Metrics details. Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune condition that occurs in response to an untreated Group A Streptococcus throat or skin infection. Recurrent episodes of rheumatic fever can cause permanent damage to heart valves, heart failure and even death. The study outlined in this protocol aims to co-design, implement, and evaluate a novel intervention to reduce rheumatic fever rates for Pacific communities in South Auckland.
Phase 1 comprises a quantitative analysis of the rheumatic fever burden within Auckland and across New Zealand over the last five years, including sub-analyses by ethnicity. Phase 2 will include co-design workshops with Pacific community members, families affected by rheumatic fever, health professionals, and other stakeholders in order to develop a novel intervention to reduce rheumatic fever in South Auckland.
Phase 3 comprises the implementation and evaluation of the intervention. This study aims to reduce the inequitable rheumatic fever burden faced by Pacific communities in South Auckland via a community-based participatory research approach. The final intervention may guide approaches in other settings or regions that also experience high rates of rheumatic fever.
Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune condition that occurs in response to an untreated Group A streptococcal GAS throat or skin infection, primarily affecting children aged 4β19 years [ 1 ]. Recurrent episodes of rheumatic fever can lead to rheumatic heart disease, resulting in heart valve damage, heart failure and even death.
Although cases have steadily declined across most developed countries, high incidence rates continue to persist for Indigenous and Pacific populations across Aotearoa New Zealand NZ and Australia [ 2 ]. Since at least , Counties Manukau DHB has had the highest incidence rates nationally, reporting first episodes of rheumatic fever at Factors contributing to these health inequities have previously been identified including socio-economic deprivation, inadequate access to healthcare, racism, negative experiences with healthcare professionals, overcrowding, low health literacy and genetic susceptibility [ 5 , 6 ].
