Access to specialist plastic surgery in rural vs. Urban areas of Africa

Abstract

Introduction: Plastic surgery is an essential yet underdeveloped field in many African nations, especially in rural areas. The demand for plastic surgery is increasing, but differences in access to respective services between rural and urban domiciles remain ever existent, despite the exponentiation of trauma, burns, and congenital disorders. According to this review, urban areas have access to better facilities and specialized surgeons, while rural areas frequently lack infrastructure, educated healthcare personnel, and medical resources. This review compares the quality and accessibility of plastic surgery services in African rural and urban settings in order to determine the variables influencing said differences in access.

Methods: This literature review was performed using electronic search databases comprising PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Africa Journals online (AJOL). Regional medical journals were also reviewed using keywords and associated Boolean operators pertaining to "plastic surgery", "plastic surgery in rural" and plastic surgery in urban" by selecting studies based on their relevance and content quality. Studies focusing on plastic surgery in Africa were included. A total of 37 articles were analyzed to provide insights into the disparities between rural and urban access to plastic surgery services in Africa. Studies not focusing on plastic surgery were excluded.

Results: The review highlighted significant disparities in access to plastic surgery services between Africa's rural and urban areas. Rural areas usually lack medical resources, specialized surgeons, infrastructure, while urban areas have access to better facilities and specialized surgeons. Urban regions not only hail more training opportunities for surgeons but also foster further specialized facilities, greater training options, access to modern surgical equipment, sterile facilities and advanced instruments, contributing to clinical and surgical excellence alongside patient satisfaction and outcomes. However, there is a scarcity of qualified plastic surgeons in rural regions, including antiquated technology and a dearth of resources and expertise. Besides, socioeconomic variables that hinder said indifference between rural and urban areas, such as poverty, education, money, and cultural attitudes, precipitated limited access to critical surgical intervention in rural populations.

Conclusion: Further research should be done on how plastic surgery services differ in urban and rural areas. Availability of financial expertise and specialists who can provide specialized care in rural settings is recommended. To enhance patient outcomes, the implementation of technological innovation, improved healthcare infrastructure, and effective training initiatives should be implemented in rural Africa. Also, in the field of plastic surgery, emphasizing the use of telemedicine and mobile surgical units may aid universal healthcare for residents in rural domiciles. Significant progress towards ensuring equitable access to high-quality plastic surgery in rural Africa may be achieved through these initiatives.

Keywords: Plastic surgery; Rural healthcare; Surgical care access; Urban healthcare.

Fig. 1

Training levels of plastic surgeons in rural vs. Urban settings

Fig. 2

Socioeconomic factors influencing access to plastic surgery in rural African areas

Fig. 3

A figure illustrating how telemedicine can enhance access to plastic surgery