OTHR-01. SNO 2020 DIVERSITY SURVEY: DEFINING DEMOGRAPHICS, RACIAL BIASES, CAREER SUCCESS METRICS AND A PATH FORWARD FOR THE FIELD OF NEURO-ONCOLOGY

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi151-vi151
Author(s):  
Ugonma Chukwueke ◽  
Elizabeth Vera ◽  
Alvina Acquaye ◽  
Shawn Hervey-Jumper ◽  
Yazmin Odia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Career Success ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Clinical Expertise ◽  
Modest Improvement ◽  
Asian Society ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Ethnic Biases ◽  
Racial Ethnic

Abstract BACKGROUND Neuro-oncology has grown tremendously since 2010, marked by increasing society membership, specialized clinical expertise, and new journals. Yet, modest improvement in racial/ethnic diversity amongst clinical trial participants, researchers and clinicians led us to conduct a survey identifying opportunities to enhance diversity and inclusiveness amongst neuro-oncology professionals. METHODS Summer 2020, the Women and Diversity Committee of the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) distributed an anonymous online survey to members and affiliates (European Association of Neuro-Oncology, Asian Society for Neuro-Oncology, Society for Neuro-Oncology Latin America and Society for Neuro-Oncology Sub-Saharan Africa). The survey captured personal and professional characteristics, biases, effective mentorship qualities, career success metrics, and suggested field/society changes. Results were analyzed by geography, profession, age, racial/ethnic and sexual identity. Standard descriptive statistics characterized the study population. RESULTS The 386 respondents were predominantly female (58%) with a median age range of 40-49 years (31%), White (65%), and SNO members (97%). Most worked in North America (77%) in a research profession (67%). A majority of White respondents reported never experiencing biases (64%), while the majority of non-White respondents reported unconscious biases/microaggressions, followed by a lack of/limited mentorship. Qualitative assessments showcased that personal/professional success metrics were linked to needed improvements in diversity and inclusion efforts within the neuro-oncology community. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of racial/ethnic biases and poor mentorship rates amongst underrepresented groups in neuro-oncology is high and potentially linked to the limited diverse representation amongst members and affiliates. These findings warrant a swift implementation of equity and inclusion practices within the neuro-oncology field.

scholarly journals Causes of corruption: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 562-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Ato Forson ◽  
Theresa Yaaba Baah-Ennumh ◽  
Ponlapat Buracom ◽  
Guojin Chen ◽  
Peng Zhen
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Instrumental Variable ◽  
National Development ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Press Freedom ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Institutional Reforms ◽  
Government Effectiveness ◽  
Regulatory Quality ◽  
Sub Saharan

This study explores the causes of corruption in 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 1996 to 2013. The sources of corruption are grouped into three main thematic areas – historical roots, contemporary causes and institutional causes to make way for subjective and objective measures. The subjective measures allow for assessment of the effectiveness of anticorruption policies. Using pooled OLS, fixed-effect and instrumental-variable approaches, and focusing on the perceived level of corruption as the dependent variable, we find that ethnic diversity, resource abundance and educational attainment are markedly less associated with corruption. In contrast, wage levels of bureaucrats and anticorruption measures based on government effectiveness and regulatory quality breed substantial corruption. Press freedom is found to be variedly associated with corruption. On the basis of these findings, we recommend that the fight against corruption on the continent needs to be reinvented through qualitative and assertive institutional reforms. Anticorruption policy decisions should focus on existing educational systems as a conduit for intensifying awareness of the devastating effect of corruption on sustainable national development.

scholarly journals Open Innovation and Innovation Intermediaries in Sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bertha Vallejo ◽  
Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka ◽  
Nicholas Ozor ◽  
Maurice Bolo
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Technology And Innovation ◽  
Innovation Intermediaries ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Desk Research ◽  
Science Technology And Innovation

This study explores the innovation intermediaries’ landscape in sub-Saharan Africa, considering Science Granting Councils (SGCs) as the key intermediaries in the system. Based on extensive desk research, personal interviews, and an online survey, the study discusses the roles and functions performed by SGCs as intermediators and influences of science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy. The results of the analysis corroborate the need for institutional and systemic changes to enable SGCs to perform their role. The realities, resources, and constraints at the local level cry out for the adaptation of current and future partnerships to the local context. The study concludes that only by tailoring partnerships to the development of capacity at the local level can SGCs perform effectively as influencers of national STI policy and mediators of partnerships with foreign development actors.

scholarly journals South-South migration and elections: evidence from post-apartheid South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Biniam E. Bedasso ◽  
Pascal Jaupart
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Single Issue ◽  
Local Public Services ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Election Results

AbstractLittle is known about the political consequences of immigration in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we estimate the effect of exposure to immigration on election outcomes in South Africa. Our analysis is based on municipality panel data and an instrumental variable (IV) strategy exploiting historical migrant settlement patterns. We find that local immigration concentration has a negative impact on the performance of the incumbent African National Congress, whereas support for the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is found to increase in municipalities with a larger immigrant presence. These effects hold regardless of the skill levels of immigrants in a municipality. In terms of mechanisms, competition over jobs and local public services as well as ethnic diversity and cultural factors influence how immigration affects election outcomes. These findings are robust to a broad range of sensitivity checks. They provide evidence that immigration can be a politically salient issue in migrant-destination Sub-Saharan African countries. They also show that immigration can affect election results even in contexts where there is no single issue anti-migrant party.

scholarly journals How big is the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yield gap in Sub-Saharan Africa and why? A participatory approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 180-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieudonné Harahagazwe ◽  
Bruno Condori ◽  
Carolina Barreda ◽  
Astère Bararyenya ◽  
Arinaitwe Abel Byarugaba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Solanum Tuberosum L ◽  
Experimental Information ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Yield Gap ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract According to potato experts from ten Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries working together in a community of practice (CoP) over a 3-years period, potato farmers across SSA can increase their current annual production of 10.8 million metric tons by 140% if they had access to high quality seed along with improved management practices. This paper describes this innovative new methodology tested on potato for the first time, combining modelling and a comprehensive online survey through a CoP. The intent was to overcome the paucity of experimental information required for crop modelling. Researchers, whose data contributed to estimating model parameters, participated in the study using Solanum, a crop model developed by the International Potato Center (CIP). The first finding was that model parameters estimated through participatory modelling using experts’ knowledge were good approximations of those obtained experimentally. The estimated yield gap was 58 Mg ha-1, of which 35 corresponded to a research gap (potential yield minus research yield) and 24 to farmers’ gap (research yield minus farmer’s yield). Over a 6-month period, SurveyMonkey, a Web-based platform was used to assess yield gap drivers. The survey revealed that poor quality seed and bacterial wilt were the main yield gap drivers as perceived by survey respondents.

scholarly journals Pilot Survey of Breast Cancer Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verna D.N.K. Vanderpuye ◽  
Olufunmilayo I. Olopade ◽  
Dezheng Huo
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Locally Advanced Breast Cancer ◽  
Locally Advanced ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Pilot Survey ◽  
Chemotherapy Drugs ◽  
Cancer Management ◽  
Breast Cancer Management ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose To understand the current state of breast cancer management in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We conducted an anonymous online survey of breast cancer management among African Organization for Research and Treatment in Cancer (AORTIC) members by using a 42-question structured questionnaire in both English and French in 2013. Results Twenty members from 19 facilities in 14 countries responded to the survey. Twelve members (60%) belonged to a multidisciplinary breast cancer team. Radiotherapy equipment was available in seven facilities (36%), but equipment had down time at least once a week in four facilities. Available chemotherapy drugs included methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, fluorouracil, anthracyclines, and vincristine, whereas trastuzumab, taxanes, vinorelbine, and gemcitabine were available in few facilities. Core-needle biopsy was available in 16 facilities (84%); mammogram, in 17 facilities (89%); computed tomography scan, in 15 facilities (79%); magnetic resonance imaging, in 11 facilities (58%); and bone scans, in nine facilities (47%). It took an average of 1 to 3 weeks to report histopathology. Immunohistochemistry was available locally in eight facilities (42%), outside hospitals but within the country in seven facilities (37%), and outside the country in four facilities (21%). Thirteen facilities (68%) performed axillary node dissections as part of a breast protocol. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was the most common therapy for locally advanced breast cancer in 13 facilities (68%). In three facilities (16%), receptor status did not influence the prescription of hormone treatment. Conclusion This pilot survey suggests that AORTIC members in sub-Saharan Africa continue to make gains in the provision of access to multidisciplinary breast cancer care, but the lack of adequate pathology and radiotherapy services is a barrier. Focused attention on in-country and regional training needs and improvement of health systems deliverables is urgently needed.

Special COVID-19 Preventive Diets Consumed in sub-Saharan Africa during the Lockdown

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (06) ◽  
pp. 18192-18205
Author(s):  
Eridiong O. Onyenweaku ◽  
◽  
H Kesa ◽  
AK Tchuenchieu ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Neem Leaves ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Combretum Micranthum ◽  
June July

COVID-19 is nowadays considered a pandemic whose mortality rate is clearly higher in developed countries. In contrast to predictions, Africa appears as one of the least affected continents. This pilot study was designed with the aim of identifying the various foods/drinks consumed in various sub-Saharan countries under partial or total lockdown to prevent the disease. In this condition, a cross-sectional online survey was carried out for six weeks (June/July, 2020). A total of 817 people from Cameroon (246), Ethiopia (35), Ghana (57), Kenya (87), Nigeria (211) and South Africa (181) voluntarily took part to this study. Among them, 51.7% reported consuming nothing special for COVID-19 prevention. On the other hand, foods/drinks consumed by the rest of the respondents for therapeutic purposes were grouped into five classes; infusions made from spices, honey and fruits (like lemon, lime, ginger and garlic) were the most popularly consumed class followed by fruits and vegetables. Two other groups related to medicinal plants consisted of ‘Bark Infusions and decoctions’ mainly of Kinkeliba (Combretum micranthum) or Quinquina (Cinchona officinalis), as well as ‘Maceration, decoction or infusion of Neem leaves or Artemisia. These were mainly consumed in Cameroon. Another group was ‘local beverages’ like those from Hibiscus, beetroot or lemonade. The last group was represented by those consuming conventional medicines/supplements especially Vitamin C and Zinc. This was mainly the case in South Africa. Globally, females, white people (race) and those affluent (income) had a significantly higher tendency to consume conventional medicines (p<0.05). Up to 70% of the respondents believed the cited special diets/drinks could be helpful in boosting the immune system. The majority reported informing themselves through social media, friends and relatives. A systematic review of the healthy properties and antiviral potential of the identified special foods, therefore, becomes a prerequisite for prioritizing and promoting them in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Ethnic Diversity and Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do Institutions Reduce the Noise?

2019 ◽  
Vol 145 (3) ◽  
pp. 1033-1062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazeem B. Ajide ◽  
Olorunfemi Y. Alimi ◽  
Simplice A. Asongu
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan

scholarly journals Gastrointestinal endoscopy capacity in Eastern Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 09 (11) ◽  
pp. E1827-E1836
Author(s):  
Michael Mwachiro ◽  
Hillary M. Topazian ◽  
Violet Kayamba ◽  
Gift Mulima ◽  
Elly Ogutu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Gastrointestinal Disease ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Eastern Africa ◽  
Therapeutic Modality ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Material Resources ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background and study aims Limited evidence suggests that endoscopy capacity in sub-Saharan Africa is insufficient to meet the levels of gastrointestinal disease. We aimed to quantify the human and material resources for endoscopy services in eastern African countries, and to identify barriers to expanding endoscopy capacity. Patients and methods In partnership with national professional societies, digestive healthcare professionals in participating countries were invited to complete an online survey between August 2018 and August 2020. Results Of 344 digestive healthcare professionals in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia, 87 (25.3 %) completed the survey, reporting data for 91 healthcare facilities and identifying 20 additional facilities. Most respondents (73.6 %) perform endoscopy and 59.8 % perform at least one therapeutic modality. Facilities have a median of two functioning gastroscopes and one functioning colonoscope each. Overall endoscopy capacity, adjusted for non-response and additional facilities, includes 0.12 endoscopists, 0.12 gastroscopes, and 0.09 colonoscopes per 100,000 population in the participating countries. Adjusted maximum upper gastrointestinal and lower gastrointestinal endoscopic capacity were 106 and 45 procedures per 100,000 persons per year, respectively. These values are 1 % to 10 % of those reported from resource-rich countries. Most respondents identified a lack of endoscopic equipment, lack of trained endoscopists and costs as barriers to provision of endoscopy services. Conclusions Endoscopy capacity is severely limited in eastern sub-Saharan Africa, despite a high burden of gastrointestinal disease. Expanding capacity requires investment in additional human and material resources, and technological innovations that improve the cost and sustainability of endoscopic services.

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