Pediatric nephrology workforce in Latin America.
Pediatric nephrology workforce issues were examined in a Latin American survey involving 14 countries. The number of children under 15 years per pediatric nephrologist varied widely among countries: Argentina, Cuba, Venezuela, and Uruguay had an unusually high number of pediatric nephrologists. Guatemala represents the opposite end of the spectrum of values (1,582.6 thousand children under 15 years per pediatric nephrologist). A significant inverse correlation was found between children under 15 years per pediatric nephrologist and national gross domestic product per capita (r=-0.52, P<0.05) and a significant correlation between children per pediatric nephrologist and infant mortality (r=0.82, P<0.005, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient). The same correlations were observed for total population per pediatric nephrologist. However, the pediatric nephrology workforce does not merely reflect national economic status. Official health care policies, market forces, and social regulations also have an influence. A study of the number of pediatric nephrologists necessary for adequate planning of care of children with renal disease in Latin America is urgently needed.
Grünberg
J
J
Servicio de Nefrología de Niños y Adolescentes, Hospital Español, Montevideo, Uruguay.
D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D009398:Nephrology / Q000191:economics; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000191:economics; D000078329:Workforce