Impact of Initial Healthcare Setting and Family Caregiving Structure on Pediatric Appendicitis Outcomes in Resource-Limited Settings: A 10-Year Retrospective Cohort Study with External Validation

jpedsurg.org

Acute appendicitis is a common pediatric surgical emergency worldwide. Misdiagnosis and perforation remain frequent, particularly among younger children in low- and middle-income countries. Prior studies have explored healthcare access or caregiving structures separately, but few long-term, large-sample retrospective studies in resource-limited settings have assessed their combined impact.

jpedsurg.org shows its articles on its own site.

Read the article on jpedsurg.org ↗

Article · Sep 2025 · 1 min read

In brief

This 10-year retrospective cohort study examines how initial healthcare contact point and family caregiving structures jointly influence appendicitis outcomes in children from resource-limited settings. The research addresses critical gaps in understanding perforation risk factors in low- and middle-income countries where delayed diagnosis remains common.

Misdiagnosis and perforation rates in pediatric appendicitis remain elevated in low- and middle-income countries, especially in younger children.
Initial healthcare setting (primary vs. tertiary) significantly influences time to diagnosis and complication rates in resource-limited contexts.
Family caregiving structure affects care-seeking behavior and delays, impacting perforation risk at presentation.
Combined assessment of healthcare access and caregiving reveals synergistic effects on outcomes not captured by single-factor analyses.
Long-term retrospective data with external validation strengthens evidence for targeted interventions in resource-constrained pediatric surgery.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.

Read it at the source ↗