Disparity in conference registration cost for delegates from low- and middle-income backgrounds
Disparity in conference registration cost for delegates from low- and middle-income backgrounds
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DOI：
10.1016/j.afjem.2019.01.016
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发表时间：
2019-09-01
影响因子：
1.3
通讯作者：
Bruijns, Stevan R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Arend, Marc-Eric;Bruijns, Stevan R.
背景：低收入和中等收入国家的临床医生更好地参加国际会议可以增加合作机会，从而解决较弱和较强知识经济体之间的知识差距。更好地了解国际会议的费用可能有助于会议组织者改善参加会议的机会。本研究旨在从注册费用和自付费用方面描述选择国际急诊医学和重症监护会议时与费用相关的障碍。方法：采用横断面、回顾性设计。注册成本变量（费用、豁免、折扣和奖学金）是从 2016 年举行的一系列国际急诊医学和重症监护会议中收集的。然后应用世界卫生组织购买力平价指数来计算每次会议来自南非、巴西、土耳其、中国、澳大利亚、德国和美国的代表的公平注册费用。结果：纳入了 20 场会议。八个会议（36%）提供折扣价格，另外八个会议为低收入和中等收入国家代表提供奖学金。经计算，与美元汇率相比，南非、巴西、土耳其、中国、澳大利亚和德国的公平登记率分别比报价低2.6、1.9、1.9、1.7、0.9、1.1倍。只有一个会议为所有测试国家提供了公平的注册率。讨论：当前的国际会议注册费用（尽管有折扣、豁免和奖学金）可能会阻碍低收入和中等收入代表获得会议提供的教育、网络和推广机会。会议组织者应考虑调整注册费用，以鼓励更多有代表性的国际观众。
Background: Better access for clinicians from low- and middle-income countries to international conferences can improve collaborative opportunities and subsequently address the knowledge gap between the weaker and stronger knowledge economies. A better understanding of the cost of international conferences may help conference organisers improve access to their conferences. This study aimed to describe the expense-associated barriers to a selection of international emergency medicine and critical care conferences, in terms of registration cost and out-of-pocket expense.Methods: A cross sectional, retrospective design was used. Registration cost variables (cost, waivers, discounts and scholarships) were collected from a cohort of international emergency medicine and critical care conferences held during 2016. The World Health Organization Purchasing Power Parity index was then applied to calculate an equitable registration cost for delegates from South Africa, Brazil, Turkey, China, Australia, Germany and the United States for each conference.Results: Twenty conferences were included. Eight conferences (36%) offered discounted rates, and another eight offered scholarships for low- and middle-income country delegates. Calculated, equitable registration rates were 2.6, 1.9, 1.9, 1.7, 0.9, 1.1 times lower than quoted respectively for South Africa, Brazil, Turkey, China, Australia and Germany compared to the rate in United States dollar. Only one conference provided equitable registration rates for all test-countries.Discussion: Current international conference registration costs (despite discounts, waivers and scholarships) are likely a barrier to including low- and middle-income delegates in the educational, networking and promotional opportunities that conferences provide. Conference organisers should consider restructuring registration costs to encourage more representative international audiences.