Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35859268›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of craniofacial surgery

Association of Patient Factors and Follow-Up in an International Volunteer Cleft Lip and Palate Repair Clinic in El Salvador.

Joshua M Van Swol, Bethany J Wolf, Nur B Annan, Usama S Hamdan, Krishna G Patel

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of craniofacial surgery. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 39% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. A Comparative Study of Cleft Management in Different Economic Settings: United States Versus Guatemala.The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association · 2026
    Article
  2. Burden of Travel is not Associated with Adherence to Follow-up Appointments - A Call for Centralization of Cleft Care in Germany.The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Joshua M Van SwolCollege of Medicine.
Bethany J WolfDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
Nur B AnnanGlobal Smile Foundation, Norwood.
Usama S HamdanDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
Krishna G PatelDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
Medical University of South Carolina · USSmile Train · USTufts University · US

Funding

South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute (SCTR)UL1TR001450 · NCATS · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI BRADY, KATHLEEN T., FLUME, PATRICK A · 2015 to 2024
$41.1M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001450
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn countries which lack robust health care systems, congenital conditions such as cleft lip and/or palate deformities are often untreated in certain individuals. Many volunteer organizations have stepped in to fill this gap but certain factors, such as continuity of care, are yet to be studied for these clinics.

methodsThis is a retrospective cohort study of 167 pediatric patients with cleft lip and/or palate residing in El Salvador treated by a nongovernmental organizations between 2011 and 2020. This data was used in univariate and multivariable models to associate particular patient factors to their likelihood of following up to their annual clinic visits.

resultsEach 1-year increase in duration of follow-up was associated with a 27% decrease in the odds of attending a visit. In addition, 33.7% of cleft lip and 49.7% of cleft palate/cleft lip and palate patients returned at least once. Males had 36% higher odds of attending a return visit compared with females but this difference was not statistically significant. Time spent travelling to the clinic had no effect on follow-up rates.

conclusionNongovernmental organizations utilizing a diagonal care model should consider using more strategies to maximize continuity of care by increasing communication with patients and emphasizing the need of following up during clinic visits. Continued and increased collaboration with the local team is also of great importance.

Indexed as

Cleft LipCleft PalateChildEl SalvadorFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesVolunteers

Identifiers

PMID35859268
PMCPMC10276331
OpenAlexW4286491125

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.