Excess Deaths Associated with Rheumatic Heart Disease, Australia, 2013-2017

During 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.

Citation:
Stacey I, Seth R, Nedkoff L, ....... Carapetis J,....... Bessarab D, Katzenellenbogen J. Excess Deaths Associated with Rheumatic Heart Disease, Australia, 2013-2017. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024;30(1):146-50.

Keywords:
Australia; epidemiology; Rheumatic Heart Disease; mortality; Streptococcus pyogenes; bacteria; cardiovascular diseases; excess deaths

Abstract:
During 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.