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Rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous young peoplesIndigenous children and young peoples live with an inequitable burden of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. In this Review, we focus on the epidemiological burden and lived experience of these conditions for Indigenous young peoples in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. We outline the direct and indirect drivers of rheumatic heart disease risk and their mitigation.
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Rheumatic heart disease in Timor-Leste school students: an echocardiography-based prevalence studyThe rates of RHD in Timor-Leste are among the highest in the world, and prevalence is higher among girls than boys. Community engagement is essential for ensuring follow-up and the effective delivery of secondary prophylaxis.
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Clinical outcomes for young people with screening-detected and clinically-diagnosed rheumatic heart disease in FijiYoung people with screening-detected RHD have worse health outcomes than screen-negative cases in Fiji.
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Improving delivery of secondary prophylaxis for rheumatic heart disease in a high-burden setting: Outcome of a stepped-wedge, community, randomized trialThis strategy did not improve adherence to rheumatic heart disease secondary prophylaxis within the study time frame.
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Qualitative Evaluation of a Complex Intervention to Improve Rheumatic Heart Disease Secondary ProphylaxisA multifaceted intervention was implemented using quality improvement and chronic care model approaches to improve delivery of penicillin prophylaxis for rheumatic heart disease
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The 2015 revision of the Jones criteria for the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever: Implications for practice in low-income and middle-income countriesThis article discusses the 2015 revision of the Jones criteria by the American Heart Association for the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever.
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Benzathine penicillin G for the management of RHD: Concerns about quality and access, and opportunities for intervention and improvementBenzathine penicillin G is an important antibiotic for the treatment and prevention of group A streptococcal infections associated with rheumatic fever and...
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Severe adverse reactions to benzathine penicillin G in rheumatic heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysisFear of severe adverse reaction (SAR) and reluctance of health care providers to administer intramuscular injections are major contributing factors to poor adherence of benzathine penicillin G (BPG) in the management of rheumatic heart disease (RHD). However, data on the risk of SARs following BPG injections for RHD are relatively limited and inconclusive. Our systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the incidence of SARs associated with BPG injections used for secondary prophylaxis of RHD.

Research Theme
First Nations Health and EquityAboriginal health is everyone's business. The needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and kids is integrated into all relevant areas of our work. Improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids and families is an overarching priority for every team at The Kids.
Research
Excess Deaths Associated with Rheumatic Heart Disease, Australia, 2013-2017During 2013–2017, the mortality rate ratio for rheumatic heart disease among Indigenous versus non-Indigenous persons in Australia was 15.9, reflecting health inequity. Using excess mortality methods, we found that deaths associated with rheumatic heart disease among Indigenous Australians were probably substantially undercounted, affecting accuracy of calculations based solely on Australian Bureau of Statistics data.