abstract: 'Point-of-care ultrasound has the potential to help inform assessment,

  diagnosis, and management of illness in low- and middle-income countries

  (LMIC). To better understand current ultrasound use, barriers and

  facilitators to use, and perceptions and practices in LMIC, we conducted

  an anonymous online global survey targeting healthcare providers

  training and using ultrasound in LMIC. A total of 241 respondents

  representing 62 countries participated and most were physicians working

  in publicly-funded urban tertiary hospitals in LMIC. Most had received

  ultrasound training (78\%), reported expertise (65\%) and confidence

  (90\%) in ultrasound use, and had access to ultrasound (88\%), utilizing

  ultrasound most commonly for procedures and for evaluations of lungs,

  heart, and trauma. Access to an ultrasound machine was reported as both

  the top barrier (17\%) and top facilitator (53\%); other common barriers

  included access to education and training, cost, and competition for use

  and other common facilitators included access to a probe, gel, and

  electricity, and acceptance by healthcare providers, administrators, and

  patients. Most (80\%) noted ultrasound access was important and 96\%

  agreed that ultrasound improves quality of care and patient outcomes.

  Improving access to low-cost ultrasound equipment is critical to

  increasing ultrasound use among those who are trained.'
affiliation: 'Ginsburg, AS (Corresponding Author), Univ Washington, Clin Trials Ctr,
  Dept Biostat, Bldg 29,Suite 250, 6200 NE 74th St, Seattle, WA 98115 USA.

  Ginsburg, Amy Sarah; May, Susanne, Univ Washington, Clin Trials Ctr, Dept Biostat,
  Bldg 29,Suite 250, 6200 NE 74th St, Seattle, WA 98115 USA.

  Liddy, Zylee, Univ Washington, Dept Genet Epidemiol, Seattle, WA USA.

  Khazaneh, Parsa T., McMaster Univ, Michael G DeGroote Sch Med, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

  Pervaiz, Farhan, McMaster Univ, Dept Family Med, Div Emergency Med, Hamilton, ON,
  Canada.'
author: Ginsburg, Amy Sarah and Liddy, Zylee and Khazaneh, Parsa T. and May, Susanne
  and Pervaiz, Farhan
author-email: messageforamy@gmail.com
author_list:
- family: Ginsburg
  given: Amy Sarah
- family: Liddy
  given: Zylee
- family: Khazaneh
  given: Parsa T.
- family: May
  given: Susanne
- family: Pervaiz
  given: Farhan
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-30454-w
files: []
issn: 2045-2322
journal: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
keywords-plus: OF-CARE ULTRASOUND; OBSTETRIC ULTRASOUND
language: English
month: FEB 27
number: '1'
number-of-cited-references: '46'
papis_id: 8a2dea7c76c732b04de6b722c8eff916
ref: Ginsburg2023surveybarriers
times-cited: '0'
title: A survey of barriers and facilitators to ultrasound use in low- and middle-income
  countries
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000986236800021
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '0'
volume: '13'
web-of-science-categories: Multidisciplinary Sciences
year: '2023'