Dr Siobahn Tu’akoi is a Research Fellow in the Pacific Health section, School of Population Health. Dr Siobahn’s scoping review is a collaboration between a Pacific community group, a Pacific health professional network and University researchers, who work collectively to co-design new, innovative community led approaches to addressing rheumatic fever inequities.
Method:
Siobhan Tu’akoi and her team conducted a thorough scoping review, utilizing systematic search strategies across databases to identify peer-reviewed articles and research studies on interventions for preventing Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections and rheumatic fever in New Zealand.
Literature sources, government reports, policy documents, institutional websites, and news articles, were extensively searched to ensure a comprehensive exploration of relevant interventions addressing this public health issue.
Results:
The authors identified 57 interventions targeting rheumatic fever (RF) prevention in New Zealand, spanning initiatives like school-based throat swabbing, awareness campaigns, housing improvements, secondary prophylaxis, and primary care guideline enhancements. While some interventions showed short-term improvements such as increased awareness and reduced hospitalizations, achieving a sustained, long-term reduction in RF rates remained challenging.
Discussion:
It is important to involve affected communities when co-designing interventions for addressing rheumatic fever and Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection prevention.
Co-designing with communities can help communities meet their needs, preferences and cultural contexts which helps design interventions that are more effective and can mitigate stigma and inequities within the communities
Conclusion:
This article calls for greater recognition of the complex determinants contributing to health inequities in New Zealand, emphasizing the need for holistic, collaborative, Māori, and Pacific-led interventions. It also underscores the persistent challenge of rheumatic fever in New Zealand, particularly among marginalized communities, while highlighting the importance of community-led interventions and rigorous evaluation for addressing this issue effectively