Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the Kimberley: using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trends
Abstract Objective: To describe the epidemiology of hospitalisations due to acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia (WA) and use these data to improve completeness of the WA RHD Register. Methods: Retrospective analysis of Kimberley...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2015-02-01
|
| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12240 |
| _version_ | 1827838894289190912 |
|---|---|
| author | Jacqueline Murdoch Stephanie Davis Janice Forrester Lynette Masuda Carole Reeve |
| author_facet | Jacqueline Murdoch Stephanie Davis Janice Forrester Lynette Masuda Carole Reeve |
| author_sort | Jacqueline Murdoch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: To describe the epidemiology of hospitalisations due to acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia (WA) and use these data to improve completeness of the WA RHD Register. Methods: Retrospective analysis of Kimberley regional hospitalisation data for hospitalisations coded as ARF/RHD from 01/07/2002 to 30/06/2012, with individual follow‐up of those not on the register. Annual age‐standardised hospitalisation rates were calculated to determine hospitalisation trend. Results: There were 250 admissions among 193 individuals. Of these, 53 individuals (27%) with confirmed or probable ARF/RHD were not on the register. Males were less likely to be on the register (62% versus 79% of females, p<0.01), as were those hospitalised with ARF without heart involvement (68% versus 87% of other ARF diagnoses, p<0.01). ARF/RHD hospitalisation rates decreased by 8.8% per year (p<0.001, rate ratio = 0.91, 95%CI 0.87–0.96). Conclusions and implications: Using hospitalisation data is an effective method of identifying cases of ARF/RHD not currently on the register. This process could be undertaken for initial case finding in areas with newly established registers, or as regular quality assurance in areas with established register‐based programs. Reasons for the observed decrease in hospitalisation rates remain unclear and warrant further investigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:12:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-78059eac754c42a4a5e470e81d39bba2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:12:58Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-78059eac754c42a4a5e470e81d39bba22023-09-02T22:59:40ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052015-02-01391384310.1111/1753-6405.12240Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the Kimberley: using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trendsJacqueline Murdoch0Stephanie Davis1Janice Forrester2Lynette Masuda3Carole Reeve4Kimberley Population Health Unit Western AustraliaNational Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Australian National University, Australian Capital TerritoryWA Rheumatic Heart Disease Control Program and Register Western AustraliaWA Rheumatic Heart Disease Control Program and Register Western AustraliaKimberley Population Health Unit Western AustraliaAbstract Objective: To describe the epidemiology of hospitalisations due to acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia (WA) and use these data to improve completeness of the WA RHD Register. Methods: Retrospective analysis of Kimberley regional hospitalisation data for hospitalisations coded as ARF/RHD from 01/07/2002 to 30/06/2012, with individual follow‐up of those not on the register. Annual age‐standardised hospitalisation rates were calculated to determine hospitalisation trend. Results: There were 250 admissions among 193 individuals. Of these, 53 individuals (27%) with confirmed or probable ARF/RHD were not on the register. Males were less likely to be on the register (62% versus 79% of females, p<0.01), as were those hospitalised with ARF without heart involvement (68% versus 87% of other ARF diagnoses, p<0.01). ARF/RHD hospitalisation rates decreased by 8.8% per year (p<0.001, rate ratio = 0.91, 95%CI 0.87–0.96). Conclusions and implications: Using hospitalisation data is an effective method of identifying cases of ARF/RHD not currently on the register. This process could be undertaken for initial case finding in areas with newly established registers, or as regular quality assurance in areas with established register‐based programs. Reasons for the observed decrease in hospitalisation rates remain unclear and warrant further investigation.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12240Acute rheumatic feverrheumatic heart diseaseAboriginal health |
| spellingShingle | Jacqueline Murdoch Stephanie Davis Janice Forrester Lynette Masuda Carole Reeve Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the Kimberley: using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trends Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health Acute rheumatic fever rheumatic heart disease Aboriginal health |
| title | Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the Kimberley: using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trends |
| title_full | Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the Kimberley: using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trends |
| title_fullStr | Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the Kimberley: using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trends |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the Kimberley: using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trends |
| title_short | Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the Kimberley: using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trends |
| title_sort | acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the kimberley using hospitalisation data to find cases and describe trends |
| topic | Acute rheumatic fever rheumatic heart disease Aboriginal health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12240 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jacquelinemurdoch acuterheumaticfeverandrheumaticheartdiseaseinthekimberleyusinghospitalisationdatatofindcasesanddescribetrends AT stephaniedavis acuterheumaticfeverandrheumaticheartdiseaseinthekimberleyusinghospitalisationdatatofindcasesanddescribetrends AT janiceforrester acuterheumaticfeverandrheumaticheartdiseaseinthekimberleyusinghospitalisationdatatofindcasesanddescribetrends AT lynettemasuda acuterheumaticfeverandrheumaticheartdiseaseinthekimberleyusinghospitalisationdatatofindcasesanddescribetrends AT carolereeve acuterheumaticfeverandrheumaticheartdiseaseinthekimberleyusinghospitalisationdatatofindcasesanddescribetrends |