Introduction:
Global surgical interventions are a neglected, yet desperately needed, facet of global public health. Common global health approaches, such as prevention of disease through vaccination, are an absolute necessity. However, surgery is often overlooked as a sustainable, effective intervention because of erroneous beliefs about cost efficiency and fears over inadequate infrastructure. While these problems can hamper effective surgical interventions, this paper aims to show that global surgery can be an effective measure to address treatment and prevention of disease, as well as other ailments. Herein, the necessity of surgery within a global health context will be considered through a discussion of its history, its importance in the developing world, successful surgical interventions, and the complexity of implementation. Evidence will also be presented that surgery is not only important to increase quality of life in a cost-effective manner for underserved populations, but also because it forces global public health officials and funders to consider the structural imbalances that lead to ailments treated and/or prevented by this branch of medicine.
Intended Audience:
Governments, NGOs, and private individuals with the money and interest in global health.
Background:
Surgery is “the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disease, injury, and deformity by operation or manipulation” (WHO 2014). However, this definition by the World Health Organization
Health care expenditure has been rising steadily due to a variety of factors that in most nations add on to the challenges of an already complex system. In an environment of limited financial resources, increased longevity and innovative health technology providing ever increasing options for care, defining healthcare funding and delivery arrangements within the framework of equity and efficiency poses a global challenge. Advances in medicine and technology in the last decade has further increased the gap between the economic growth and the growth in health expenditure. Governments all over the world have an instrumental role in slowing down the growth in health expenditure without negatively affecting the health outcomes particularly
“Without a lifespan view of women’s health… we are unlikely to be successful in advancing women’s health” (Woods 2009, pg. 400). A Global Health Imperative (2009) by author Nancy Fugate Woods explains the issues about health status and opportunities for the health of girl-children world-wide, which includes sex and gender disparities. Girl and women’s health is important, but just not as important as men’s health. Woods gives example of women’s health issues that are extremely serious. “Health issues or problems that occur predominantly in women are breast cancer and menopause” (Woods 2009, pg. 400). Women all over the world have the risk of getting breast cancer, HIV and Aids. Women that are affected by these diseases in some countries may
Prior to 1950 surgery was a practice that had many spots that people could not do surgery on because it could easily get infected “Entering the abdomen, for instance, was regarded with reproach — attempts had proved almost uniformly fatal. The chest and joints were also out of reach. The primary remit of surgery was therefore the management of external conditions, and medicine dealt with the internal ones (hence the term “internal medicine,” which persists to this day).”(Atul Gawande, 2012)
A surgical procedure is medical treatment that involves a physician cutting into a patient’s body to repair or remove something. Surgery procedures have existed since prehistoric man. In 1540 C.E. barbers and surgeons united to form The United Barber-Surgeons Company. These barber-surgeons performed tooth extractions and bloodletting procedures. As our knowledge grows, so do our abilities. Some procedures such as tracheostomy, described in detail by Paul of Aegina (625-690 AD), remain pertinent today while others
1) According to the World Health Organization (WHO), how could at least half a million deaths due to surgical error be prevented every year?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the principal government agency in the United States working to improve the health of all Americans despite their economic, social and educational status. HHS has identified three national goals of global health, including strengthen health care, advance scientific knowledge and innovation, and advance the health, safety and well-being of Americans (Secretary, 2014). The first goal to strengthen healthcare refers to HHS's push in making health insurance affordable for all Americans. This will increase access to preventative care as well as ensuring assess to high quality, culturally competent care. This goal focuses on improving transitions in care across the continuum, which in
As the ASC continued to grow in response to the increasing number of members, the procedures that were internalized not only increased, and were more complex. During that that time of expansion, I help strengthen the collaboration among ASC leadership and personnel to ensure that all surgical initiative is a success. In my role as perioperative educator, I spearheaded the development, implementation and evaluation of training and education via clinical simulation of procedures internalized in the ASC in 2015.
Global health issue can be defined as health problems, issues, and concerning subjects that transcend international boundaries and are addressed by cooperative, multidisciplinary approached actions and solutions (Macfarlane, Jacobs, & Kaaya, 2008). Health issue shifts to a global health issue when a concerning subject inclines to influence global population (Koplan et al., 2009). Health issues need multidisciplinary approach in order to create care plan that fits for that population before it inclines to global health issue (Marusic, 2013. In situations where health issues as inclined to global health issues, it still needs multidisciplinary approach to create global care plan. Multidisciplinary approach many include international
Global health is defined as “health problems, issues, or concerns that transcend national borders” (Institute of Medicine, 1997, p. 2). Koplan (2009) proposed a new definition for global health which he described as an “area for study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide” (para, 7). Global health emphasizes transnational health issues, determinants, and solutions from an interdisciplinary perspective and blends population health and clinical care.
Most people do not think about or even know of how surgery came to be what it is today and even if they did know, they would not really care or think it matters. Well, they're wrong, because if it wasn't for the ancient times and eras such as the reconstruction period, surgery
In chapter twelve, Snarr talks breakdown the global issue of health. The chapter broadens the definition of healthcare to not only just fighting off diseases, but also takes the well being of human being into consideration. The major problems we encounter today in the world are in nutritional health, infectious diseases, reproductive health, and mental health issues. The chapter also breaks down each major problem and how it might have different effects based on the regions, and the role of education in healthcare. We see throughout the chapter how problems affect the developed countries and the developing countries differently. Finally, the chapter shows the success of treatment and the ongoing battle that the world is dealing with today.
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Plastic surgery is split up into two different categories: reconstructive and cosmetic. Reconstructive surgery is repairing the body due to injury, disease, or birth defect (facial fractures, tumors, cleft palates, burns etc.). Cosmetic surgery is classified as enhancing a person physical appearance according to their desired look (facelifts, nose jobs, tummy tucks and so on). A plastic surgeon can chose to reduce their practice to one of these categories or specialize in one certain area of the body, however each doctor must be trained in working with every type of body tissue; skin, muscle, fat, and nerve tissues (Biologist).
The definition of plastic surgery can be resumed as the process of rearing parts of the body. This process is typically recognized by the transfer of tissue, either in the treatment of injury or for cosmetic reasons. When idealizing plastic surgery, majority of the people think of it only as a change of personal appearance. For example, breast augmentation or liposuction. Plastic surgery aides people who have gotten burned, by replacing the burned skin with other tissue from another part of the body.
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