 3, 51 (84%) of 61 participants improved their overall performance between the pre-course and post-course assessments. Participants answered a mean of 32.4 (66%) of 49 questions correctly pre-course and 37.7 (77%) of 49 questions correctly post-course, a significant improvement of 5.2 more questions (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8 to 6.6 questions; p < 0.001) answered correctly. Providers were able to identify 1 more injury correctly of 8 injuries (mean, 1.1 questions [95% CI, 0.6 to 1.6 questions]; p < 0.001) and to identify 1 more ideal treatment of the 7 that were tested (mean, 1.0 question [95% CI, 0.5 to 1.4 questions]; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Adult ankle fractures in Malawi were predominantly treated nonoperatively despite often meeting evidence-based criteria for surgery. This was due to resource limitations, knowledge deficits, and lack of treatment standardization. We demonstrated a comprehensive approach to examining the challenges of providing adequate orthopaedic care in a resource-limited setting and the successful implementation of an educational intervention to improve care delivery. This approach can be adapted for other conditions to improve orthopaedic care in low-resource settings.
BACKGROUND: The burden of musculoskeletal trauma is increasing worldwide, especially in low-income countries such as Malawi. Ankle fractures are common in Malawi and may receive suboptimal treatment due to inadequate surgical capacity and limited provider knowledge of evidence-based treatment guidelines. METHODS: This study was conducted in 3 phases. First, we assessed Malawian orthopaedic providers' understanding of anatomy, injury identification, and treatment methods. Second, we observed Malawian providers' treatment strategies for adults with ankle fractures presenting to a central hospital. These patients' radiographs underwent blinded, post hoc review by 3 U.S.-based orthopaedic surgeons and a Malawian orthopaedic surgeon, whose treatment recommendations were compared with actual treatments rendered by Malawian providers. Third, an educational course addressing knowledge deficits was implemented. We assessed post-course knowledge and introduced a standardized management protocol, specific to the Malawian context. RESULTS: In Phase 1, deficits in injury identification, ideal treatment practices, and treatment standardization were identified. In Phase 2, 17 (35%) of 49 patients met operative criteria but did not undergo a surgical procedure, mainly because of resource limitations and provider failure to recognize unstable injuries. In Phase 3, 51 (84%) of 61 participants improved their overall performance between the pre-course and post-course assessments. Participants answered a mean of 32.4 (66%) of 49 questions correctly pre-course and 37.7 (77%) of 49 questions correctly post-course, a significant improvement of 5.2 more questions (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8 to 6.6 questions; p < 0.001) answered correctly. Providers were able to identify 1 more injury correctly of 8 injuries (mean, 1.1 questions [95% CI, 0.6 to 1.6 questions]; p < 0.001) and to identify 1 more ideal treatment of the 7 that were tested (mean, 1.0 question [95% CI, 0.5 to 1.4 questions]; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Adult ankle fractures in Malawi were predominantly treated nonoperatively despite often meeting evidence-based criteria for surgery. This was due to resource limitations, knowledge deficits, and lack of treatment standardization. We demonstrated a comprehensive approach to examining the challenges of providing adequate orthopaedic care in a resource-limited setting and the successful implementation of an educational intervention to improve care delivery. This approach can be adapted for other conditions to improve orthopaedic care in low-resource settings.
Authors: Kiran J Agarwal-Harding; Linda C Chokotho; Nyengo C Mkandawire; Claude Martin; Elena Losina; Jeffrey N Katz Journal: J Bone Joint Surg Am Date: 2019-05-15 Impact factor: 5.284
Authors: Carlos Varela; Sven Young; Reinou Groen; Leonard Banza; Nyengo C Mkandawire; Asgaut Viste Journal: Malawi Med J Date: 2017-09 Impact factor: 0.875
Authors: Kiran J Agarwal-Harding; Linda Chokotho; Sven Young; Nyengo Mkandawire; Mabvuto Chawinga; Elena Losina; Jeffrey N Katz Journal: PLoS One Date: 2019-11-20 Impact factor: 3.240
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Seth Flaxman; Louise Flood; Kyle Foreman; Mohammad H Forouzanfar; Francis Gerry R Fowkes; Richard Franklin; Marlene Fransen; Michael K Freeman; Belinda J Gabbe; Sherine E Gabriel; Emmanuela Gakidou; Hammad A Ganatra; Bianca Garcia; Flavio Gaspari; Richard F Gillum; Gerhard Gmel; Richard Gosselin; Rebecca Grainger; Justina Groeger; Francis Guillemin; David Gunnell; Ramyani Gupta; Juanita Haagsma; Holly Hagan; Yara A Halasa; Wayne Hall; Diana Haring; Josep Maria Haro; James E Harrison; Rasmus Havmoeller; Roderick J Hay; Hideki Higashi; Catherine Hill; Bruno Hoen; Howard Hoffman; Peter J Hotez; Damian Hoy; John J Huang; Sydney E Ibeanusi; Kathryn H Jacobsen; Spencer L James; Deborah Jarvis; Rashmi Jasrasaria; Sudha Jayaraman; Nicole Johns; Jost B Jonas; Ganesan Karthikeyan; Nicholas Kassebaum; Norito Kawakami; Andre Keren; Jon-Paul Khoo; Charles H King; Lisa Marie Knowlton; Olive Kobusingye; Adofo Koranteng; Rita Krishnamurthi; Ratilal Lalloo; Laura L Laslett; Tim Lathlean; Janet L Leasher; 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Authors: Elijah Mlinde; Lahin M Amlani; Collin J May; Leonard N Banza; Linda Chokotho; Kiran J Agarwal-Harding Journal: JB JS Open Access Date: 2021-08-11