Passion Pit: On the Right Track

Fresh off the release of the critically-acclaimed second LP, indie-pop royalty Passion Pit brings the dance-ready sound of Gossamer to the stage. Bro’d out druggies snorted unidentifiable powders from tin cans and were guided to another world by Michael Angelakos’ soaring voice and band of bouncing synths. The sweat weighed down Angelakos’ Greek mop of curls and turned his shirt a deeper shade of purple as he amped the sea of hands a few thousand deep. Then relatively under the radar, Passion Pit made its Lollapalooza debut in an easily overlooked afternoon slot on a side stage with an unmastered EP and freshly released label full-length under its belt

Passion Pit: On the Right Track

Fresh off the release of the critically-acclaimed second LP, indie-pop royalty Passion Pit brings the dance-ready sound of Gossamer to the stage. Bro’d out druggies snorted unidentifiable powders from tin cans and were guided to another world by Michael Angelakos’ soaring voice and band of bouncing synths. The sweat weighed down Angelakos’ Greek mop of curls and turned his shirt a deeper shade of purple as he amped the sea of hands a few thousand deep. Then relatively under the radar, Passion Pit made its Lollapalooza debut in an easily overlooked afternoon slot on a side stage with an unmastered EP and freshly released label full-length under its belt.</p

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially