Patient-Centered Surgical Care for Children in Low and Lower-Middle Income Countries (LMICs) - A Systematic Scoping Review of the Literature

In brief

This systematic scoping review examines how patient-centered care principles are implemented in pediatric surgical settings across low and lower-middle income countries, addressing a significant gap in the literature that has predominantly focused on high-income nations. The work characterizes adoption patterns of core PCC domains to inform equitable surgical care delivery for children in resource-limited settings.

• Patient-centered care research in pediatric surgery is heavily skewed toward high-income countries, creating knowledge gaps for LMICs.
• Key PCC domains (communication, family involvement, cultural sensitivity) are underexplored in LMIC pediatric surgical settings.
• Systematic review identifies barriers to implementing patient-centered approaches in resource-limited surgical environments.
• Evidence base for adapting PCC frameworks to LMIC contexts remains limited, highlighting need for region-specific research.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.