ArticleBMJ open2016
Qualitative study exploring surgical team members' perception of patient safety in conflict-ridden Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Article in BMJ open, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- Availability of essential medicines in conflict-affected african regions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Conflict and health · 2026Review
- Patient safety culture in the operating room of African hospitals: a systematic review.Patient safety in surgery · 2026Review
- Unintentionally retained surgical gauze presenting as chronic infected fistula to the surgical wound: a report of two cases.Patient safety in surgery · 2025Article
- Addressing knowledge gaps in Surgical Safety Checklist use: statistical process control analysis of a surgical quality improvement programme in Ethiopia.The British journal of surgery · 2023Article
- Human Resources for Health in Conflict Affected Settings: A Scoping Review of Primary Peer Reviewed Publications 2016-2022.International journal of health policy and management · 2023Article
- Patient safety culture as perceived by operating room professionals: a mixed-methods study.BMC health services research · 2022Article
- The status and the factors that influence patient safety in health care institutions in Africa: A systematic review.PLOS global public health · 2022Article
- Exploring Patient Safety Culture in a Kuwaiti Secondary Care Setting: A qualitative study.Sultan Qaboos University medical journal · 2021Article
- Baseline Patient Safety Culture in Cameroon: Setting a Foundation for Trauma Quality Improvement.The Journal of surgical research · 2020Article
- Health care workers in conflict and post-conflict settings: Systematic mapping of the evidence.PloS one · 2020Article
- A Narrative Synthesis of Qualitative Studies Conducted to Assess Patient Safety Culture in Hospital Settings.Sultan Qaboos University medical journal · 2019Review
- Operations for Suspected Neoplasms in a Resource-Limited Setting: Experience and Challenges in the Eastern Democratic of Congo.World journal of surgery · 2018Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
objectiveTo identify potential barriers to patient safety (PS) interventions from the perspective of surgical team members working in an operating theatre in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
designIn-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using qualitative content analysis.
settingGovernmental referral teaching hospital in Eastern DRC.
participantsWe purposively selected 2-4 national and expatriate surgical team members from each specialisation. Of the 31 eligible surgical health workers (HWs), 17 volunteered to be interviewed.
resultsEconomics issues affected PS throughout the entire health system, from human resources and hospital management, to access to healthcare for patients. Surgical team members seemed embedded in a paternalistic organisational structure and blame culture accompanied by perceived inefficient support services and low salaries. The armed conflict did not only worsen these system failures, it also carried direct threats to patients and HWs, and resulted in complex indirect consequences compromising PS. The increased corruption within health organisations, and population impoverishment and substance abuse among health staff adversely altered safe care. Simultaneously, HWs' reported resilience and resourcefulness to address barrier to PS. Participants had varying views on external aid depending on its relevance.
conclusionsThe complex links between war and PS emphasise the importance of a comprehensive approach including occupational health to strengthen HWs' resilience, external clinical audits to limit corruption, and educational programmes in PS to support patient-centred care and address blame culture. Finally, improvement of equity in the health financing system seems essential to ensure access to healthcare and safe perioperative outcomes for all.
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