Merlis P Alvarez-Berrios, Gabriele Haynes
Puerto Rican Students Rising in STEM: Findings from a Multicampus Collaborative CURE Program to Promote Student Success
CBE life sciences education
limited research addressed barriers impeding access surgical care pediatric patients hydrocephalus identify priorities enhancing access pediatric hydrocephalus surgical care address healthcare disparities essential understand level access care influence socioeconomic status ses maternal health literacy study authors aimed assess level access surgical care determine frequency 2week delay seeking reaching receiving care investigate influence parental ses maternal health literacy delays observational prospective cohort study involved data collection sample 100 pediatric patients aged 5 years hydrocephalus mothers including information family ses education occupational economic status maternal health literacy assessed using brief health literacy screen bhls questionnaire three delays framework lancet commission global surgery categorizing delays seeking care reaching care definitive care provided structured approach analyzing access delays statistical significance set p 005 among pediatric patients maletofemale ratio 171 median age 15 months none patients insurance coverage included surgical treatment significantly low number patients accessed care within 2 weeks seeking care duration 34 reaching care duration 15 definitive care duration 1 median time definitive surgical treatment entire study population 14 weeks upper ses median 63 weeks middle ses median 98 weeks lower ses median 167 weeks cox proportional hazards regression hazard ratio 0046 95 ci 00100210 obtained multiple linear regression analysis identified bhls brief 0335 p 0001 ses 0389 p 0001 predictor variables delays seeking care definitive care respectively ses 0446 p 0001 evans index 0233 p 0010 predictor variables delays reaching care maternal health literacy ses identified factors associated delays accessing neurosurgical care pediatric patients hydrocephalus reduce disparities pediatric hydrocephalus care essential implement strategies promote education improve healthcare infrastructure provide support families encountering challenges related low ses limited maternal health literacy