Global Critical Care: Moving Forward in Resource-Limited Settings

Caring for critically ill patients is challenging in resource-limited settings, where the burden of disease and mortality from potentially treatable illnesses is higher than in resource-rich areas. Barriers to delivering quality critical care in these settings include lack of epidemiologic data and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of global health Vol. 85; no. 1; p. 3
Main Authors: Diaz, Janet V., Riviello, Elisabeth D., Papali, Alfred, Adhikari, Neill K. J., Ferreira, Juliana C.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Ubiquity Press 22.01.2019
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ISSN:2214-9996, 2214-9996
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Caring for critically ill patients is challenging in resource-limited settings, where the burden of disease and mortality from potentially treatable illnesses is higher than in resource-rich areas. Barriers to delivering quality critical care in these settings include lack of epidemiologic data and context-specific evidence for medical decision-making, deficiencies in health systems organization and resources, and institutional obstacles to implementation of life-saving interventions. Potential solutions include the development of common definitions for intensive care unit (ICU), intensivist, and intensive care to create a universal ICU organization framework; development of educational programs for capacity building of health care professionals working in resource-limited settings; global prioritization of epidemiologic and clinical research in resource-limited settings to conduct timely and ethical studies in response to emerging threats; adaptation of international guidelines to promote implementation of evidence-based care; and strengthening of health systems that integrates these interventions. This manuscript reviews the field of global critical care, barriers to safe high-quality care, and potential solutions to existing challenges. We also suggest a roadmap for improving the treatment of critically ill patients in resource-limited settings.
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ISSN:2214-9996
2214-9996
DOI:10.5334/aogh.2413