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Ascertaining infectious disease burden through primary care clinic attendance among young Aboriginal children living in four remote communities in Western Australia2.90 MB
Published (Version of Record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Ascertaining infectious disease burden through primary care clinic attendance among young Aboriginal children living in four remote communities in Western Australia
PloS One, Vol.13(9), e0203684
2018
PMID: 30222765
Abstract
Infectious diseases contribute a substantial burden of ill-health in Australia's Aboriginal children. Skin infections have been shown to be common in remote Aboriginal communities, particularly in the Northern Territory, Australia. However, primary care data on skin and other infectious diseases among Aboriginal children living in remote areas of Western Australia are limited. We conducted a retrospective review of clinic presentations of all children aged 0 to 5 years presenting to four clinics located in the Western Desert region of Western Australia between 2007 and 2012 to determine this burden at a local level. Infectious diseases accounted for almost 50% of all clinic presentations. Skin infections (sores, scabies and fungal infections) were the largest proportion (16%), with ear infections (15%) and upper respiratory infections (13%) also high. Skin infections remained high in all age groups; 72% of children presented at least once with skin infections. Scabies accounted for only 2% of all presentations, although one-quarter of children presented during the study for management of scabies. Skin sores accounted for 75% of the overall burden of skin infections. Improved public health measures targeting bacterial skin infections are needed to reduce this high burden of skin infections in Western Australia.
Details
- Title
- Ascertaining infectious disease burden through primary care clinic attendance among young Aboriginal children living in four remote communities in Western Australia
- Authors/Creators
- David Hendrickx - The Kids Research Institute AustraliaAsha C. Bowen - The Kids Research Institute AustraliaJulie A. Marsh - The Kids Research Institute AustraliaJonathan R. Carapetis - Princess Margaret Hospital for ChildrenRoz Walker - The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Publication Details
- PloS One, Vol.13(9), e0203684
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Number of pages
- 14
- Grant note
- Stan and Jean Peron Charitable Trust University of Western Australia World Vision Australia APP1000886 / National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Research Excellence in Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing YMCA Australia APP1088735 / National Health and Medical Research Council; National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia
- Identifiers
- 991005571150207891
- Copyright
- © 2018 Hendrickx et al.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Ngangk Yira Institute for Change
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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