Improving primary care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with rheumatic heart disease: What can I do?

Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, with devastating impacts on morbidity, mortality and community wellbeing. Research suggests that general practitioners and primary care staff perceive insurmountable barriers to improving clinical outcomes, including the need for systemic change outside their scope of practice.

Citation:
Wyber R, Ralph AP, Bowen AC, Wade V, Bessarab D, Haynes E. Improving primary care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with rheumatic heart disease: What can I do? Aust J Gen Pract. 2022;51(12):959-64.

Keywords:
Australia; general practitioner; primary health care; rheumatic fever; rheumatic heart disease

Abstract:
Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, with devastating impacts on morbidity, mortality and community wellbeing. Research suggests that general practitioners and primary care staff perceive insurmountable barriers to improving clinical outcomes, including the need for systemic change outside their scope of practice.