Disparities in access to quality surgical care for women in resource-constrained settings: Bottlenecks and the way forward

Authors

  • Usama Waqar Aga Khan University
  • Shaheer Ahmed Medical College, Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Hareem Rauf Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Ayesha Nasir Hameed Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Hina Inam Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.AKU-17

Abstract

Women seeking surgical care are burdened with gender disparities, particularly in resource-limited settings. Such disparities can lead to women often presenting late with advanced disease and poor prognoses. The current narrative review was planned to find evidence for gender disparities, their implications, challenges faced by women seeking surgical care, and strategies to address them. Potentiating from interplay between various societal, sociocultural, and economic barriers, the main challenges included inadequate autonomy, financial constraints, transport and referral issues, lack of experienced women surgeons, privacy concerns, surgeon distrust, and higher thresholds for seeking care. While research revealed these underlying causes, much work remains for governmental healthcare bodies, the international community, surgical leadership, policymakers, surgeons, and family members of patients to act on the highlighted issues.

Continuous...

Published

2022-02-08

How to Cite

Waqar, U., Shaheer Ahmed, Hareem Rauf, Ayesha Nasir Hameed, & Hina Inam. (2022). Disparities in access to quality surgical care for women in resource-constrained settings: Bottlenecks and the way forward. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 72(01). https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.AKU-17

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