Strategies to Optimize Global Cleft Care

Ahmed, Mairaj K.; Xue, Yunfeng; Ayub, Ayisha

doi:10.5772/67186

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…1 CL/P represents the most common congenital craniofacial deformity with a global prevalence of one in 1000 to 1500. 2,3 It has been well demonstrated that a child on the cleft care continuum should receive care and support at every point in their development to address the complex medical and surgical needs as they reach adulthood. 4 However, patients in LMICs may have difficulty in accessing even the first point of care in reconstructive cleft repair.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Global Cleft Care Initiatives Among the Top Searched Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Reddy

Shah

Weissman

et al. 2023

The Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal

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Objective International outreach for cleft lip and/or palate care has traditionally been characterized by foreign groups and individuals holding surgical outreach trips in low- and middle-income countries. However, this “magic bullet” approach has often been criticized for prioritizing short-term results that may disrupt local workflow. The presence and impact of local organizations that support cleft care and take on capacity building initiatives has not been well explored. Design Eight countries previously studied as having the highest Google search demand for CL/P were chosen for the scope of the study. Local NGOs in regions were identified through a web search, and information was collected regarding the location, objectives, partnerships, and work conducted thus far. Results Countries with a strong combination of local and international organizations included Ghana, Philippines, Nepal, Kenya, Pakistan, India, and Nigeria. The country with minimal to no local NGO presence included Zimbabwe. Local NGOs often supported education and research, training of providers and staff, spreading community awareness, offering interdisciplinary care, and opening cleft clinics and hospitals. Unique initiatives included starting the first school for children with CL/P, enrolling patients in the national healthcare to cover CL/P care, and monitoring the referral system to improve efficiencies in the healthcare system. Conclusions Moving towards a mindset of capacity building not only involves bilateral partnerships between international host sites and visiting organizations, but also collaboration with local NGOs that have a deep understanding of local communities. Successful partnerships may help address the complex challenges regarding CL/P care faced by LMICs.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Global Cleft Care Initiatives Among the Top Searched Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Reddy

Shah

Weissman

et al. 2023

The Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) represents the world's most common craniofacial congenital anomaly with an estimated prevalence of 1.2 per 1000 people worldwide (Ahmed et al, 2017). However, the treatment of orofacial clefts remains a challenging issue for many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Cleft Lip and Palate Outreach: A Google Trends Analysis

Weissman

Reddy

Shah

et al. 2021

The Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal

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Understanding patient awareness of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and evaluating demand for necessary procedures may serve to better target future efforts in global outreach. We utilized internet search query data from Google Trends for the terms: “cleft lip,” “cleft palate,” “cleft lip and palate,” “cleft surgery,” and “cleft repair” from January 2004 to January 2021. Relative search volumes (RSV) recorded for the top 5 highest displaying countries and top 3 available regions within those countries were compared against global outreach by Operation Smile and Smile Train, as measured by the number of patients treated. World Health Organization (WHO) indicators were used to validate the RSV values for each country and better understand the current infrastructure and need for cleft care in those countries. Globally, there was an increase in RSV for the terms “cleft lip,” “cleft palate,” “cleft repair,” and “cleft surgery” between 2004 and 2021. For “cleft lip,” the countries with the highest displaying RSVs included: Ghana (100%), Zimbabwe (97%), Nepal (78%), the Philippines (64%), and Kenya (52%). Countries with high RSVs and moderate to high WHO indicators included Ghana, Kenya, India, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. Countries with high RSVs and poor WHO indicators included Nepal and Pakistan. Some countries had specific regions with high search demand that are not currently targeted for global outreach. Using Google Trends’ data may help find more feasible locations and targeted care for efforts in global outreach with better patient awareness and turnout where demand for CL/P is increasing.

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Strategies to Optimize Global Cleft Care

Cited by 2 publications

References 16 publications

Evaluation of Global Cleft Care Initiatives Among the Top Searched Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Evaluation of Global Cleft Care Initiatives Among the Top Searched Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Global Cleft Lip and Palate Outreach: A Google Trends Analysis

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