JW LEE Center for Global Medicine, Seoul National University  

Seoul, 
Korea (South)
http://jwleecenter.org/

• Booth: 100

Welcome APHA Attendees! 

The JW LEE Center for Global Medicine (JW LEE CGM) of Seoul National University (SNU) was inaugurated in 2012 with a speech by then UN Secretary-General Ban, Ki-moon in August 2012 to continue the legacy of Dr. Jong-wook Lee, former Director-General of the World Health Organization who dedicated his lifetime work in global health. The Center was established to conduct research and education in the international healthcare sector. It operates with a devotion to the international community in accordance with the motto of the late Dr. Jong-wook Lee (1945-2006),

"Do what you think is right."

JW LEE CGM contributes to the global health sector under South Korea’s international development scheme. The center aims to enhance the health status of vulnerable populations through evidence-based practices in a sustainable manner. It has been contributing continuously to the development of national strategies and policies and has started to transfer the knowledge and experiences to other developing countries. 

JW LEE CGM also provides its knowledge and human resources to ensure that projects bring fruitful outcomes, providing evidence-based technical advice and hands-on experience in countries including Vietnam, Nepal, Laos, Mongolia, Cote d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, and Ethiopia. It also conducts global health research from an integrated multidisciplinary perspective. It has established partnerships with international organizations, government agencies, major universities, and hospitals both within South Korea and around the world to promote research competency and increase performance, supporting global health research on a variety of subjects.

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 Press Releases

• Antimicrobial Resistance: KAP of Healthcare Professionals at a Tertiary-Level Hospital in Nepal (Oct 06, 2021)

  by Mee-Lang Cheoun, Jongho Heo, and Woong-Han Kim

  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2021)

  Abstract

  Although increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a substantial threat worldwide, low- and middle-income countries, including Nepal, are especially vulnerable. It is also known that healthcare providers (HCPs) are the major determinants of antimicrobial misuse. A cross-sectional, self-administered survey was conducted among 160 HCPs to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Nepali HCPs regarding AMR and its use. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were performed to evaluate KAP dimensions and investigate subgroup differences. HCPs scored higher on theoretical than practical knowledge. Regarding practical knowledge, men scored higher than women (p < 0.01), and physicians scored higher than nurses (p < 0.001). Participants aged < 25 years scored lower on practical knowledge than older participants (p < 0.001), while those with <3 years work experience scored lower than those with >6 years (p < 0.05). Participants from the medical department scored higher on practical knowledge than those from the surgical department (p < 0.01). AMR control was more accepted in the medical than in the surgical department (p < 0.001). Regarding practices, women and nurses scored higher than men (p < 0.001) and physicians (p < 0.01), respectively. An educational intervention that is tailored to the sociodemographic and professional characteristics of HCPs is necessary to reduce the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge and improve their attitudes and practices.

• The feasibility and satisfaction of an online global health education course at a single medical school: a retrospective study (Oct 07, 2021)

  by Su-Jin Lee, Jayoung Park, Yoon Jung Lee, Sira Lee, Woong-Han Kim, and Hyun Bae Yoon

  Korean Journal of Medical Education (2020)

  Abstract
  Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and satisfaction of an online global health education course for medical students in comparison with an in-person of the course and to assess students’ preferences regarding online methods of delivery.
  Methods: Second-year medical students enrolled in this course in 2019 (in-person) and 2020 (online). The attendance rate, satisfaction in the course evaluation survey, and academic achievement on the written final examination were utilized to compare the two different methods of course delivery. The medical students who took the online course were also asked about their preferences regarding the method of course delivery and the advantages and drawbacks of each method of online lectures.
  Results: There was no significant difference in the attendance rate and overall satisfaction between the two groups. The mean score on the written examination of the online course (84.1±19.6) showed comparable effects to the in-person course (78.0±18.3). The percentages of students who achieved high performance (55.5%) and the achieved minimum requirement (95.9%) were also maintained compared to the in-person course (14.6% and 93.6%, respectively). Medical students preferred the online course to the in-person course; in particular, they preferred prerecorded videos over live streaming online lectures.
  Conclusion: The participation, satisfaction, and the academic achievement of the online course were comparable to those of the in-person course. However, the greatest drawback of the online course was the lack of interaction between peer learners. Therefore, diverse methods for online education should be considered to increase students’ sense of belonging to a learning community.

• Evaluation of a Ten-Year Team-Based Collaborative Capacity-Building Program for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in Uzbekistan: Lessons and Implications (Oct 07, 2021)

  by Seungheon Han, Sugy Choi, Jongho Heo, Jayoung Park, and Woong-Han Kim

  The Annals of Global Health (2020)

  Abstract

  Background: Most children who have congenital heart disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Uzbekistan, do not receive adequate and timely pediatric cardiac surgical care. To strengthen the surgical capacity of a local pediatric cardiac surgery team in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the JW LEE Center for Global Medicine at Seoul National University College of Medicine has developed a team-based training program and has been collaboratively conducting surgeries and care in order to transfer on-site knowledge and skills from 2009 to 2019.

  Objectives: To evaluate the long-term effects of the collaborative program on the cardiac surgical capacity of medical staff (teamwork, surgical complexity, and patients' pre-surgical weights) as well as changes in the lives of the patients and their families. To derive lessons and challenges for other pediatric cardiac surgical programs in LMICs.

  Methods: To assess the effects of this ten-year long program, a mixed-methods design was developed to examine the trend of surgical complexity measured by Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery 1 score (RACHS-1) and patients' pre-surgical weights via medical record review (surgical cases: n = 107) during the decade. Qualitative data was analyzed from in-depth interviews (n = 31) with Uzbek and Korean medical staff (n = 10; n = 4) and caregivers (n = 17).

  Findings: During the decade, the average RACHS-1 of the cases increased from 1.9 in 2010 to 2.78 in 2019. The average weight of patients decreased by 2.8 kg from 13 kg to 10.2 kg during the decade. Qualitative findings show that the surgical capacity, as well as attitudes toward patients and colleagues of the Uzbek medical staff, improved through the effective collaboration between the Uzbek and Korean teams. Changes in the lives of patients and their families were also found following successful surgery.

  Conclusions: Team-based training of the workforce in Uzbekistan was effective in improving the surgical skills, teamwork, and attitudes of medical staff, in addition, a positive impact on the life of patients and their families was demonstrated. It can be an effective solution to facilitate improvements in pediatric cardiovascular disease in LMICs if training is sustained over a long period.

• How do caregivers of children with congenital heart diseases access and navigate the healthcare system in Ethiopia? (Oct 07, 2021)

  by Sugy Choi, Heesu Shin, Jongho Heo, Etsegenet Gedlu, Berhanu Nega, Tamirat Moges, Abebe Bezabih, Jayoung Park, and Woong-Han Kim

  BMC Health Services Research (2021)

  Abstract

  Background: Surgery can correct congenital heart defects, but disease management in low- and middle-income countries can be challenging and complex due to a lack of referral system, financial resources, human resources, and infrastructure for surgical and post-operative care. This study investigates the experiences of caregivers of children with CHD accessing the health care system and pediatric cardiac surgery.

  Methods: A qualitative study was conducted at a teaching hospital in Ethiopia. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 caregivers of 10 patients with CHD who underwent cardiac surgery. We additionally conducted chart reviews for triangulation and verification. Interviews were conducted in Amharic and then translated into English. Data were analyzed according to the principles of interpretive thematic analysis, informed by the candidacy framework.

  Results: The following four observations emerged from the interviews: (a) most patients were diagnosed with CHD at birth if they were born at a health care facility, but for those born at home, CHD was discovered much later (b) many patients experienced misdiagnoses before seeking care at a large hospital, (c) after diagnosis, patients were waiting for the surgery for more than a year, (d) caregivers felt anxious and optimistic once they were able to schedule the surgical date. During the care-seeking journey, caregivers encountered financial constraints, struggled in a fragmented delivery system, and experienced poor service quality.

  Conclusions: Delayed access to care was largely due to the lack of early CHD recognition and financial hardships, related to the inefficient and disorganized health care system. Fee waivers were available to assist low-income children in gaining access to health services or medications, but application information was not readily available. Indirect costs like long-distance travel contributed to this challenge. Overall, improvements must be made for district-level screening and the health care workforce.

• Outcomes of trauma education workshop in Vietnam: improving diagnostic and surgical skills (Oct 07, 2021)

  by Sugy Choi, Jieun Kim, Jongho Heo, Dung Thi Ngoc Nguyen, Son Hong Nguyen, and Woong-Han Kim

  BMC Medical Education (2020)

  Abstract

  Background: Unintentional injuries have emerged as a significant public health issue in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), especially in Vietnam, where there is a poor quality of care for trauma. A scarcity of formal and informal training opportunities contributes to a lack of structure for treating trauma in Vietnam. A collaborative trauma education project by the JW LEE Center for Global Medicine in South Korea and the Military Hospital 175 in Vietnam was implemented to enhance trauma care capacity among medical staff across Ho Chi Minh City in 2018. We aimed to evaluate a part of the trauma education project, a one-day workshop that targeted improving diagnostic and surgical skills among the medical staff (physicians and nurses).

  Methods: A one-day workshop was offered to medical staff across Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2018. The workshop was implemented to enhance the trauma care knowledge of providers and to provide practical and applicable diagnostic and surgical skills. To evaluate the workshop outcomes, we utilized a mixed-methods survey data. All participants (n = 27) voluntarily completed the post-workshop questionnaire. Quality of contents, satisfaction with teaching skills, and perceived benefit were used as outcomes of the workshop, measured by 5-point Likert scales (score: 1-5). Descriptive statistics were performed, and open-ended questions were analyzed by recurring themes.

  Results: The results from the post-workshop questionnaire demonstrated that the participants were highly satisfied with the quality of the workshop contents (mean = 4.32 standard deviation (SD) = 0.62). The mean score of the satisfaction regarding the teaching skills was 4.19 (SD = 0.61). The mean score of the perceived benefit from the workshop was 4.17 (SD = 0.63). The open-ended questions revealed that the program improved their knowledge in complex orthopedic surgeries neglected prior to training.

  Conclusions: Positive learning experiences highlighted the need for the continuation of the international collaboration of skill development and capacity building for trauma care in Vietnam and other LMIC.

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