Journal
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Volume 27, Issue 1, Pages 36-46Publisher
CENTERS DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION
DOI: 10.3201/eid2701.191791
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- Health Research Council (HRC) of New Zealand
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The study revealed significantly higher rates of initial hospitalizations and deaths related to acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease among Maori and Pacific Island population groups compared to European/other ethnicity in New Zealand. Rates were also found to be higher in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, highlighting the importance of addressing social and ethnic inequalities to reduce the burden of these diseases.
We describe trends in acute rheumatic fever (ARF), rheumatic heart disease (RHD), and RHD deaths among population groups in New Zealand. We analyzed initial primary ARF and RHD hospitalizations during 2000-2018 and RHD mortality rates during 2000-2016. We found elevated rates of initial ARF hospitalizations for persons of Maori (adjusted rate ratio [aRR] 11.8, 95% CI 10.0-14.0) and Pacific Island (aRR 23.6, 95% CI 19.9-27.9) ethnicity compared with persons of European/other ethnicity. We also noted higher rates of initial RHD hospitalization for Maori (aRR 3.2, 95% CI 2.9-3.5) and Pacific Island (aRR 4.6, 95% CI 4.2-5.1) groups and RHD deaths among these groups (Maori aRR 12.3, 95% CI 10.3-14.6, and Pacific Island aRR 11.2, 95% CI 9.1-13.8). Rates also were higher in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. To curb high rates of ARF and RHD, New Zealand must address increasing social and ethnic inequalities.
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