A 50-year-old man presents to a clinic in Cameroon with abdominal pain. On further questioning, you learn that he lives 60 miles from the nearest hospital and has not seen a physician in years. The patient is counseled regarding screening colonoscopy, which he undergoes and multiple polyps are noted. The patient is referred to for surgery. Factors which must be considered that impact surgical services include:
A. Socioeconomic status of the patient and cultural backgroundThree factors, among many others, that must be considered when planning surgical care in low-resource settings are listed above. It is important for surgeons to understand and acknowledge their patients circumstances and customs while considering the physical and human resources of their environment. Safe and effective surgical care in low-resource setting requires careful attention to several fields traditionally outside of surgical training-such as logistics, business, public policy, engineering, and public health.