TY - JOUR
T1 - The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Functionality of International Surgical Volunteer Organizations
AU - Lyons, Spencer
AU - Xu, Amy L.
AU - Durand, Wesley M.
AU - Patel, Shyam
AU - Oni, Julius K.
AU - Babu, Jacob M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Lyons, Xu, Durand, Patel, Oni and Babu.
PY - 2022/4/6
Y1 - 2022/4/6
N2 - Background: Surgical volunteer organizations have been severely limited during the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic. Our purpose was to identify obstacles to surgical volunteer organizations secondary to COVID-19 and their responses. Methods: Forty-one surgical volunteer organizations participated in a web-based survey (156 invited, 26% response rate). Respondents were separated into two groups: low donations surgical volunteer organizations (≤50% donations of previous year; n = 17) and high donations surgical volunteer organizations (≥75%; n = 24). Univariate analyses were used to compare the two cohorts. Results: Of responding surgical volunteer organizations, 34 (83%) were unable to maintain full functionality due to COVID-19; 27% of high donations vs. 0% of low donations surgical volunteer organizations (p = 0.02). The three leading obstacles were finances/donations (78%), fewer volunteers (38%), and inadequate personal protective equipment (30%). In response, 39% of surgical volunteer organizations developed novel E-volunteering opportunities. For support, 85% of surgical volunteer organizations suggested monetary donations, 78% promotion through social media platforms, and 54% donation of personal protective equipment. Conclusion: The majority of surgical volunteer organizations were unable to maintain full functionality due to stressors caused by COVID-19, including limitations on finances, volunteers, and personal protective equipment.
AB - Background: Surgical volunteer organizations have been severely limited during the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic. Our purpose was to identify obstacles to surgical volunteer organizations secondary to COVID-19 and their responses. Methods: Forty-one surgical volunteer organizations participated in a web-based survey (156 invited, 26% response rate). Respondents were separated into two groups: low donations surgical volunteer organizations (≤50% donations of previous year; n = 17) and high donations surgical volunteer organizations (≥75%; n = 24). Univariate analyses were used to compare the two cohorts. Results: Of responding surgical volunteer organizations, 34 (83%) were unable to maintain full functionality due to COVID-19; 27% of high donations vs. 0% of low donations surgical volunteer organizations (p = 0.02). The three leading obstacles were finances/donations (78%), fewer volunteers (38%), and inadequate personal protective equipment (30%). In response, 39% of surgical volunteer organizations developed novel E-volunteering opportunities. For support, 85% of surgical volunteer organizations suggested monetary donations, 78% promotion through social media platforms, and 54% donation of personal protective equipment. Conclusion: The majority of surgical volunteer organizations were unable to maintain full functionality due to stressors caused by COVID-19, including limitations on finances, volunteers, and personal protective equipment.
KW - COVID-19
KW - international healthcare
KW - low- and middle-income countries (LMIC)
KW - surgical volunteer organizations
KW - survey
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U2 - 10.3389/fsurg.2022.868023
DO - 10.3389/fsurg.2022.868023
M3 - Article
C2 - 35465436
AN - SCOPUS:85128619258
SN - 2296-875X
VL - 9
JO - Frontiers in Surgery
JF - Frontiers in Surgery
M1 - 868023
ER -