The temporospatial epidemiology of rheumatic heart disease in Far North Queensland, tropical Australia 1997 –2017; impact of socioeconomic status on disease burden, severity and access to care

by Katherine Kang, Ken W. T. Chau, Erin Howell, Mellise Anderson, Simon Smith, Tania J. Davis, Greg Starmer, Josh Hanson BackgroundThe incidence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) among Indigenous Australians remains one of the highest in the world. Many studies have highlighted the relationship between the social determinants of health and RHD, but few have used registry data to link socioeconomic disadvantage to the delivery of patient care and long-term outcomes. MethodsA retrospective study of individuals living with RHD in Far North Queensland (FNQ), Australia between 1997 and 2017. Patients were identified using the Queensland state RHD register. The Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) Score –a measure of socioeconomic disadvantage–was correlated with RHD prevalence, disease severity and measures of RHD care. ResultsOf the 686 individuals, 622 (90.7%) were Indigenous Australians. RHD incidence increased in the region from 4.7/100,000/year in 1997 to 49.4/100,000/year in 2017 (p
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research