BethanyKids at Kijabe Hospital, Box 20, Kijabe 00220, Kenya; 14-485 Green Road, Stoney Creek, ON L8E 6A7, Canada
Poenaru, D., BethanyKids at Kijabe Hospital, Box 20, Kijabe 00220, Kenya, 14-485 Green Road, Stoney Creek, ON L8E 6A7, Canada
Background: The study measured the success of SmileTrain, the largest cleft charity globally, in alleviating the global burden of disease (GBD). It was done by estimating averted disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and delayed averted DALYs because of the global backlog in cleft procedures. Methods: Anonymized data for all procedures in the SmileTrain global database were analyzed by age, sex, country, region, and surgery type. DALYs averted were calculated using life expectancy tables and established and estimated disability weights. The cost-effectiveness analysis used mean SmileTrain procedural disbursement figures. Sensitivity analysis was performed using various cleft incidence rates, life expectancy tables, and disability weights. Results: During 2003-2010 a total of 536,846 operations were performed on 364,467 patients - 86 % in Southeast Asia and the western Pacific region. Procedure numbers increased yearly. Mean age at primary surgery - 6.2 years (9.8 years in Africa) - remained fairly constant over time in each region. Globally, 2.1-4.7 million DALYs were averted through the operations at a total estimated cost of US$196 M. Mean DALYs per patient were 3.8-9.0, and mean cost per DALY was $72-$134. Total delayed GBD due to advanced age at surgery was 191,000-457,000 DALYs. Conclusions: Despite an unparalleled number of surgeries performed and yearly increase by one charity, the unmet and delayed averted cleft GBD remains significant in all regions. Large geographic disparities reflect varied challenges regarding access to surgery. Cleft surgeries are cost-effective interventions to reduce the global burden of disease (GBD). Future challenges include increased collaboration among cleft care providers and a focus on remote global areas by building infrastructure and local training. © 2012 Société Internationale de Chirurgie.
child; cleft palate; cost benefit analysis; cost of illness; economics; evaluation study; female; health; health care delivery; health care disparity; human; infant; international cooperation; life expectancy; life table; male; organization and management; plastic surgery; preschool child; procedures; program evaluation; social welfare; standards; statistics and numerical data; article; cleft palate; methodology; plastic surgery; standard; statistics; Charities; Child; Child, Preschool; Cleft Palate; Cost of Illness; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Female; Global Health; Health Services Accessibility; Healthcare Disparities; Humans; Infant; International Cooperation; Life Expectancy; Life Tables; Male; Program Evaluation; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures; Charities; Child; Child, Preschool; Cleft Palate; Cost of Illness; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Female; Health Services Accessibility; Healthcare Disparities; Humans; Infant; International Cooperation; Life Expectancy; Life Tables; Male; Program Evaluation; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures; World Health