Pediatric surgical border health: Supply may not be meeting demand in South Texas communities.

Introduction: The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) has historically high incidence of congenital defects (CDs) necessitating intervention by pediatric surgical specialties. We examined mortality in this region and related workforce patterns.

Methods: Mortality data related to CDs (2007-2021) and surgical workforce trends/projections (2024-2032) were collected using multiple databases: National Vital Statistics System, Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Medical Board, Center for Disease Control.

Results: Nationally, RGV counties rank as high as 5th in CD mortality rates. Between 2020 and 2024, 3 of 4 studied pediatric surgical specialties experienced stagnant/decreasing workforces ranging from 0 to 66 ​%. Furthermore, the RGV is projected to have some of the most marked state-wide disparities in surgical providers over the next 8 years.

Conclusion: High infant mortality rates along with ongoing and future shortages of surgical specialists is concerning. These results may inform allocation of public health resources and workforce distribution to improve outcomes.